KU Public Safety releases 2021 crime data for Lawrence campus


LAWRENCE — Reported crimes were up on the University of Kansas Lawrence campus, according to statistics released today by the KU Public Safety Office.

KU Public Safety took reports of 474 criminal offenses on campus in 2021, which is a 41% increase from 2020 but down 2% from 2019 stats.

Property crimes, such as theft and criminal damage to property, continued to make up the greatest number of offenses reported on campus. Violent crimes, such as rape and aggravated battery, were also reported but were a smaller percentage of the overall crime total.

Chief of Police Nelson Mosley said the number of reported crimes was not surprising considering the number of people who have returned to campus for in-person learning.

“The numbers reflect that more people were back to living on campus and that KU returned to a more pre-pandemic level of activities in 2021,” Mosley said. “I would like to credit the crime rate staying under the pre-pandemic level to all who played a part in watching over the campus as well as the investments made by the university into technologies that help deter crime.”

KUPSO shared a few safety reminders with the campus community:

  • Secure all items when leaving them no matter the timeframe that you will be gone.
  • Always be aware of your surroundings.
  • Walk in groups, and when you go somewhere with friends, make sure you have a plan to come back together.
  • When using alcohol, do it responsively and not excessively, and please remember if you see something, say something in reporting crime.

The Public Safety Office uses various social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, to communicate with the KU community regarding crime prevention tips and general information. The office also provides training in alcohol education, de-escalation, active shooter response and knowing your rights. Any groups or individuals interested in any training topic, even if it is not listed above, can contact KUPSO at 785-864-5900 to discuss and schedule.

Crime statistics for the last 10 calendar years are available from the KU Police Department.

Fri, 02/11/2022

author

James Druen

Media Contacts

James Druen

KU Public Safety

785-864-5906