Crime
Harvard Saw Decrease in Total Crimes and Sexual Assaults, Increase in Burglaries During 2020
The total number of reported crimes in 2020 was 178, down from the 220 total crimes reported in 2019. On-campus crimes also saw a 14 percent decrease in 2020 — when college students were sent home in March, and only freshmen were invited to live back on campus in the fall.
HKS Researchers Find Decrease In Civilian Crime Reporting Following Murder of George Floyd
Harvard Kennedy School researchers found a significant decrease in civilian engagement with police following the murder of George Floyd by police in May 2020.
Kennedy School Lab to Launch Alternative 911 Response Initiative in Five Jurisdictions
Harvard Kennedy School’s Government Performance Lab announced last week the selection of five areas that will participate in a new initiative aimed at implementing alternative responses to non-violent 911 calls.
HUPD Arresting Black People at Disproportionate Rate, New Data Shows
The Harvard University Police Department has been arresting Black people at a disproportionate rate compared to the general population over the last three years, according to data from the department’s new workload and crime dashboard.
HSQ Assaults
Three Harvard affiliates were assaulted in separate incidents in the past week. One assault took place on the corner of Flagg and Banks Streets, near Mather House.
Three Harvard Affiliates Assaulted in Separate Harvard Square Incidents
Three Harvard affiliates were separately assaulted near Harvard Square in the past week, though none required medical attention, according to police.
HUPD Investigating Two Vandalism Incidents at Harvard Hillel Amid Nationwide Rise in Anti-Semitism
The Harvard University Police Department is investigating two incidents of vandalism at the Harvard Hillel building that occurred within two weeks of each other in late May and sparked forceful emails from administrators.
Pedestrian Suffers Serious Injuries in Memorial Drive Crash on Monday
A driver struck a pedestrian on Memorial Drive near Dunster House around 9 p.m. Monday, resulting in serious injuries to the pedestrian.
Harvard Affiliates Report Being Victims of Anti-Asian Attacks
As violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders has spiked since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, two Harvard affiliates said they experienced verbal and physical attacks in Cambridge.
Experts Weigh In on Fallout From HBS Data Breach
Following a data breach of the Harvard Business School’s secure file transfer system in December, experts said they foresee ongoing consequences for the system’s users.
Cambridge Serious Crime Increased by 8 Percent in 2020
The City of Cambridge experienced an 8 percent increase in serious crimes last year compared to 2019, according to a report published by the city Friday.
Students’ Information Compromised by Data Breach at Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is working to respond to a data breach that compromised students’ personal information, including some social security numbers and exam submissions.
Four Bank Robberies Strike Cambridge in Three Weeks
The Cambridge Police Department and the FBI are investigating four bank robberies that struck the City of Cambridge within the past three weeks — two of which occurred in Harvard Square.
Harvard Saw Increase in Bias Crime Reports, Decrease in Reported Rapes During 2019
Reports of on-campus bias crimes jumped in 2019, while reported rapes on campus declined for the third consecutive year, Harvard’s annual security report published Friday by the University’s police force showed.
Former Harvard-Affiliated Researcher Pleads Guilty to Lying About Smuggled Cancer Research
A former researcher at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to lying to customs officials, following charges he tried to smuggle cancer research to China.
Crime in Cambridge Up 4 Percent Through Early November Compared to 2019, Police Say
The Cambridge Police Department has recorded a 4% increase in crimes from last year with a total of 2,035 serious crimes this year, though the total remains slightly below the city’s five-year average, according to CPD’s monthly crime report.
As Unemployment Rises, Cambridge Sees More Residents Compromised in National Unemployment Fraud Scheme
Since the start of the coronavirus crisis, hundreds of Cambridge residents have had their personally identifiable information used to fraudulently claim unemployment benefits as part of a broader national scheme.
Harvard Police Investigating Unlawful Entry into Cabot House
An individual broke into Cabot House early last Tuesday, though they did not appear to steal property or enter residents’ rooms, according to reports by Harvard officials.
Cyclist Victim Identified in Fatal Harvard Square Collision
Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan and Cambridge Police Commissioner Branville G. Bard Jr. have identified the victim of a fatal traffic accident in Harvard Square last month as 55-year-old Darryl Willis.
Tractor-Trailer Fatally Strikes Bicyclist in Harvard Square
A tractor-trailer fatally struck a male bicyclist in Harvard Square Tuesday morning, according to CPD spokesperson Jeremy Warnick.
Rhode Island Man Sentenced to 21 Months for Threatening Prof. Believed to Be Affiliated With Harvard
A Rhode Island man was sentenced to 21 months in prison and three years of supervised release Wednesday for sending dozens of violent, threatening emails to a Massachusetts professor reportedly affiliated with Harvard.
Former Harvard Chemistry Chair Lieber Pleads Not Guilty to Federal Charges
Former Harvard Chemistry department chair Charles M. Lieber pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges that he lied to federal investigators about research funding he received from China.
As Summer Approaches, Reported Crime Rate Rises in Cambridge
Cambridge police officers responded to nearly 200 incidents during the month of May, marking the highest monthly crime total of 2020, according to CPD’s monthly crime report.
In April, Theft Surged as Cambridge Residents Stayed at Home
Packages and bikes went missing in April as Cambridge residents stayed home.
Crime Drops in Cambridge as Virus Spreads
As government and public health officials implore people to stay home, serious crime in Cambridge declined 17 percent in March compared to the previous month, according to the Cambridge Police Department’s monthly crime report.