Campus crime top of mind for some Cal students
BERKELEY -- Returning to college life isn't quite the experience the two UC Berkeley seniors expected. Vanessa and Kim say they are far less worried about their study load than they are about the spike of recent crime on or near campus.
"Another burglary, another assault," said Kim.
They say they can't help but keep up with the incidents happening around them. The recent crime is actually listed on a log that they check every day.
"I feel just normal because it is my daily life," said Vanessa, "I have to be here and I have to get my degree and I have to live in the area. I have to be a resident to have my degree requirements, but it is not necessarily a safe place to live. I can't wait to move out of Berkeley just because of the safety."
"At night it is a whole other thing," said Kim. "During the day, I don't mind it. The campus is beautiful and I love being here. But at night, it is like I have not walked around here alone once and I will not."
Both are well aware of the added security which gives them some peace of mind, but they still walk together as they head to class each and every day.
It's a step in the right direction according to Vannessa's mom, who lives two hours up the road in Santa Rosa. She gets the crime alerts on her cell phone and she worries.
"I try to check my phone for alerts, " she said. "Honestly, being a parent that's away, you can text them, but they have the alerts. She's alerted and she has reassured us she will go in the opposite direction of any foul activity."
UC Berkeley officials say they are working on hiring more police officers as well as training student security monitors.
Vanessa says she knows her mom worries about her, but she also knows the university is taking steps to keep students safe.
Vanessa mom was aware of the added security measures, but told KPIX, "I'm still worried about my girl and her safety."
Vanessa said she would like to see a little more protection on campus and a better alert system so students know to go elsewhere if an incident is happening.