The crime rate on Murray State’s main campus has gone up for the third straight year, according to an annual university safety report released last month.
In total, 25 criminal acts were reported to campus police last year – representing a 47% rise from 2023 to 2024. Reports for certain offenses also reached a three-year high, including for crimes such as rape (8), burglary (5) and motor vehicle theft (4).
Murray State University Police Chief Ryan Orr said the number of crimes reported on the campus is "relatively low” when compared to other Kentucky public state universities. Orr thinks the continued uptick is less a sign of a rise in criminal activity, and more likely attributable to an increased awareness and education of the reporting process among the campus community.
“We see this trend kind of as an indication that we have more individuals that are aware of the reporting options and choosing to come forward to report,” Orr said. “Over the past several years, we've tried to expand the avenues available for reporting.”
Orr said his department has been working closely over the past few years with other university offices. The collaboration between campus police and other offices such as Title IX, Housing and Student Affairs is aimed at increasing the avenues available for reporting a crime and raising public literacy on topics like crime prevention.
“We try to focus too on training and awareness programs such as bystander intervention, safety education, and [we] have also encouraged individuals to recognize when misconduct occurs and kind of come to somebody to seek help,” the university’s chief law enforcement officer said.
The campus police chief reports that he has witnessed more individuals feel comfortable coming forward due to the support services in place for victims of crimes. He reaffirmed his department’s commitment to campus safety and advocates for building a culture of respect and accountability across all levels of the university.
