The annual DPS report noted a “significant increase” in liquor law violations and a decrease in drug and criminal offenses

Content Warning: This article mentions sexual misconduct. University counseling services are available at 609-258-3141.

The 2024 Annual Safety and Fire Report noted a significant increase in court referrals for alcohol law violations, a decrease in campus drug law violations, and several changes to policies regarding reporting of illegal drugs and sexual harassment.

The security and fire safety report was released by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) on September 27, 2024 and includes data on reported crimes on campus over the past three years – 2023, 2022 and 2021.

According to the report's data, there were 262 alcohol law violations that resulted in legal charges in 2023, a significant increase from the 57 violations of the same classification reported in 2022. Meanwhile, drug law violations on campus decreased from four legal reports in 2022 to one in 2023. Additionally, there were fewer overall reported sexual assaults on campus in 2023 compared to the previous two years.

All 262 reported liquor law violations occurred on Princeton's campus and not on any private or public property off campus. 61 of the reported violations occurred in a residential facility, an increase from the 35 and 38 violations in this category reported in 2022 and 2021, respectively.

The report found that the “significant increase” in legal charges for on-campus alcohol law violations in 2023 “was primarily driven by a single incident involving 176 students.” The Daily Princetonian was unable to independently verify the remarkable incident.

According to the report, liquor law violations refer to “violations of laws or regulations prohibiting the manufacture, sale, transportation, supply or possession of intoxicating liquor.” Violations include maintaining “illegal drinking establishments,” providing alcohol to minors, using a vehicle to illegally transport alcohol, and consuming alcohol on public transportation. However, “drunk driving and driving under the influence are not included in this definition,” the report states.

No arrests for liquor law violations were reported for 2021, 2022, and 2023.

There were no arrests for drug law violations in 2023 and only one referral for on-campus violations, compared to four in 2022 and three in 2021. However, three violations were reported in buildings or on off-campus property, which leads to… a total of four court reports for violations of the Narcotics Act – just like in 2022. In 2022 there was one arrest for a violation of the Narcotics Act.

The report also includes several changes to DPS's illicit drug policy, now clarifying that the ban on the use and possession of cannabis on campus extends to “all University facilities and grounds and all University-sponsored programs.” . The 2023 report states: “The University also prohibits the use and possession of cannabis on campus.”

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It also clarifies that the “unlawful manufacture, delivery, possession, use or distribution of a controlled substance of any kind in any quantity” is included in university-sponsored programs. In the 2023 report, the policy applied only to activities on university property or “when conducting university business off campus.”

Violations of Princeton's policies or local, state or federal illegal drug laws, the report said, “may result in university disciplinary action and/or arrest, regardless of where such violations occur, if they are serious in nature.”

Overall, fewer crimes were reported in 2023 than in 2022 and 2021. According to the report, there were a total of 70 crimes in both years and 55 in 2023. These crimes include, among others, vehicle theft, sexual assault, and serious bodily harm and burglary and hate crimes.

Golf carts, scooters and motorized bicycles are all considered motor vehicles by the Department of Education. In 2023, 34 scooter and two motorbike thefts were reported. In comparison, there were 50 motor vehicle thefts in 2022 and 42 in 2021.

There were no crimes reported on the Princeton Forrestal Campus in 2023, 2022, and 2021.

While fewer sexual crimes were reported in 2023 compared to previous years – seven in total, compared to 10 in 2022 and 15 in 2021 – and no incidents of dating violence were reported, there were four reports of domestic violence and four of stalking . In 2022, there were no reports of domestic violence and four of stalking.

The report states: “This section only includes sexual offenses reported to university officials, not those reported to confidential counselors.” These statistics are provided separately, “including on relevant university websites and in the body of the Clery report.” In 2023, a total of 35 additional incidents of sexual assault, dating violence, petting and stalking incidents were reported against trusted people.

Another change to Princeton's safety policies, as outlined in the report, concerns the statute of limitations for incidents of sexual violence.

Evidence collected after an incident of sexual violence may be collected even if the victim of the incident chooses not to report the crime to law enforcement. According to the report, the evidence may be collected and retained for a period of 20 years “to allow the victim time to decide whether to press charges.” [the crime] for criminal prosecution.” The 2023 report, however, states that incidents of sexual violence are subject to a statute of limitations of five years.

The 2023 report said members of the university community “who request university action in response to an act of sexual misconduct” can contact DPS for “assistance in filing a criminal complaint.” This was expanded in the 2024 report to include “assistance in filing a criminal or civil action (i.e. an injunction).”

The report concludes with fire statistics for calendar years 2023, 2022, and 2021. In 2023, five student residence hall fires were reported due to “electric scooter failures,” “clothes dryer failures,” “linens stored on a stove,” and two incidents of “careless cooking”.

There were no injuries or deaths related to the fires, and all incidents “had little to no property damage.”

The Security and Fire Safety Report is published by October 1 each year as required by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and the Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1990.

Victoria Davies is the Prince's deputy news editor, responsible for university operations.

Vivien Wong is a news writer for The Prince.

Please send corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.