News article #1

With summer off to a start, a new pattern of crime begins to emerge in Pullman. Three quarters of assaults stop during the summertime in Pullman but the potential for burglaries is at an all-time high.

            “Pullman is a destination town, for one reason or another, Chris Tennant, a commander at the Pullman Police Department said. “Some people come to party and others come to commit crimes.”

            According to the Pullman Police Department Activity Statistics, on average, almost 13 reported assaults take place in Pullman each month during the fall and winter semesters at Washington State University. Reported assaults drop to a low average of only three assaults each month once WSU students leave for the summer.

            Alcohol-related crimes, such as assault, fluctuate depending the amount of campus activity. There is less crime during the summer than other parts of the year, Tennant said. The decrease in crime is related to the decrease of students on the WSU campus.

            Rachel Tapert, a WSU student and member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, tells about a fellow sorority sister being sexually assaulted in their chapter house a few years back. “The man who broke into our home was highly intoxicated and assaulted one of our sisters while she was sleeping in her room,” Tapert said.

            Risk of assault heightens during the school year just as burglary tends to increase during the summer. According to a Pullman Crime Report, property crimes are twice as likely as violent crimes when compared to a national average. Criminals are aware that a majority of WSU students head for home during the summertime and this leads to many potential break-ins.

When the population on the WSU campus drops, so do assaults. Unfortunately alcohol is to blame and this is not simply coincidental. Ten to 15 years ago there was a giant dip in crime-related phone calls received by the Pullman Police Department during the summertime, Tennant said. More students have begun to stay for summer classes in the recent years though and the crime-related phone calls have not been dropping as dramatically, Tennant said.

            As students clear out for vacation breaks or the summertime, burglars become attracted to Pullman, Tennant said.  In recent news, a burglary took place this past January on the WSU campus while students were home for the holidays. There were reportedly more than 20 victims and 10,000 dollars worth of goods stolen.

            Break-ins are a common crime when burglars know houses are vacant and witnesses are limited. The campus activity at WSU directly affects the types of crime that will or will not take place within the Pullman community.