Photo by Jasmin Parrado | The Crow’s Nest
By Jasmin Parrado
The University of South Florida Police Department (PD) released its 2024 security and fire safety report for the St. Petersburg campus, revealing an uptick in arrests for sex offenses and dating violence, as well as a steady number of stalking incidents since 2023.
The report, which tallied 16 arrests and referrals made both on campus and off campus, as well as surrounding public property, showed an increase from one to three sex offenses in residential areas on campus.
Meanwhile, one residential arrest for dating violence on campus was made in 2024, an increase from zero total in the year prior.
Burglary and motor vehicle theft remained at a total of one in both years, and three stalking cases were each reported in 2023 and 2024, all of which were on campus in residential areas.
Arrests for robbery and domestic violence, both of which were on public property, decreased from one in 2023 to zero in 2024.
2024 arrests pertaining to weapons, drug and liquor law violations decreased across the board.
Arrests for weapons-related violations decreased from four to one, while drug-related arrests decreased from 11 to six. After five arrests for liquor law violations in 2023, there were none the next year.
In addition to crime and referral statistics, the annual report includes guidelines for initiating crime report procedures. It also outlines relevant state and federal legislation such as the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 for cases like domestic violence and sexual assault.
Before this year’s statistics, USF St. Petersburg’s years-long vigilance over vehicular theft – specifically bicycle theft – notoriously composed the bulk of the UPD’s crime bulletin since 2019.
Nine total vehicular thefts and one attempt were reported between 2019 and 2024. Eight of the stolen vehicles were bikes, and the sole attempt report was also for a bike.
Now, with more severe crime statistics overtaking the 2023-2024 report period, the St. Petersburg campus has emphasized wariness against suspicious interpersonal situations.
This year, students at USF St. Petersburg encountered a trespassing and battery incident in the RHO dorms in February and a suspicious person case outside Osprey Hall in July. Both suspects were taken into custody shortly after the reports were filed.
The cases amplified students’ concerns about campus residence halls being unsafe, due to non-student individuals gaining access to unregulated areas of various buildings – specifically, those in close proximity to downtown St. Petersburg.
David Hendry, regional chief of police at the St. Petersburg University Police Department, told The Crow’s Nest in February that in light of the trespassing incident, students should remain vigilant and unafraid to report suspicious activity.
Hendry explained that students can access safety resources like the UPD’s escort services and the USF Safe app, which has a panic button and automated phone contact option.
“We encourage folks to stay in a lighted area, just kind of common-sense things predominantly,” Hendry said. “Be alert to your surroundings.”
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Written by: Jasmin Parrado on October 21, 2025.
Last revised by: Alisha Durosier
