FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Contact: Ron Harris Director of Communications 202.683.0182 rjharris@howard.edu

Howard University Posts Dramatic Decrease in Crime

WASHINGTON (Jan. 10) – Crime at Howard University has dropped dramatically over the past two years, including a 42 percent drop in total incidents last year, Chief of Police Leroy K. James announced Monday.

“The continued reduction in our crime incidents is very encouraging,” said James, head of the University’s Department of Public Safety. “It demonstrates that as a university, we are on the right road to building a safer environment for our students, faculty, staff and visitors.”

Reports of crime have fallen by 21 percent from 2008 to 2010, James said.  Over the past year, the University saw declines in robbery, 38 percent; burglary, 43 percent; theft, 57 percent; assault, 39 percent, and a 62 percent reduction in motor vehicle thefts.

James attributes the reduction to several factors, including better crime prevention awareness among the HU community, better communication from the University police department through the posting of “Crime Alerts” and “Crime Prevention Advisories” and a more proactive patrol strategy campus-wide.

“Over the past two years, we have enhanced our security technology initiatives and focused crime prevention efforts on specific audiences with targeted messages,” he said.  “Additionally, we have strengthened our pro-active partnerships with external agencies, such as the Metropolitan Police Department.  These have all contributed to the significant crime reductions we are experiencing.”

“However, we are not done. In order to sustain these reductions every member of the HU community must play an active role in maintaining his or her own personal safety. The university’s Department of Public Safety is committed to being the lead agency dedicated to ensuring that we continue to build a strong safety and security infrastructure, one that will make Howard one of the safest universities in the United States.”