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Student participation and awareness, in addition to monitoring by
campus police, may be key factors in reducing car thefts and vandalism
in Auraria parking lots and may also reduce car owners’ anxieties
about the safety of their vehicles, according to campus police.
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file photo by Joshua Buck -
The Metropolitan
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| Auraria Police Chief Heather Coogan is asking
students to be viglant in looking for and reporting to campus
security car break-ins and thefts. |
Auraria currently has only three police officers patrolling the entire
campus. Campus Police and Security is responsible for the prevention
of crime, enforcement of laws and the personal safety of individuals
and property on campus.
According to Dave Berry, an office manager for Auraria’s parking
service, the police department “tries to maintain three officers
at all times.”
Campus records indicate that auto theft is not an uncommon occurrence.
Campus Police and Security Director Heather Coogan explains that Auraria
police are not responsible for the protection of student vehicles
or the property inside of them. A clause in Colorado state law prevents
the department’s liability.
The number of Metro students who opt to take public transportation
to campus is increasing, but not comparable to the 80 percent of students
who drive to campus, said Curt Wiedeman, Auraria Director of Auxiliary
and Business Services. Motorists who park in any of the campus 6,200
spaces are advised by Coogan to, “Lock your car and don’t
leave valuables in sight.”
This advice is useful and most likely common knowledge among motorists.
Metro students, faculty, staff, president and chancellor alike pay
to park on campus. There is no free parking for anyone.
Daily charges to park on any of the campus 19 lots range from $1.50
to $3.25 — higher prices for parking closer to campus buildings.
Hourly lots are available to all motorists and are capped at $5.00
a day.
Three campus lots provide parking for students who purchase semester
parking passes, which range in price from $234 to $276 a semester.
Compared to the fees of the many parking options in downtown Denver,
the fee to park at an Auraria lot is inexpensive.
The price is relative to a student’s contribution to parking
services and the budget of a college student as opposed to a professional
who works downtown.
Most college students, like freshman Taylor Hull, must budget a limited
amount of money and value the quality of what they pay no matter the
cost.
Hull works full-time and attends classes. She said that she has grown
agitated by the search for an empty parking space which has become
a ritual every morning before she attends class.
“It seems impossible to find a parking space. I have to arrive
to campus sometimes 20 minutes before class to find a space. All of
my friends go through the same parking aggravation that I do, and
a lot of my friends have had to spend money that they can’t
afford to spend on replacing broken windshields and stolen stereos,”
Hull said.
The overwhelming number of students who park on campus could actually
be a tool in the prevention of car theft. Coogan believes that student
assistance is needed in addition to the police who monitor the campus
parking lots.
“You are your brother’s keeper,” Coogan said.
She urges others to report any suspicious behavior to the police
department. Often auto vandalism is noticed but not reported, according
to Coogan.
Coogan believes the campus would benefit from students who strive
to prevent crime as much as possible and within reasonable means.
Metro student Brittany Hart said she disagrees with such an aspiration.
“Crime prevention is not the number one task of a college
student. Education is what kids come to school for.
“If I have the chance to help others I will. My main concern
is being less concerned with the safety of my car while I’m
in class,” Hart said.
Hart’s suggestion is that our campus should have more police
officers, “and I think that if there were cameras, there might
be less crime.” As Hart spoke, her group of friends nodded
their
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