Incidents of the most serious property crimes at the University of California, Davis, campus and its medical center in Sacramento decreased by 10 percent last year, as measured by the FBI Crime Index in an annual report of crimes at UC campuses. The number of the most serious violent crimes remained stable. Over the past five years, incidents of the most serious violent and property crimes have decreased by 57 percent, from 1,864 in 1994 to 799 in 1999. In 1999, the number of the most serious violent crimes remained at five, with three on the main campus and two at the medical center. The number of the most serious property crimes decreased by 10 percent to 794 in 1999 from 884 in 1998; of those 1999 incidents, 591 occurred on the main campus and 203 at the medical center. Incidents of 20 other offenses -- from simple assault to trespass and public drunkenness -- decreased by 15 percent, from 570 incidents in 1998 to 484 in 1999. The vast majority of those arrested in all incidents had no affiliation to UC Davis. "While crime does occur at UC Davis and its medical center, the rate of both violent crime and property crime continues to be significantly lower than in the surrounding communities and in California as a whole," says Calvin Handy, chief of the UC Davis Police Department. "In our efforts to create a safe environment," he adds, "we provide for the university community a comprehensive awareness program aimed at preventing crime, providing professional police services and working in cooperation and collaboration with our communities." Crimes at the campus and medical center reported or known to police are counted according to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, used by law enforcement agencies throughout the state. The FBI Crime Index tallies incidents of the eight most serious violent crimes and property crimes. Violent Crimes According to the FBI reporting program, violent crime -- including homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault -- represented less than 1 percent of all crimes reported at UC Davis. The five incidents of violent crime included one rape on the main campus. A man with no affiliation to campus committed statutory rape with a juvenile, who also had no affiliation to campus. The four other violent crimes were aggravated assaults: * One occurred in an area of campus under construction. A man who was assaulted with fists and threatened with a drywall ax sustained head injuries. Neither he nor the man arrested was a university employee or student. * In the second assault on campus, a juvenile male with no affiliation to campus was arrested for attempting to run down someone with a motor vehicle. * At the medical center, a man with no affiliation to UC Davis was arrested for battery of a UC Davis police officer in his attempt to disarm the officer. The officer was not injured. * The second incident at the medical center involved a domestic violence case. A suspect with no affiliation to the university was arrested after he used his hands to strike the victim in the face and stomach as well as a phone to strike the victim in the legs. There were no homicides in 1999, down one from 1998. No robberies were reported in 1999, down two from 1998. Property Crimes Burglary: Burglary decreased by 4 percent, from 73 reports in 1998 to 70 this past year. In the majority of the burglaries, there was no evidence of forced entry. Motor vehicle theft: The number of automobile thefts increased from 25 to 32. Larceny: Bicycle theft decreased by 1 percent, from 265 incidents in 1998 to 262 in 1999; the drop contributes to a 72 percent decrease in bicycle theft since 1994. Other thefts decreased by 18 percent, from 521 to 428 in 1999. Stereos, CDs and cellular phones were the most commonly taken items. Entry was most often made by breaking windows and punching out vehicle locks. The value of property stolen decreased by 16 percent, from $518,510 in 1998 to $435,811 in 1999. Of the $161,865 in university property stolen in 1999, police recovered almost 18 percent. Of the $273,946 in other property stolen in 1999, police recovered more than 30 percent. Arson: The two arsons reported in 1999 caused $100 in property loss on the main campus. A bulletin board in a building was set afire in one incident, and a small portion of a fence bordering a housing area was damaged in the other. There were no arsons reported in 1998. Other Of all 1999 cases, none was motivated by bias. Eight involved weapons, 70 were related to alcohol and four were classified as domestic violence. Arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs decreased from 63 to 39. Two police officers were assaulted but uninjured in separate incidents at the medical center and on the main campus. University Affiliation For all offenses committed during 1999, UC Davis police officers arrested 215 individuals. Of the 21 arrested for the eight most serious violent and property crimes, only one was affiliated with the main campus or medical center as a student or employee. Of the 194 arrested for other offenses, only 16 were affiliated with the university. Other Highlights Other highlights of the police department's activities in 1999 include the following: Research security: The police department dealt with three major incidents related to protest and terrorism against research: * Letters containing a razor blade were mailed to seven UC Davis researchers in late October as part of a nationwide terrorist action against primate researchers. The police department was able to warn most researchers before they received the letters; all of the letters were recovered unopened and delivered to the FBI as the lead agency in the investigation. * Reclaim the Seeds, a group opposed to the genetic modification of crops, claimed responsibility for the destruction of research plots of corn, beets, walnut trees, melons and a field weather station in four incidents in July and September. In response to the terrorism, the police department stepped up patrols and has worked with academic departments to implement other security measures. * Police arrested six protesters on one of the three days the nationwide Primate Freedom Tour stopped at UC Davis' California Regional Primate Research Center in early June. Y2K readiness: The police department was one of several UC Davis units to coordinate planning and equipment and system remediations to prepare for the year 2000, when a computer bug threatened to disrupt essential computer systems and services around the world. Criminal investigations: The criminal investigations unit of the police department is responsible for investigating crimes on the main campus and at the medical center. Among its cases: * An investigation into the disappearance of several bottles of drugs from the medical center pharmacy resulted in the arrest of a pharmacy technician and his wife. Thousands of prescription pills and a large amount of cash were recovered in a search of their residence. * Thefts from a medical center parking structure led to searches of three residences in Sacramento in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies. Three people were arrested; six medical center and 96 Sacramento County burglary cases were solved. * A student was arrested for fraudulently using the credit accounts of other people to register online for University Extension courses, and police believed there may have been more than 50 victims. Further investigation led to arrests in Georgia, and the Sacramento County High Technology Crime Investigators also filed additional charges in the case. Program Highlights: * The U.S. Department of Justice's Violence Against Women Office awarded the campus $543,000 to develop a comprehensive program to prevent and respond to violence against women on campus. Involving some 40 campus and off-campus organizations, the two-year project offers victim services and advocacy; identifies and assists in the prosecution of perpetrators; and provides campus education, outreach and training. It augments the police department's Campus Violence Prevention Program, now in its 21st year, and the program model and materials developed will be shared with other colleges and universities. * The Yolo County Air Quality Management District awarded a $12,000 grant to the police department for the purchase of six police bicycles with electric motors. This addition to the bicycle patrol unit is expected to reduce by 34,000 the miles driven in patrol vehicles. * The police department took several actions to increase awareness of traffic safety issues on the main campus. The department handed out leaflets on pedestrian, bicycle and motorist safety; used a digital sign to show motorists their speed; and recommended improved road signage and redrawing of crosswalks. * The Crime Prevention Program made 71 presentations to about 15,000 people affiliated with UC Davis or from its surrounding communities. Topics included workplace violence prevention, drug and alcohol awareness, personal safety, office and facility security, residential security, holiday crime prevention, and recreation and vacation security. Clery Statistics In the fall, UC Davis also publishes statistics according to the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. Reporting requirements differ from those specified by the FBI reporting system. Next fall's Clery report will include not only crimes reported or known to police, but also those incidents reported to other campus officials with significant responsibility for campus and student activities such as coaches, academic advisers and advocates providing services to sexual assault victims. In addition to incidents occurring on campus, the report will include those taking place on public property adjacent to and easily accessible from campus and on property owned or controlled by recognized student groups such as fraternities and sororities. The report also covers disciplinary referrals for liquor, drug and weapons violations.