The University of Utah’s Department of Public Safety keeps a current report of crimes and police responses on and around campus for public access. The report lists the offense, the date and time of its occurrence, the campus zone, full address and case status.
For the month of September 2024, this report identifies approximately 345 cases, with 11 resulting in arrests. Most offenses occurred around the Health Sciences Campus, which includes the University of Utah Hospital, and Housing and Residential Education, the area encompassing Kahlert Village and Lassonde Studios.
The report includes non-criminal incidents, with “citizen assist” referring to non-emergency services provided to a citizen. Besides this category, which was 20 cases, the most common offenses were suspicious circumstances, traffic accident, assault and theft.
Defining Terms
Some of the terms used in the report to describe offenses, such as “stalking,” are straightforward, while other terms may not be as clear.
Disorderly conduct is an umbrella term for any activity that a police officer may deem hazardous or threatening. This term can include making unreasonable noises in public, refusing to comply with a police officer or obstructing traffic. This broad term is often used by police to diffuse situations where a clear crime is not committed.
Criminal mischief can cover any attempt to damage or deface property, interrupt “critical infrastructure,” or tamper with another person’s property. The most standard example of this in Utah is small-scale vandalism or graffiti.
A circumstance, vehicle or person can be deemed suspicious if there is reason to believe there was a crime, is a crime, or will be a crime. This could include people who appear to be wandering in buildings without a purpose, requesting sensitive information.
Signs of forced entry or property damage, such as broken doors or windows, commonly fall under this term. The designation of circumstances as “suspicious” can be subjective to a witness, or to police interpretation.
Threats are deemed specific and credible with the intent to physically harm another individual. The threats can be expressed or implied.
Simple assault is when someone uses unlawful force to physically harm another person, resulting in moderate or minor injuries. Assaults with more serious injuries or the use of a weapon are classified as aggravated assault. A simple assault is categorized as a misdemeanor, while aggravated assault is a felony.
Sexual assault is a term used for a broad scope of nonconsensual sexual contact. Sexual battery refers to unwanted sexual contact specifically to the victim’s intimate areas, through the threat of force or use of force.
Contents of the Report
The most common types of crimes in September were suspicious circumstances, traffic accidents, assault on health workers and theft. The vast majority of cases are closed, with 40 active cases.
There were about 50 traffic-related incidents, including 30 with property damage and 16 which were hit and run incidents. These incidents were not heavily concentrated in one area, but occurred on various parts of campus.
The Health Sciences Campus was the campus zone with the largest amount of crimes, accounting for 130 cases, or 38% of all incidents. Most of the offenses on the health campus were the assaults of health workers. There were 19 simple assaults of health workers and two aggravated assaults of health workers. There are five cases that are still active, and two people have been arrested.
There were 28 incidents of suspicious circumstances, which took place on various parts of campus. There were 18 incidents of drug possession, all of which occurred on the health sciences campus.
There were eight offenses involving alcohol, five of which took place in Housing and Residential Education, including Sage Point, Kahlert Village and Peterson Heritage Center.
Three of four stalking cases from September are active. Two of these cases were reported off-campus and one was reported in Kahlert Village.
One stalking case resulted in students, faculty and staff receiving two safety alerts regarding a stalking suspect and his subsequent arrest on Friday, Sept. 20. Oluwatobi Oludaisi Shokunbi, also known as “King Rocky,” was charged with stalking, lewdness and two counts of criminal trespassing.
Comparing Trends
The U’s annual crime report for 2023 demonstrated an increase in sexual violence. The September report identifies at least three cases of sextortion, two cases of domestic violence, and two instances of sexual battery.
Crimes of sexual violence are commonly underreported. Two-thirds of rape and sexual assault are not reported to law enforcement, according to a 2023 report from the US Department of Justice.
Based on The Chronicle’s reporting on campus theft, there were 215 cases related to theft opened between Aug. 1, 2023 and Aug. 1, 2024. This included general theft, bicycle theft and motor vehicle theft.
Theft remained common in September 2024, with around 32 total reported thefts, including 12 bicycles. These occurred on various parts of campus, including Housing and Residential Education.
Resources
The Public Safety Dashboard provides a more interactive way for the public to view reported crimes around campus.
Additional resources for students include:
University Police: 801-585-2677
Crime Victim Advocates: 801-585-2677, [email protected]
Center for Campus Wellness: 801-581-7776
Huntsman Mental Health Institute: (988 crisis line available 24/7) 801-587-3000
University Counseling Center: 801-581-6826
