Fletcher Tilghman and Ezekiel Benson

Fletcher Tilghman and Ezekiel Benson

By Brittany Wilson (Whetstone Staff Writer)

Compared to Dover, Wesley College’s campus is a haven of security.

Although students have witnessed their fair share of Dover crime this semester, beginning with the campus-wide lockdown after a nearby shooting Aug. 27, and the shooting and mugging nearby on Halloween, statistics show that the campus is safe.

Dover has been deemed safer than only 3 percent of all other cities in the United States, according to a 2012 report from Neighborhood Scout, a company of geographers and data-miners who assess raw data.  This same report states that there is a 1 in 14 chance of falling victim to crime, either property crime or violent crime, in Dover.

Wesley student, Katie Forestieri, said Dover can be a scary place.

“I feel safe on campus,” she said.  “But when I take the city’s crime rate into consideration, I would never feel comfortable traveling off campus [by foot] alone or in a small group.”

Over a two-week period – Nov. 6-20 – Dover Police responded to 29 shoplifting complaints, from which they made only 10 arrests – five of whom they caught stealing from Sears.

During these same two weeks, Dover police responded to more than twenty other cases, varying in severity.

On Nov. 7, police reported that three suspects had forced a 23 year old man into a house on the 400 block of East Water Street demanding money.  When the man refused, he was tied up and the house was set on fire. Dover Police arrived shortly after to find the victim, who had managed to escape the blaze, unharmed. The suspects have not been caught.

Dover has about 250 sex offenders within its city limits, according to Dover Police.  On Nov. 13, police arrested 35-year-old Fletcher Tilghman after he was caught with a 14-year-old girl.  Police said the child told authorities she and Tilghman had engaged in sex at least six times before.

Following up on a warrant the next day, Dover Police captured 24-year-old Ezekiel Benson at the Dover Public Library. Benson screamed and fought to escape as officers took him into custody where police found more than five grams of crack cocaine on him.

Wesley College’s personal crime log pales in comparison.

During the same two weeks, there were seven marijuana-related incidents reported on campus.  Besides noise violations and failure to comply, this was the most frequent offense resulting in disciplinary action.

Walt Beaupre, Wesley’s director of safety and security, said this was a surprisingly high number of drug activity on campus for such a short time.

“Although the seven marijuana incidents were high for that week, the overall number of marijuana incidents is down significantly from the previous two years,” he said.  “From Aug. 15 – Nov. 15 of 2012, there were 16 drug-related offenses; during the same period for 2013, there were 17, and, for 2014, there were eight.”

Overall, he said, Wesley College has a fairly low crime rate.

“I consider campus very safe,” Beaupre said.  “To stay out of trouble, students need to make certain they are following the policies of the college, as well as Delaware state and federal laws.”

Beaupre also suggested students trust their instincts, always lock their dorm rooms, and contact Safety and Security if they need an escort or assistance.

Dover Police Cpl. Mark Hoffman said the best way to stay safe is by maintaining constant awareness of the potential dangers that surround you.

“Always be aware of your surroundings,” he said.  “Traveling in groups and remaining in well-lit areas are important things to remember no matter where you are, on or off campus.  There is always safety in numbers.”

Ben Wilcox, a second year student at Wesley, said he was unconcerned by the crime that borders Wesley’s campus.

“Everybody tries to make it seem like Dover is this terrible place, but it’s not that bad when you consider the crime rates in other cities, other colleges and other state capitals,” he said. “Even if I did get jumped, there’s nothing for them to take from me—I’m a broke college student, they’d be picking on the wrong people.”