UH-Manoa strives to combat rising number of thefts
By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer
| • | Data on property crime at UH
After bicycles, computers are the most stolen property on the UH-Manoa campus. The total of $350,000 in losses in 2002 included about 100 bicycles valued at about $41,800, $136,000 in UH property and $46,000 in personal property, including computers Burglaries at UH-Manoa over the years:
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"We've had 81 incidents with a value of $127,000 this year to date," said Jim Manke, spokesman for the Manoa chancellor's office. "There are some things missing from labs such as glass tubing that could be used in crack houses, so there's some suspicion that some of that's going on."
The campus security force has five to seven officers on each of three daily eight-hour shifts. Security is increased overnight on weekends, yet the break-ins keep occurring. Individual departments are taking their own security measures.
The Chemistry Department is so concerned about recent break-ins and the resulting loss of equipment and chemicals that a quickly convened internal safety committee will report today on immediate measures that can be taken — and alarm systems are being installed in individual labs at the department's expense.
"We've moved it up as a high-priority item," said Thomas Bopp, chairman of the Chemistry Department. "We're looking at restricting access to some of the stairwells and the elevator after hours. Right now, you can walk onto any floor .... We have these people, not university people, walking around the hallways and that's somewhat disconcerting."
The rash of crime at UH is being reflected in a crime wave in the adjacent lower Manoa neighborhood, said Richard Fassler, former vice chairman of the Manoa Neighborhood Board.
"We've had probably 11 cases of crime, including burglaries, car thefts and car break-ins in the last three weeks," he said. "It's definitely a spike, and I believe it's because of the 'ice' epidemic."
He said he has tried to warn residents by sticking leaflets in mailboxes and on telephone poles around the neighborhood between Punahou School and the university.
The Chemistry Department is picking up the costs of security alarm installations, but the chancellor's office is considering whether there will be money available to strengthen the campus security force.
"We're going through a budget exercise which mandates some internal reallocations," said Manke. "Whether in the end this means more money for security remains to be seen. The chancellor says it obviously should be a higher priority. Staffing for campus security has remained the same for the last decade, and it hasn't been given the priority it should have been."
Despite that, the campus security force has been doubling up on some shifts, said Manke. Also, the parking operation has put overnight attendants at both the Maile Way and East-West Center Road kiosks to record all license plate numbers. Thefts have dropped since that effort began, Manke said.
The combination of security guards on every floor of the parking structure and new surveillance cameras have almost eliminated car theft, he said.
Several years ago, Student Health Services set up a similar internal safety committee and safety drill procedure after the theft of several computers. That has served to deter other thefts.
Last year, the College of Nursing and Dental Hygiene created its own internal safety review after an incident at the University of Arizona in which two nursing faculty members were shot and killed. Most recently, the Center for Hawaiian Studies installed an alarm system after losing computers to theft.
As individual departments look at crime issues, concern has also been raised about the safety of students and others who may be working late in easily accessible buildings. The latest crime reports for 2002 show an increase of forcible sex offenses, with seven last year compared with five in each of the two previous years.
Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.
