Crime has become more visible at Georgetown and it’s time for students to stand up and do something about it. We may not commit the crimes but we should at least hold ourselves accountable for the ways we do help criminals: leaving doors unlocked or propped open, walking alone at night, letting strangers into buildings and disregarding new security measures.
University officials, local politicians and students agree that crime is on the rise around the University. Countless possessions were stolen from students walking home at night and from almost every dorm on campus during the last year. The campus crime wave peaked last week when a student suffered a bullet wound to the head after struggling with an intruder outside his Village B apartment.
To preclude criminals from entering campus buildings, the school has implemented new security measures, including more MPD patrols and the policy of swiping GOCards twice upon entering a building. If we disrespect these new measures by refusing to swipe our GOCards inside our dorms, we are simply undermining our security. Students dismantle the locks on their apartment doors so that party guests can come and go as they please.
Many of us have been at an unregistered party, underage and surrounded by other underage drinkers. Put yourself in the position of that apartment’s occupants. What if a suspicious stranger showed up to the party? Would you immediately alert DPS and risk tipping them off to your own illegal activity? Probably not, but the safest and smartest option is to call the professionals.
A good deal of theft occurs during breaks, when few of us are around to stop it, but much of it happens when students are here. We cannot refuse to change our behavior and expect the problem to disappear. Much of the crime on campus could be prevented if students would curb some of their irresponsible behavior.
The solutions are simple: lock your doors, report the presence of intruders and respect the new security policies. Be proactive about keeping Georgetown safe.
