LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — LEXINGTON, Ky. — University of Kentucky Police Chief Joe Monroe says the department is encouraged by decreases in several categories of reported crime, but cautions that the numbers do not tell the entire story of safety on campus.
UK Police recently released its annual campus safety and security report, which includes crime statistics covering a three-year period and information about the university’s safety policies and initiatives.
“We publish this report every year,” Monroe said.
Monroe said the latest report showed improvements in several areas.
“We saw a decrease in several reported crime categories this year,” he said.
One statistic Monroe highlighted was the number of rapes reported on UK’s main campus.
The report lists 24 reported rapes on the main campus in 2025. Of those, 22 occurred in student housing facilities, according to the report. That compares with 30 reported rapes in student housing facilities in 2024.
Monroe said that while a reduction in reported crimes is encouraging, the statistics do not provide a complete picture.
“While any reduction is very encouraging, we have to think about the fact that it doesn’t tell the complete story,” Monroe said.
The discussion of campus safety comes amid heightened national attention surrounding allegations of sexual violence at Cornell University. A former Cornell student filed a lawsuit in September alleging she was drugged and raped by multiple men at a fraternity house in October 2024. Prosecutors have reopened a criminal investigation into the allegations, according to national reports.
At UK, Monroe emphasized prevention and encouraged students to look out for one another.
“Our biggest thing is, we need each other, everybody to look out for each other,” Monroe said.
He encouraged students who go out together to remain together.
“Don’t leave somebody behind, and by staying together we feel like that can help us reduce some of these reported crimes,” Monroe said.
For Monroe, the long-term goal is to continue reducing crime across the university.
“As we watch this over the next couple years, to see the crime continue to go down is our goal,” he said.
Among other notables, six aggravated assaults and 48 motor vehicle thefts are also included in the report.
