So far this year, university police have released 12 alerts
notifying the Westwood community of especially concerning
crimes.
In all of 2005, eight such alerts were released.
The disparity reflects a recent increase in minor criminal
activity in the UCLA area, ranging from the string of sexual
batteries in January to this month’s peeper incidents in some
Westwood apartments.
The UCPD has reacted with some targeted patrols and with the
release of warnings to the Westwood community.
Some students said they were alarmed by the recent spike in the
crime rate.
“I’m definitely concerned, especially about the ones
where people are actually breaking into homes,” said Karen
Paulson, a second-year biology student.
But Nancy Greenstein, director of police community services at
the UCPD, said she does not think the upsurge in criminal activity
is particularly unusual.
“If you look back (at crime trends) over the past few
years, you’ll find peaks and valleys,” she said.
“It’s cyclical.”
She noted that even the crimes occurring in Westwood today are
themselves not without precedent.
For example, although the string of sexual batteries earlier
this year, attributed to the so-called “Groper,” drew
much attention, Greenstein pointed out that a series of similar
incidents occurred in Westwood parking garages a few years ago.
She said the recurring nature of this type of crime makes it
hard to pinpoint any specific reason for the latest increase.
“It’s … hard to speculate,” she said.
“Unless you catch somebody, you really don’t
know.”
So far, most of the suspects in recently reported crimes remain
at large. Police never caught the suspect in the January sexual
battery incidents.
The police are also still looking for a suspect in the recent
peeper incidents. In the past week, another such incident was
reported, bringing the total number of crimes police are
investigating as possibly connected to six.
Three batteries were also reported this weekend, including two
that allegedly occurred in the emergency room at the UCLA Medical
Center.
But despite the increase in these types of incidents, some
students say they do not believe the area on and around campus is
particularly dangerous.
“I feel pretty safe,” said Robert Castillo, a
third-year art history and French student, adding that he is not
very concerned about non-violent crimes.
But Greenstein said students should not take their safety for
granted, even in a place like Westwood, which has a reputation as a
relatively safe neighborhood.
“People become comfortable, and sometimes it takes an
incident to remind them that we’re in an urban area,”
she said.
The UCPD has repeatedly asked students to be vigilant, and to
call the police if they see any suspicious activity, but Greenstein
said police also have more concrete measures in place to prevent
crime.
“We look at what’s happening and we direct patrols
to that area,” she said, adding that the UCPD also shares
information with the Los Angeles Police Department.
The LAPD has become more involved in Westwood in recent months
as well, conducting investigations into a series of hate-related
vandalisms, as well as three prowler incidents. In both cases, the
LAPD upped patrols in the Westwood area in an effort to catch the
perpetrators.
Still, Castillo said he does not think the increased police
presence has been effective, adding that he thinks police often end
up targeting students who do not pose a threat.
But Paulson said she thinks the crimes do merit the police
response.
“I would rather have more police around than have my house
broken into, or have people being assaulted.”