The MIT Campus Police Department continued to serve the MIT community in its mission to protect life and property, prevent and detect crime, and maintain public order and service to the community.
Throughout the year, larceny continued to be the largest category of crime on the MIT campus. Reported thefts of Institute property rose only slightly during the year, but there was a significant increase in reported thefts of personal property, both in residence halls and elsewhere on the campus. Crimes against persons, which were at a ten-year low during the last reporting period, increased to 25 during the year, an average number over the last decade.
The total number of reported incidents of larceny of Institute property this year was 126, compared to 124 last year. Computers and computer components were, once again, the most frequent type of Institute-owned property stolen. There were 706 incidents of thefts of personal property reported at sites other than residences compared with 466 the year before. Wallets, pocketbooks, and backpacks headed the list of articles stolen.
Thefts reported from within residences numbered 193 during the year compared with 67 last year. Wallets, cash, bicycles, and cameras were the major targets.
Motor vehicle thefts on campus plunged to an all-time low with only 19 vehicles reported stolen compared with 27 during the year before. This decrease is attributed to improved parking access control and security systems in campus lots and garages as well as to a drop in motor vehicle thefts in the city in general.
The Safe Ride safety shuttle service provided 160,578 personal safety escorts during the year. Campus Police also supplemented Safe Ride when early morning operations ceased by providing 781 personal safety escorts in police cruisers for members of the community.
The Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) self-defense program continued in popularity. During the year the program provided undergraduates with credit for this course and also surpassed the mark of 200 women, including students, faculty, and staff, trained since the start of the program in 1994.
The Campus Police Motorcycle Unit made its debut this year adding to the department's high visibility mobile operations. Two officers have been trained to operate the motorcycle on the day and early evening shifts.
Anne P. Glavin