I WAS about to start my car, parkedoutside of my apartment complexon Wertland St., when I looked in my rearview mirror to see shattered glass spread across my backseat. A vandal had completely smashed one of my windows, leaving me to clean up the remaining glass and protect the inside of the car from the elements with trash bags. Yet such an act of vandalism pales in comparison to the growing number of burglaries and other criminal acts that have occurred near the Corner and on Grounds, such as the student shot two weekends ago.
These acts are serious -- not only was a student shot this month, but students have been robbed, assaulted and otherwise victimized on or near Wertland St. for years. Charlottesville and, even more so, the University carefully maintain their clean, cozy image as "The best place to live in America," making students and outsiders alike presume the city is safe. The University has the most basic responsibility for student safety in these and other areas, and must take the necessary measures to ensure student safety on and off Grounds.
Wertland St., in particular, lies on the border between housing that primarily is student-leased and housing that is primarily Charlottesville residents. Most people who live on the street will contend that it draws many more suspicious characters than other areas. Other areas both on Grounds and just off Grounds also make students feel uncomfortable, from a poorly lit part of Chancellor St. to the columns by Lambeth where a student was mugged on Monday night. In essence, the feeling around Grounds is one of uneasiness -- students do not feel safe.
The University's response so far? An e-mail from vice president for student affairs Pat Lampkin described the incident, reminding everyone to take extra precautions at night. In a Cavalier Daily article describing the Wertland shooting, Lampkin also stated that no individual victimized should be blamed for being caught unaware. Without adequate response to these incidents, this is precisely the message the University sends to its students.
University Police Captain Michael Coleman said in an interview that officers will be increasing patrols (rather than the numbers of officers) in these areas, "assisting the city." Considering that the shooting occurs in the context of several burglaries both on- and off-Grounds, as well as a mugging in Lambeth on Monday night, the overall University response is insufficient.
Contrary to popular belief, the University Police does have jurisdiction over the areas surrounding Grounds. According to Coleman, the University Police has joint jurisdiction with the Charlottesville Police over about a third of the city, which includes Wertland St., 14th St. and 15th St. and other surrounding areas.
For what it's worth, the Charlottesville Police Department seems to be doing what they can. Lt. Gary Pleasants described the Wertland St. patrol that has been in effect since last year. It includes one city officer and one University officer every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night from approximately 10:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. Similar patrols exist for 14th St. and John St. Other measures that are underway, Pleasants said, could not be publicized.
Of course, these incidents beg the question of how these incidents have been occurring if all these police officers are in the proximity. One may wonder if these measures are enough. It may be easy to blame the Charlottesville Police, but we are too quick to forget that they also handle the cases of an entire city that lies well beyond the University. More importantly, we cannot directly change what the Charlottesville Police Department does.
The University can, however, create change with its own University Police. Unfortunately, our administration has yet to take safety seriously yet. It is sad to think that we may be safer in a much more dangerous city where administrators prioritize student safety and ensure every protective measure is taken.
The University Police Web site states there are 60 officers certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia. According to Coleman, between five and eight officers work during any particular shift. During this time of uneasiness, the number of officers on duty must be increased, from Wertland to Lambeth to John St., especially at night. While it will help to have officers patrol more dangerous areas more closely, that may just leave another area exposed to danger.
The University may consider the string of incidents a blip on the map of a generally safe campus, but students do not see it that way. We do not feel safe walking home at night, if it is coming home from a night out at a party or if it is merely coming home from a late class. It should not take any more tragic events for the University to realize the importance of student safety.
Rajesh Jain is a Cavalier Daily associate editor. He can be reached at rjain@cavalierdaily.com.
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