Elizabeth City, N.C. - There have been 125 crime reports at Elizabeth City State University since 2007 with 18 of those being sexual assaults, and none of them have been properly investigated, according to ECSU officials.
City police, university police, and the university chancellor wouldn't say much as to why they weren’t properly investigated, but by law, universities must make the public aware of crimes on campus.
NewsChannel 3 looked on ESCU’s website and found a crime log that goes back to 2009. The numbers are nowhere near the 125 improperly investigated crimes, and not one sexual assault was noted.
However, Vice Chancellor William Smith tells NewsChannel 3 that students and their parents shouldn’t be worried.
“I would tell a parent that this campus is as safe as any campus in North Carolina and anywhere in the country and they can still get a quality education at Elizabeth City State University,” he says.
But, he has no words for the students whose reported crimes went unnoticed.
“This is an ongoing investigation and we’re going to continue to do the things we do to make sure they’re safe,” he says.
Now, five campus police officers are off the job and Vice Chancellor Smith wouldn’t tell NewsChannel 3 if it’s because of the uninvestigated reports.
The campus is asking Elizabeth City Police for help, using their officers to patrol the campus.
It comes at a controversial time for the department, as the former campus police chief resigned last week after a sexual assault case at a dorm that came with complaints that it wasn’t handled properly.
When NewsChannel 3 tried to talk to campus police and city police, we were referred back to William Smith with the university.
University officials say 40 of the 125 cases have since been closed. No word on any arrests.
Related:
Officials: 125 crime reports at ECSU may not have been investigated properly
ECSU names new interim police chief
State now investigating ECSU after dorm leader is charged with assaulting student
