The incidence of crime on and around campus has raised concerns regarding campus safety infrastructure, and over the past few years, has prompted action by students and faculty to improve safety measures.
Several examples of criminal activity have been observed in the past few weeks.
A man was arrested on Oct. 18 on a misdemeanor warrant in connection to three reports of sexual assault in the apartments near campus.
Officers arrested the man suspected of groping three women on Oct. 17 and on the evening of Oct. 18. Campus police received three separate reports of an individual who allegedly grabbed women’s breasts in the Strathmore Avenue and Landfair Avenue areas, according to the brief.
The suspect was also involved in a groping incident at the USC campus on Oct. 18 following his release from the custody of university police, said Nancy Greenstein, director of police community services for UCPD.
Greenstein also described an unrelated incident of burglary in Westwood on Sunday night in which an individual was arrested and charged with burglary after being detained by a group of students who noticed that the suspect’s backpack had increased in size while he had been inside a party.
“Know who is coming to your house and parties,” Greenstein said as a precaution for students to consider to protect themselves.
She added that UCPD and Los Angeles police will be working together on the case. It is believed that the individual suspected of stealing from the party has been involved in seven prior similar incidences which are likely to be solved due to the individual’s arrest.
Crime in Westwood, including but not limited to recent events, has prompted action to preserve the safety of students and faculty on campus and in the North Village area in general.
Dianne Tanjuaquio, Undergraduate Students Association Council internal vice president, said that several student and non-student groups exist or have been organized lately to ensure the safety of students on campus.
Tanjuaquio’s office is putting together the Campus Safety Alliance, a body that advocates for policies that have to do with campus safety, she said. Tanjuaquio said that the group “was formed in part due to the (Taser) incident last year but has expanded to apartment safety, LGBT safety issues, and anything pertaining to campus safety.”
Tanjuaquio said that the alliance is holding its first meeting next week and will begin working on several issues including the possibility of installing a stop sign on Gayley Avenue near the bottom of the trail behind Saxon Suites.
She also said that campus administrators are working on plans for a nighttime running trail.
Tanjuaquio said that the university should focus energy on the maintenance and installation of emergency call stations around campus and that students can take steps to help protect themselves by walking with a friend or using the CSO escort services.
Despite the recent criminal activity in the area, some students appear to be comfortable and do not feel threatened.
“I have been told a lot of stories about American campuses,” said Pauline Bureau, a third-year political science student from France. “The thing is, you have to be logical about it. If you don’t go out after 4 a.m. or (go) running in the middle of the night, nothing will happen to you.”
With reports from Edward Truong, Bruin senior staff.