There’s a sense among students San Joaquin Delta College’s campus is unsafe.
“On campus, classroom doors are never locked. There’s not enough security at night, while everyone takes night classes,” said Delta student Jasmine Martinez.
The statistics don’t support that, however.
On Oct. 1, the San Joaquin Delta Community College District Police Department sent out the annual Clery Act Report to the campus community.
The report details the crime rates on campus compared to those done in the Stockton area.
It explains crime statistics regarding sexual assaults, hate crimes, alcohol violations, motor vehicle thefts, dating violence, murder, and other sexual offenses.
Recent Clery numbers indicate Delta’s experiences very low crime rates compared to its surroundings.
Sgt. Jim Bock, with the Delta Police Department, said although students may worry about Delta being unsafe, the statistics indicate otherwise.
“Sadly, crime is an unavoidable consequence of a growing community,” Bock said. “For any person who believes that the campus is unsafe, we strongly encourage them to contact us. Seek the facts, we are extremely transparent and are happy to discuss the crime on campus. Reading the statistics in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report will quickly dispel many of these opinions.”
According to the Clery, Delta’s campus has had 39 thefts while the entire Stockton area has experienced a total of 928.
Bock explained in order to maintain the low crime rates Delta has had for multiple years, it’s not only up to Campus Police to do its part, but staff and students to contribute to the campus’ safety as well.
“Safety on campus is not just the responsibility of the District Police Department. It requires everyone in our community to be vigilant partners in safety. Being aware of your surroundings, reporting crime when it happens, and following simple personal safety habits goes a long way in the prevention of crime. Most criminals are opportunistic. The minute we let our guard down, they feel more compelled to take advantage,” said Bock.
Delta ensures its campus stays safe by taking adequate measures for faculty and staff with quick response times, interacting with the community to keep up to date with anything happening on campus and the police department obtaining a visible presence.
At any point students and staff are able to contact the Delta police department for any questions regarding safety, as well as sign up for campus alerts on TipSoft.
