It turns out Ball State University had only one violent crime actually happen about four weeks ago. Two students were mugged at the Scheumann Stadium parking lot, but the student who claimed she was accosted near Woodworth Complex was lying. There was no 5'4" black male with a muscular build who grabbed her from behind and no male student came to her aid.
Police officers have enough to deal with — bomb threats, random gunfire and muggings among other things — they don't need false reporting of crimes added to their work load.
Reporting a crime that didn't happen wastes the police's time. University Police Department doesn't exactly have an army of officers at its disposal. False reports distract officers and could keep them from responding to real problems. Police officers' response times are sometimes crucial to effectively dealing with a situation.
The false report came a few days after the two people were mugged at Scheumann Stadium. Students already were given a harsh reminder that Ball State isn't exempt from occasional violent crimes. A false report at any time, especially when it comes a few days after a similar incident, has the potential to contribute to fear in the community and make people look over their shoulder when in public.
The fake crime wasn't as severe as some that college students have reported, as they've recently been prone to doing, according to a May article in the journal "Diverse Issues in Higher Education." Some students at other schools reported seeing gunmen on their campuses.
This isn't a common problem at Ball State. It is doubtful that we are in danger of police not taking calls seriously, but false reporting is reckless, irresponsible and disrespectful. It trivializes victims of actual crimes. We don't know the reason for the false report. It could have been a bad prank, a blatant manipulation, a cry for attention or even a cry for help. Regardless of anyone's reason for making one, nothing good will come of it. But the reason should be looked into.
Police officers have a hard enough time helping to keep people safe. We shouldn't try to make their jobs more difficult for any reason.
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