SANTA ANA : Big Boost in Security Urged for College

Citing a sharp increase in thefts and burglaries, Rancho Santiago Community College District officials have urged trustees to increase spending on campus security by almost 50%.

A recent report to the trustees states that burglaries in campus buildings throughout the district have shot up 71% in the last six months from a similar period last year and that thefts from vehicles have jumped 35%. Vandalism, including gang graffiti and broken windows, increased 17%.

The district has also recorded three armed robberies and one reported sexual assault in the period.

The report, presented to the trustees at their meeting Monday, recommended five more full-time security officers and one more part-time officer, increasing the annual amount budgeted for such personnel from $450,976 to $662,348.

It also recommended that the district spend about $570,000 over three years to pay for such security measures as bulletproof vests, more training for safety officers, emergency phones and improved lighting.

John (J.R.) Johnson--the district’s director of security and safety, who wrote the report--said that although the increase in violent crimes such as assault and rape has been “negligible,” the rise in property crime could foreshadow an increase in violent attacks.

“People who are not supposed to be here are invading the campus more and more,” he said, “and they have no reason to be here except for dirty deeds. They’re not letting us alone, like they have in the past.”

Increased security, surveillance towers in parking lots and swinging gates at campus vehicle entrances would reduce crime, he said.

Johnson emphasized that the district has had few serious violent crimes and said, “I still think that we have a basically safe campus,” despite the need for increased security.

Trustees will not make a final decision on the recommendations until they formulates a 1992-93 budget, which will be completed in June. Johnson said trustees have been receptive to the recommendations, so he is optimistic that many of them will be approved.