CAMPUS WATCH: Below is a summary of campus activity reported to or observed by the University Police Department patrol officers between Wednesday, 08-20-08 and Thursday, 08-21-08. If you have any information pertaining to these incidents or any other criminal / suspicious activity, contact the UT Police Department at 512-471-4441. *****New Program Announcement***** For decades, The University of Texas at Austin Police Department has made electric engravers available to the public. The engravers are intended to be used to mark your property with your state issued driver's license number or state issued identification card number. By marking your property, you aid in the police department's ability to identify and return your property if it is stolen. Recently, we have worked to make this process much easier for our on-campus residents. With the assistance of the Division of Housing and Food, the UT Police Department is proud to announce a new program called “Make your Mark!†This program will make electric engravers available at the campus dormitory front desks. Students will be able to borrow an engraver in the same manner as they can check out other items from Housing and Food. It is our hope that these readily available engravers will increase the amount of students who take advantage of this program. To further aid students with marking their property, the UT Police Department Crime Prevention Unit will offer “Make your Mark!†parties to dormitory Resident Assistants, student organizations, Freshman Interest Groups and other campus organizations this fall. The program will provide theft prevention information, afford its participants an opportunity to practice with an engraver and then allow its participants to engrave their property. Extra engravers are on order and we plan to have them at the dormitory front desks by the end of this week. Moove-In is a wonderful time to mark your property. Don't forget to inventory your property while you are unpacking. Include the make, model, color and serial number for your property. If you would like to set-up a “Make your Mark!†party for your organization, contact Officer Darrell Halstead at 512-232-9634 or me, Officer William Pieper at 512-232-9638. AT&T EXECUTIVE EDUCATION AND CONFERENCING CENTER, 1900 University Criminal Mischief (3 counts) / Criminal Trespass (2 counts) / Criminal Trespass Warning / Possession of Marijuana: Three non-UT subjects were found performing stunts with their skateboards on cement benches located on the west side of the building. The stunts caused damage in the form of chips in the cement benches. Two of the three subjects were found to have been previously issued written criminal trespass warnings for skateboarding on campus. All three subjects were found to be in possession of items commonly used to commit acts of graffiti. One of the three subjects was found to be in possession of a green leafy substance that an officer believed to be marijuana. In addition to other law enforcement action taken against all three subjects, the subject who had not previously been warned, received his very own written criminal trespass warning. Occurred on 08/20/08 at 5:50 p.m. MIKE A.MYERS TRACK & SOCCER STADIUM, 707 Clyde Littlefield Theft: A brown wallet containing various forms of identification, a debit card and a credit card was stolen from a shoulder bag left inside an unsecured room. The owner cancelled the debit card and checked for unauthorized charges on the credit card. With no unauthorized charges, the owner did not cancel the credit card. Upon checking for charges the next day, it was discovered the credit card had been used to make an unauthorized charge. Loss value: $5.00. Reported on 08/20/08 at 10:48 a.m. WALTER WEBB HALL, 2500 Guadalupe Graffiti: Pink paint was used to write an illegible word on the east wall exterior wall of the building. Removal cost: $50.00. Discovered on 08/20/08 at 2:20 p.m. 1900 San Jacinto Driving While Intoxicated / Open Container In a Motor Vehicle / Possession of Alcohol by a Minor / Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor: A UT student was stopped for disregarding a standing red light while driving a green 2004 GMC Yukon. The driver was found to be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage to the point he was deemed to be driving while intoxicated. An open bottle of beer was found inside the vehicle. One of the vehicle's passengers, who was a UT student under the age of 21, claimed ownership of the open bottle of beer. That student and a second passenger in the vehicle who was also a UT student under the age of 21, were found to have consumed alcoholic beverages. Occurred on 08/21/08 at 2:27 a.m. 2300 San Jacinto Driving While Intoxicated: A non-UT subject was stopped after disregarding a stop sign and driving his green 1999 Oldsmobile in excess of the posted speed limit. The subject was found to be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage to the point he was deemed to be driving while intoxicated. Occurred on 08/21/08 at 2:30 a.m. 