Series of Muggings Triggers an Increase in Campus Security

Columbia and Barnard public safety officials are instituting additional security measures in response to a recent rash of robberies of students near campus.

Since the beginning of the semester, there have been at least five robberies of students reported in Morningside Heights, mostly occurring between 12 a.m. and 4 a.m. According to interim associate director of Barnard security Gary Doherty, the victims were walking alone in all cases except one.

“There is a cluster of robberies, so we’re working with the local precincts to put additional officers on the street,” Doherty said.

Already, there are more uniformed patrols in marked cars on the street, in addition to officers in plain clothes. Doherty expects to see a decrease in crime over the next few months because of the increased security presence.

“We’ve really stepped up. We have so many people out there,” said campus police officer Dean Guidice.

According to NYPD crime statistics, overall crime rates in the 26th Precinct for September and October have gone down compared to the same time last year. Doherty said that this year’s incidents are different than in past years, when multiple muggings were typically linked. “They’re not all directly related. There are different perpetrators,” he said.

Columbia Public Safety officers are actively pursuing the suspects in the muggings of the past month, and a suspect believed to be responsible for the Sept. 20 and 21 muggings has been apprehended.

Columbia is also partnering with many local merchants to create safe havens. At businesses featuring the Red Lion stickers in their windows, any uneasy student can ask the merchant to phone Columbia Public Safety or the police and wait for security personnel to respond.

Safe havens include The Hungarian Pastry Shop on 111th and Amsterdam, Starbucks on Broadway near 111th, Koronet Pizza on Broadway near 110th, Duane Reade Pharmacy on Broadway and 111th, Milano Market on Broadway near 113th, Tom’s Restaurant on Broadway and 112th, and the Village Copier on Broadway near 112th. The full list of participating businesses is available at columbia.edu/cu/publicsafety.

Sarah Cohler can be reached at news@columbiaspectator.com.