Violent crime at the University of California, Davis, decreased 17 percent in 1995, and the number of property crimes committed at the Davis campus and the university's medical center in Sacramento significantly declined, as well. These findings are part of a report prepared annually by the University of California Police Department on reported crimes at UC's nine campuses and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. Campus crime is counted through the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, the same program used by law enforcement agencies throughout the state. "Statistics continue to suggest that, while crime does occur on campus and at the medical center in Sacramento, the rate of both violent crime and property crime continues to be lower than in the communities that surround us," said Calvin Handy, police chief at UC Davis. Data from the Davis campus and its medical center in Sacramento showed that violent crime, including homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault and forcible and non-forcible sex offenses, represented less than 1 percent of all crimes committed. Three rapes were reported last year. In 1994, two rapes were reported, and in 1993, two rapes and one attempted rape were reported. Of the three rapes reported in 1995, two were alleged to be committed by strangers and one by an acquaintance. No arrests have been made related to these 1995 cases. Four robberies were reported last year, down two from 1994. Five robberies were reported in 1993. Two of the 1995 robberies occurred at the medical center in Sacramento and two on the Davis campus. A weapon (a firearm) was used in only one of the robberies. The armed robbery occurred on campus and was committed by three juveniles, who were all arrested within one week of the crime. All have been convicted and are currently serving jail sentences. Seven aggravated assaults were reported last year, down two from 1994 and down nine from 1993. Six of the cases occurred on the Davis campus, with one of those taking place in a resident housing area. In three cases, weapons other than hands and feet were used: a pool cue, a vehicle and a piece of wood. Arrests were made in three of the seven cases. None of those arrested had any affiliation with the campus. In the one assault case at the medical center, which did not involve weapons, three arrests were made. Property crimes, which include burglary, arson and theft of such items as bicycles, decreased significantly in 1995, according to the year-end statistics. Burglary decreased by 25 percent from 1994. "We attribute the decrease in our burglaries to concentrated patrols in targeted areas," said Handy. "Two areas where significant decreases occurred in 1995 were bicycle and auto theft," Handy said. "Through directed patrol and sting operations, police officers were successful in the apprehension of approximately eight bicycle thieves who collectively stole a large number of bicycles." Bicycle theft declined 25 percent and automobile thefts, 27 percent, in one year. Six arsons were reported in 1995, all resulting in little or no property damage. Four arsons were reported in 1994. Drunk-driving arrests decreased 41 percent from a year ago. UC Davis police officers arrested 44 last year. Of those arrested, none had any affiliation with the campus or the medical center in Sacramento. For all offenses committed during the year, UC Davis police officers arrested 373 individuals, down 176 from a year ago. The percentage of arrests for violent and property crime in 1995 remained the same as the previous year's, noted Handy. The department's Rape Prevention and Education Program continues to expand its services to the campus community, noted Handy. Through 286 presentations, the staff reached 6,986 campus employees. Last year, the program concentrated on improving outreach to staff and to graduate and professional students. In an additional preventive effort, a symposium on safety and security at the workplace was presented by the Police Department, Property and Liability, and Human Resources and Risk Management. UC Davis employees were taught how to implement front office security measures, to handle disruptive and dangerous behavior and to prevent financial crime. In 1995, the detective unit investigated several embezzlements. In two of the cases, the monetary loss exceeded $50,000. One case has been successfully prosecuted, and the other is pending trial. A particularly successful effort, reports Handy, is the Neighborhood Police Officer program. In this program, officers are trained to work with youths in Sacramento neighborhoods that have problems with drugs, violence and gangs. The UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento has shown support for the program by helping fund two full-time campus officers to work in the community that surrounds the medical center. "The NPO program is a huge success; the overall crime rate and calls for service are down," said Handy. The NPO program is a citywide project of the Sacramento police department. The COPS Universal Program of the Federal Omnibus Crime Bill has allocated $150,000 to the UC Davis Police Department for continuation of the NPO program in Sacramento for another three years.