Eastern’s University Police Department released their Annual Safety and Security Report Tuesday morning, which revealed a continued trend decrease in sexual assaults since the COVID-19 pandemic and an increase in judicial referrals for drugs and alcohol.

In 2021, there were two reported sexual assaults and one incident of fondling reported to the University police.

In 2019, there were 13 reported sexual assaults and three incidents of fondling reported to the University police.

Since COVID-19, reports from UPD have shown reported crimes have decreased when the pandemic began. 

Now that Eastern is relatively back to normal, Eastern could see these crime reports increase.

Other crimes reported in 2021 include:

• One report of aggravated assault on public property
• Four reports of burglary, three on-campus and one residential
• Four reports of motor vehicle theft, three on-campus and one on public property
• One report of domestic violence at a residential
• One report of dating violence on-campus
• One report of stalking on-campus

UPD covers three categories of locations on-campus, non-campus buildings or property or public property.

On-campus covers any building or property owned or controlled by Eastern within a continuous geographical location and used by Eastern in support of education purposes. This also includes the residential halls along with all buildings used for staff and faculty or classrooms.

Non-campus buildings and properties are any building or property owned or controlled by a student organization recognized by Eastern, or any building or property owned or controlled by Eastern and is used in support of educational purposes, frequently used by students and is not within the continuous geographical location. 

Public property covers all public property within the contiguous geographic area by a reasonable distance. This includes sidewalks, streets, parking lots and more.

UPD made one arrest in 2021 for having a weapon in a residential area.

UPD made a total of 93 judicial referrals for charges with weapons, drugs or alcohol.

Two judicial referrals were made for charges with weapons both on campus.

Fifty-six judicial referrals were made for charges with drugs: four on-campus, one on non-campus, two on public property and 49 in residential areas.

Thirty-five judicial referrals for alcohol were made for charges involving alcohol, all in residential areas.

In 2021, there have been no reports of murder or non-negligent manslaugther, incest, statutory sexual assault, roobery, arson or arrests for drugs or alcohol.

There have been no reports of hate crimes on-campus or on public property made with UPD from 2019 to 2021.

For emergencies, call 9-1-1, but for non-emergencies UPD can be contacted at 581-3212.

For administrative purposes or for information, UPD can be contacted at 581-3213 during business hours.

Madelyn Kidd can be reached at 581-2812 or at dennewsdesk@gmail.com.