Theft, assault and vandalism decreased across AACC’s four campuses between 2016 and 2017, according to the Department of Public Safety. 

However, disorderly conduct increased, according to a report campus police will issue this fall. 

“I don’t really see any need at this point to change anything,” Campus Police Chief Sean Kapfhammer said. “I think that we’re getting safer.” 

AACC’s four campuses—Arnold, Arundel Mills, Glen Burnie Town Center, Center for Cyber and Professional Training, and Arnold—had a collective 16 thefts, two assaults, seven instances of vandalism and 18 reports of disorderly conduct in 2017. That compares with 18 thefts, five assaults, 11 vandalisms and 13 cases of disorderly conduct in 2016, according to police. 

Although campus police responded to these reports, not all led to arrests. 

“I think they just need to keep doing what they’re doing because whatever it is, it works,” Logan Gibson, a second-year computer science student, said about campus police. “I’ve never seen or heard of any crimes done on campus so whatever they must be doing is working.” 

The year’s highest profile crime involved an unattended backpack that police found on the second floor of the SUN Building on May 4. When searching the bag to determine ownership, police found packaged marijuana in a mason jar, a semi-automatic handgun and a separate loaded magazine, Kapfhammer said. 

According to Kapfhammer, when police checked the security camera to see who left the bag, they discovered student Keshawn Chambers leaving it unsupervised. When confronted by the police, Chambers ran. He took a plea deal for 18 months in jail and is no longer enrolled at AACC. 

In another incident, a professor notified police after a second-year psychology student reported that another student waited for her outside of her classes against her wishes. Police had her fill out a report and made sure the student didn’t bother her again. 

Kenneth Drake, fourth-year creative-writing and psychology student, blamed the increase in disorderly conduct on “people that just want to watch the world burn, and they’re going to find a way to do it. They’re just doing it on a smaller scale.” Drake said he is “happy with the safety and security that we have here on campus.” 

Students who are victims of crimes or witness anything suspicious can call campus police at 410-777-1818 or fill out an anonymous Silent Witness Form on the AACC website.