The California Statewide University Police Officers Association issued a press releasetoday that called into question recent media coverage of last semester’s string of sexual assaults. The release states the media should place its focus elsewhere.

KXTV News 10 on Tuesday broadcast a story about the sexual assault victims on campus. The police officers associationfound that the “assaults were being called into question” and the approach of the storyblamed the sexual assault victims instead of solving the problem, according to the police officers association’spress release.

News 10 also ran a student reaction piece Wednesday.

“We want victims to feel that they can report crimes, that their trauma will be taken seriously and that we’ll do everything possible to apprehend the perpetrators,” said Jeff Solomon, president of the police officers association, according to the press release. “Sacramento State has been the scene of eight sexual assaults and one murder in the past school year &- this is a sad fact. How the cases were resolved does not diminish the crimes committed or the victims’ suffering.”

Sac State witnessed seven sexual assaults last semester and increased patrol by adding more officers throughout the school day to reduce the chances of another sexual assault.

Gloria Moraga, Sac State’s public affairs associate vice president, was previously the managing editor at News 10 and could be considered a conflict of interest, according to the police officers association’s press release.

Following a semester filled with alleged sexual assaults on campus, Sac State Police Chief Daniel Davis recently received a vote of no confidence in a 14-1 vote by fellow Sac State officers.

The State Hornet will have an in-depth look at these issues in Wednesday’s print edition.

Marshall Hampson can be reached at [email protected]