CAMPUS WATCH: Below is a summary of campus activity reported to or observed by the University Police Department patrol officers between Monday, 08-11-08 and Tuesday, 8-12-08. If you have any information pertaining to these incidents or any other criminal / suspicious activity, contact the UT Police Department at 512-471-4441. BLANTON MUSEUM OF ART, 1900 Speedway Public Intoxication: A non-UT subject was discovered unconscious on the south side of the building. During the investigation, the officers detected a very strong odor of alcohol on the subject's breath. After several attempts, the officers were able to awaken the subject. The subject became combative and argumentative towards the officers. The officers determined that the subject was a danger to himself as well as to others. The subject was taken into custody for Public Intoxication and was transported to Central Booking. In addition to the law enforcement action taken, the subject was issued a written Criminal Trespass Warning. Occurred on: 8-12-08, at 1:42 AM. 300 BLOCK GUADALUPE Driving While Intoxicated: A UT police officer observed a gold colored Mazda aggressively passing vehicles. During the traffic investigation, the officer detected a very strong odor of alcohol on the driver's breath. The non-UT driver stated that he had consumed two beers while working out at the gym. The officer administered the Standardized Field Sobriety tests to the driver. The driver displayed several clues that indicated he was intoxicated. The subject was taken into custody for Driving While Intoxicated and was transported to Central Booking. Occurred on: 8-12-08, at 2:30 AM. Crime Prevention Tip of the Day: For the parents of this year's incoming freshman class, the countdown for the fall 2008 semester has started. There are 09 days left before the first day of Moove-In. There are several things that you can start doing to get your student ready. To Do List 0 Yesterday's edition of the Campus Watch showed several alcohol related crimes. Today's edition is not that different. Today we would like to focus on the criminal aspect of these alcohol violations. These simple violations will impact future plans. Many employers are now considering prospective employees' past behavior prior to offering them a job. A charge of Minor in Possession (M.I.P.) means that you, being a person under the age of 21 years, have been given a citation by a police officer or Texas Alcohol Beverage Control Officer for being illegally in possession, ownership, or control of an alcoholic beverage. The principal element of this crime, which must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, is that you were in possession, ownership, or control of an alcoholic beverage. A charge of Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor means that you consumed an alcoholic beverage and you are under the age of 21. The principal of this crime, which must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, is that you are under the age of 21 and had consumed an alcoholic beverage. These charges are never hard to prove and can affect your ability in entering into a career of you choice. 8-11-08 0 Yesterday's edition of the Campus Watch showed several alcohol related crimes. Every fall semester we see an increase in alcohol related crimes. Many of these cases involve the newest members of the UT family. Parents, take a moment before your child comes to campus to have a frank open discussion about alcohol related issues. I found a good article pertaining to this topic on the internet at: (http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/bolingbrook/opinions/x518448175/Editorial-Parents-need-to-talk-to-college-bound-kids-about-alcohol). Sadly, the legal ramifications of alcohol offenses are the least of one's worries when it comes to alcoholism, binge drinking and driving while intoxicated. The risk to one's own safety and the safety of society at large are far more important. To that end, learn the subject matter and have that discussion with your kids. As a father myself, I am hoping that kids do in fact listen. Over the course of this week, we will chronicle legal issues pertaining to alcohol. 08/08/08 tip 0 Yesterday's tip involved the security at the entrances to dormitories and not allowing people to tailgate through card reader doors. Today, we turn our attention to problems inside the dormitory. Thefts from dormitory rooms frequently occur as a result of a resident leaving his or her dormitory room door unlocked or even standing open. Students must be vigilant in making sure they keep their dorm room door closed and locked – even while they are inside their dorm room. All too often, thieves will walk the halls of dormitories looking for an opportunity to make a quick buck. Remember, it only takes a few seconds to commit a theft. To further the security of your dormitory room property, make sure you have your property marked with your driver's license number and consider bringing a lockable footlocker to store your valuables. Establish expectations with your roommate regarding the security of the dormitory room. These expectations should include locking the door and never leaving invited guests in the room unattended. 