Crime drops at Tennessee Universities

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released its annual crime study as it affects the state’s colleges and universities.

Overall, reports of criminal activity are down from 2016 to 2017.

The TBI warns that the latest figures show a cross-section of college campuses and that one institution cannot necessarily be compared with others.

But, generally all crime around colleges and universities is down, except DUI, which are up more than 60%.

UTC reports fewer crimes in the past 12 months.

UTC Police Chief Robert Ratchford says “It takes effort not only on the police department’s side, but it takes the community effort also, to be able to get these statistics to reflect that crime is down. This is a statewide trend, hopefully it’ll be a national trend, as well that the statistics have diminished or decreased, and that not only is this good for 2017 but this trend will continue as well for crime to decrease over the years to come.”

The chancellors’ office agrees.

Vice Chancellor Richard Brown says “We think that an engaged campus police department along with crime prevention education for our students has a direct impact on lowering the crime rates on any public university campus.”

Chief Ratchford says cooperation from the student body is also a positive factor.

“One of the ways that we have been able to uh, decrease the crime that’s been reported on campus, is because people are reporting the crime as they see it. This is what we, this is what we teach, this is part of the proactive approach, kind of a “See something, say something.” ”

Vice Chacellor Brown says the university is also in the process of hiring additional personnel.
He says they will work closely with Chattanooga police.