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Chief of the Towson University Police Department Bernie Gerst delivered the department's annual crime report for on-campus crime during Monday's University Senate meeting in the University Union.
Gerst also unveiled an emergency training video for campus crises in addition to the crime report, which revealed positive results about a low burglary rate.
"We're faring pretty well this year compared to last year," Gerst said.
"We're pretty optimistic that we will finish lower than where we were in 2007."
The report detailed an all-encompassing view of all crimes committed in 2008, with few exceptions.
Last year, the report said that Towson was near the top of the list for fewest Part-1 crimes reported at Maryland schools.
Part-1 crimes include any of the seven main felony charges of murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and auto theft. Gerst also credited the relationship with the Baltimore County Police Department for being able to facilitate law enforcement around the campus.
"I reported last year that we had one of the lowest Part-1 crime rates per 1,000 students of any University System of Maryland school," Gerst said.
"According to 2007 we came in second to Coppin State University…that just means we'll try harder."
University President Robert Caret directly commended Towson's police force at the meeting for their positive results.
"I would just like to mention that [Gerst has] done a great job, as has the entire police department," Caret said.
"We've taken crime not only on the campus, but around the campus very seriously."
In addition to the report, Gerst showed the University Senate the police department's new emergency preparedness training video for Towson. In the video, Gerst explains the R.A.I.N., (respond, assess, isolate and notify,) policy for emergency response.
The video can be found on Towson University's Web site at http://fusion.towson.edu/www/homenews_2/news.cfm?ID=2
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