08/07/08 tip 0 Dormitory Security is always a concern. Access into the dormitories is controlled by a card reader. This security is only as good as the weakest link. In many cases the weakest link is the person who allows unauthorized people into these restricted areas by holding the door open for the stranger following them into the dormitory. As you are getting your student ready for college, take a minute to remind them that while they were in high school they were not allowed to let total strangers into your house. This same rule should still apply to their dormitory; after all, their dormitory will now be their primary residence. 08/06/08 tip 0 During parent's orientation, there was a steady flow of questions that pertained to laptop computers and computer security. There are several things that can be done to ensure that your laptop computer is secure. Simply lock your dormitory room when you leave for a couple of minutes. And when you find yourself studying in a public area, don't leave your property unattended. If your computer is stolen there are a couple of things you can do, prior to the theft. Engrave your property with your driver's license number on two surfaces that are plainly visible. You can borrow an electric engraver from many law enforcement agencies, including The University of Texas at Austin Police Department. Also consider installing tracking software. Such programs have aided several stolen laptop recoveries. Do an internet check for laptop tracking software and find a program that fulfills your needs. 08/05/08 tip 0 For years UT has averaged more Auto thefts than you might realize. Cars are stolen on a monthly basis. What is one thing all car thefts have in common? Ease of committing the theft. For that reason, UTPD has several recommendations for your vehicle's protection. Number one, park your vehicle in areas of high traffic. Vehicular and foot traffic provides natural surveillance of your vehicle. Next, use a steering wheel locking device on your vehicle. This serves as a visual deterrent to auto thieves. Steering wheel locks can be seen from outside the vehicle; making a thief wonder how quickly he or she can steal your car. Have a “Kill Switch†installed in your car. These devices prevent your vehicle from being turned on or from driving for a great distance if your car is stolen. Most automobile alarm shops can install a kill switch in your car. Speaking of automobile alarm shops, I recently heard of an alarm system that takes a digital picture of the interior of your car seconds after it is illegally entered. The picture is sent to your cell phone. This lets you know when your car was broken into and provides a visual image of the offender. Finally, consider buying a GPS tracking system for your vehicle. As always, do not leave any items inside your vehicle, as auto burglaries happen way more than auto thefts. 08/04/08 tip 0 The "To Do List" is starting to get long, but that is not a problem. So far everything has been common sense and using good judgment. Many students are looking forward to bringing their cars. Auto burglary and auto theft are a concern on every campus. Many of the auto thefts start out as an auto burglary. Do not allow your student to use their vehicle as a storage facility. Keep all personal property stored out of sight, after it has been properly marked with a driver's license number. 8/1/08 tip 0 After marking all of your student's property with their driver's license number or State issued ID number, take some time and talk. Find out what their expectations of college are. With the remaining time we will be addressing some of your concerns. 7-31-08 tip 0 Mark all of your property with your State issued driver's license number. Remember, property thefts are the number 1 crime at UT. Look into a two-lock locking system when securing your bicycle on campus. This locking system will incorporate a U-shaped lock that uses a flat key. The second lock used will be a self-locking cable lock. You are now requiring the thief to use two separate tools in order to steal your property. Now take a few minutes and go online and register your bicycle with UT Parking and Transportation: www.utexas.edu/parking/transportation/biking/bicycle_register.php CAMPUS WIDE: Non-Criminal Calls: In addition to the above criminal cases, The University of Texas Police Department responded to 29 alarm calls, 2 suspicious persons reports, and 2 unsecured door reports between 08-11-08 and 08-12-08. Contact UT Police at 471-4441 if you have any information regarding any of the above incidents or call 911 regarding suspicious persons, suspicious activities or crime. Your call may help solve or prevent a crime. Campus Watch comments should be directed to Officer Darrell Halstead at 512-232-9634 or Darrell.halstead@austin.utexas.edu . Prepared by DWH To subscribe or unsubscribe, visit http://www.utexas.edu/police/campuswatch/subscribe.php
