Off-campus crime has become a hot topic at Washington University as several high-profile events grabbed students’ attention and left many of them feeling insecure. Several University students have recently been the victims of theft in areas surrounding the University campus with one high-profile instance involving a gun. And the shooting of Sgt. Michael King on the Delmar Loop did nothing to ease concerns. Though there is no perfect response to crime and students need to be vigilant and sensible, there are a few steps the University could take to make students more secure.

An important way to increase security off campus, particularly in the area between the campus and the Loop where a few of the more serious crimes have occurred, is to add more lighting and to increase the number of blue light phones along Melville. The thought behind the blue light phones, as communicated to students, is that students should always be able to see a blue light phone from wherever they are, but this is not the case. Though there are several phones along this street, there is considerable distance between the phones and it is easy to attack someone in an area where a blue light phone is not easily accessible. More blue light phones will signal a greater presence of the University and its police department, which should act to deter some crime.

The University should increase lighting along the path between the campus and Greenway as well as on Melville between Greenway and the Loop in order to help students be more aware of their surroundings. This would make it more difficult to commit a crime without witnesses present. The University would need to work with the University City Police Department because the University does not own the area, but such a partnership will only improve student safety and build ties with the surrounding community.

Though the University cannot secure the full area around campus where students choose to live, it should seriously consider whether it can work with all of the surrounding police departments to create some type of visible presence in all of the places where many students live. The Washington University Police Department should also quickly make students aware of any knowledge it has regarding crimes occurring in areas that are heavily populated with students. Washington University Police Department could develop an opt-in list for which students can sign up to hear about crime reports. The list could be optional to avoid scaring students unnecessarily while providing concerned students with a reliable source of information that will subdue rumors.

However, the University’s ability to prevent crime is limited. Students must understand that they live in areas that can be dangerous, and they should always use common sense. This means taking measures like not walking alone at night in the middle of less-safe areas, making use of Wash. U. escort services like Bear Patrol, locking and closing doors and so on. Though the University campus often seems impenetrable, it’s important to remember that it is located in an environment where crime is a reality. The University should do absolutely everything it can to ensure safety, which means responding to the increased crime with a few improvements. The fullest University response combined with student vigilance cannot effectively deter crime altogether, but we can work together to minimize crime as much as physically possible.