Pitt police chief says Oakland area still safe

After a summer and semester that were marked with several violent incidents, police officials… After a summer and semester that were marked with several violent incidents, police officials still affirm that Oakland is not as dangerous as it sometimes appears or as dangerous as some other American cities.

“It’s a highly congested area,” Pitt Police Chief Tim Delaney said. “[But] students that come from New York, Philly, D.C. or Detroit say nothing’s happening here.”

In May, shootings occurred on Ward, Frazier and Dawson streets in South Oakland. Then in June, two armed men robbed three Pitt students on Zulema Street near the Boulevard of the Allies. In July, a man was killed on Robinson Street in West Oakland.

In October, a man was shot and killed on Forbes Avenue near Bouquet Street.

“Oakland is difficult to keep track of, statwise,” said Ashley Thompson, a Pittsburgh Police Department crime prevention officer.

He added that generally, as outdoor temperatures go up, so does crime. When they drop, crime rates usually follow.

In Oakland, however, the population fluctuates throughout the year and crime tends to go up when classes are in session.

“There aren’t shootings all the time,” Thompson said. “Things like [the October shooting] could’ve happened anywhere-they just happened to happen in Oakland.”

Alex Coyne, the operations manager of Oakland’s Business Improvement District, said that incidents like the shooting on Forbes give people the wrong impression of Oakland.

“Everyone that’s here understands it’s an urban environment,” Coyne said. “Somebody who lives in the suburbs might think [crime] is an issue.”

According to the 2004 Zone 4 Crime Report from the Pittsburgh Police Department, there were 611 cases of theft, 164 burglaries and 99 robberies in Oakland in 2004, although, that year there were no homicides.

Thompson said that keeping your windows and doors locked can prevent theft, burglaries and robberies.

The Pittsburgh Police Department also offers home security surveys to Pittsburgh residents. During the survey, a crime-prevention officer inspects the home and gives the resident ways to make the building more secure.

Thompson attributed the frequent vandalism in Oakland – 305 reported cases in 2004 – to “intoxicated people doing stupid stuff.”

Delaney agreed. He said that the majority of the crime that occurs in Oakland usually involves alcohol.

As far as on-campus safety, Delaney said that Pitt is in the process of installing outdoor cameras to monitor certain areas, such as the Old Cemetery parking lot.

He calls the new technology “virtual surveillance.” The cameras are placed strictly outdoors and they are acting as the eyes of the police when the police can’t be there.

Thompson said that the best way to stay safe is to walk with a group of people and stick to well-lit paths when walking at night.

“The biggest thing-is being aware of your surroundings and trusting your instincts,” he said.

To request a home security survey from the Pittsburgh Police Department, call (412) 422-6559.