By Cami Stump

UK’s Office of Emergency Management released the 2010 Annual Campus Safety and Security Report Tuesday, including a report on crime statistics and on fire safety.

The UK Annual Safety and Security Report included extensive statistics of various types of crimes that occur on campus, in residential facilities, off campus and on public property that were handled by the UK Police Department.

On-campus thefts and robberies have increased over the last few years. Four incidents were reported in 2008, six in 2009 and eleven last year. Joe Monroe, UK police chief, said five of the reported robberies last year occurred during a one-week period.

Incidents of wanton endangerment went down drastically from 2009 to 2010. Thirty-one incidents of wanton endangerment were reported on campus in 2009, while in 2010, the numbers fell to five incidents on campus.

According to the Title L. Kentucky Penal Code, a person is guilty of wanton endangerment when their conduct “creates a substantial danger of death or serious physical injury to another person.”

Perry DiPiazza, a business management senior, said that students rarely recognize that major crimes are committed at UK, with one exception.

“Everyone seems to be getting in trouble for alcohol these days,” DiPiazza said. “I don’t think there’s anyone on campus that doesn’t know someone who has had an alcohol related arrest.”

Arrests on campus for alcohol violations have become an increasing concern for UK Police, with 423 violations reported on campus last year. This number jumped from 221 the pervious year.

“An officer can refer a student to Student Affairs for the infraction to have corrective action taken,” Monroe said. “This is used for minor violations that the officer has the discretion to either cite, arrest or send a discipline referral to student affairs.”

In 2008, UK Police issued 159 disciplinary referrals and 209 arrests for alcohol violations.

In 2010, UK Police issued no disciplinary referrals, but issued 423 arrests. Along with the annual crime reports, the university also released the Kentucky Annual Fire Safety report. Eight fires were reported for the calendar year of 2010, according to the report.

Greg Williamson, UK fire marshal, said that the number of fires last year was more than normal, but this year fires that may have gone unreported in previous years were in the report.

“We usually have had about four or five fires reported in past years,” Williamson said. “But it’s the law, we have to report the fire incidents.”

Williamson also said that the fire department is really looking to work with students to reduce the risks of fires.

“Some of the precautions may seem very minor to some people,” Williamson said. “But they are a huge deal.”

One of the overlooked precautions is making sure that doors close completely and latch, Williamson said. This can prevent fire from blowing doors open and quickly moving into rooms.

The fire department is also working to better educate students by holding fire simulations, like the one held at Baldwin Hall, Tuesday night.