Pandemic Restrictions Drove Down Number of Crimes Reported on BU Campuses Last Year
Reports of many types of crime dropped on BU’s campuses in 2020, but there was a spike in Medical Campus burglaries. Photo by Cydney Scott
Pandemic Restrictions Drove Down Number of Crimes Reported on BU Campuses Last Year
Annual security report found rise in Medical Campus burglaries, however
The COVID-19 pandemic scattered Terriers in spring 2020 to study remotely. And last fall, many students elected to continue learning remotely as part of BU’s Learn from Anywhere (LfA) hybrid model. It turns out that there was a silver lining to a depopulated BU, as many types of crimes reported on the University’s campuses fell compared with 2019. Plunges in dating violence and in Medical Campus drug arrests led the way, although burglaries on the latter campus tripled.
The stats come from BU’s latest Security and Fire Safety Report, which also says the Charles River Campus (CRC) had five residence fires last year, down from six the prior year, while the Medical Campus racked up its fourth straight year without any reported fires at its student residence.
Reported incidents of dating violence fell to 3 from 11 in 2019 on the CRC. The Medical Campus had no reports of such violence, after a dozen the previous year.
That campus also saw just one quarter of the drug arrests in 2020 as it had in 2019—23 versus 95. That’s notable, because in 2019, the city created a task force to address exploding cases of substance use disorders in the Medical Campus area, home to many drug treatment services.
On the CRC, other significant drops in reported crime year-to-year included motor vehicle thefts (three versus nine), stalking (7 versus 18), and liquor law arrests (6 versus 12).
“The onset of the pandemic in 2020 had an impact on crime, with overall crime numbers falling off significantly due in large part to a depopulated campus,” says Kelly Nee, chief of the Boston University Police Department (BUPD).
Accounting for crimes that increased is trickier. Nee says that most of the surge in Medical Campus burglaries occurred in buildings operated by Boston Medical Center (BMC), the University’s teaching hospital.
“It’s difficult for us to pinpoint why a category such as burglary…would spike at a time when we see most crimes trending down,” Nee says. Many crimes on the Medical Campus are reported to the federal government by Boston police or the campus Department of Public Safety, she says.
The annual security summary covers crimes reported on BU campuses, on adjacent public property, and on off-campus property owned or controlled by the University. The report is required of universities under the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. Fenway Campus statistics are included in the CRC’s statistics.
“Although our crime statistics are trending downward,” Nee says, “always be mindful of your safety, and I encourage [BU affiliates] to call or text [Boston University] police or Public Safety if you ever need to report anything that feels unsafe.”
Students and staff can call the Boston University Police, at 617-353-2121, or the Medical Campus Public Safety Department, at 617-414-4444. Students who need help for stalking, domestic violence, or dating violence can contact the Sexual Assault Response & Prevention Center, 930 Commonwealth Ave., at 617-353-SARP (7277) or by email at sarp@bu.edu. All services are free and information is kept confidential. In urgent situations, students can also seek help at Student Health Services Behavioral Medicine, at 617-353-3569. University employees who experience stalking, domestic violence, and dating violence can contact the Faculty & Staff Assistance Office, at 617-353-5381, or by email at sao@bu.edu.
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