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 01 day 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 Take a deep breath you have done all you can for now to get your student ready for UT. On behalf of the UT Police Department, Welcome to UT. What has started here will change the world. Hook' Em Horns. Together we can make a difference. The knowledge provided in these tips becomes your responsibility to enact on and to share with others – Be safe! 08/19/08 tip 0 Common questions we hear from in-coming students and parents concern sexual assault and personal safety. To that end, we would like to take this opportunity to recommend the Rape Aggression Defense System (RAD). This 16 hour course is free of charge to female faculty, staff and student members. In these 16 hours, students of the program will learn a variety of things to enhance their personal safety. To check the course dates and to sign-up for the class, visit the UTPD webpage at: http://www.utexas.edu/police/ Gentlemen, do not worry, there are options for you as well. Check the Informal Courses catalogue for classes pertaining to self-defense; there are a plethora of them. For more information about Informal Courses, visit https://informalclasses.org/index2.html 08/18/08 tip 0 As new students anxiously await their first experience away form home, many people, including parents, university administrators, housing & food employees, faculty members, staff members and campus law enforcement professionals focus on campus safety issues. The University of Texas at Austin is a community. As such, it is everyone's responsibility to help maintain a safe environment for the educational process. This week we want look at some common sense safety tips. Please go over these items with your child before you drop them off. First and foremost, you should always listen to yourself. If you find yourself doing something that has you wondering “should I be doing this?†– then no; you shouldn't do what you are doing. I am confident that before most dangerous acts or behavior, the person committing such act thought “I shouldn't be doing this.†If you are immune to your own voice and don't hear yourself, solicit good friends who will be committed to keeping an eye on you just as you will keep an eye on them. Simply put, make it a habit to do things with friends. This includes, studying, shopping, going to the movies, going to a party and most importantly spending a night on the town. Always bring a sober friend with your for the party and the night on the town. The sober friend should be dedicated to make sure you do not do something you will probably regret in the morning and will care for you if you have enjoyed a little too much. Remember there is safety in numbers. 8-14-08 tip 0 For some people alcohol is used as a criminal instrument to facilitate assaults and sexual assaults. Parents, this is an important issue to be discussed. Alcohol is the number one drug used for assaults. Even if your student does not drink, there are other drugs that can be used. Help your student develop a game plan when they decide to go out to one of the many parties this up-coming semester. 08/13/08 tip 0 The charge of Driving Under the Influence is often confused by Texans as meaning a person is driving while under the influence of a drug or narcotic. In Texas, driving under the influence refers to a person who is under the age of 21 and is operating a motor vehicle with any detectable amount of alcohol coming from the driver. Any detectable amount of alcohol can include something as simple as an odor of alcohol coming from a minor's breath. As with any offense involving a minor and alcohol, the punishments are not limited to a monetary fine or confinement in jail, it can also include the suspension of one's driver's license and don't forget the visit with the Dean of Students that comes with criminal cases involving students. 08/12/08 tip 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 tip 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 21 alarm calls, 4 unsecured door reports and 1 collision report between 08-20-08 and 08-21-08. If you are a faculty or staff member that has been affected by a crime, the UT Employee Assistance Program (471-3366) is available for counseling and referrals to other appropriate services. http://www.utexas.edu/hr/eap/ To view a map of the campus visit: http://www.utexas.edu/parking/maps/index.html RAD Program For Women, Now Available (Classes are FREE) Advanced RAD Classes Being Held for RAD Class Graduates The RAD program is a 16-hour course of realistic self-defense tactics and techniques for women that covers assault prevention and risk reduction while progressing on to basic hands-on defense training. http://www.utexas.edu/police/rad/ Defensive Driving: Learn Defensive Driving from a UTPD Police Officer. UTPD generally schedules a Defensive Driving Class approximately once a month – based on need. The classes meet in the University Police Building, Room 1.318, located at 2201 Robert Dedman Dr (east of Memorial Stadium). The cost for the course is $25.00 (check or cash) payable on class date. If paying in cash, please bring the exact amount because change may not be available. You will also need to bring your driver's license. For more information, to check for the next available class time or to register on-line go to: http://www.utexas.edu/police/services/defensive_driving.php Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL) The Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL) is a partnership among the Office of the Dean of Students, Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and the University of Texas Police Department (UTPD). BCAL provides a central resource for UT faculty, students, and staff who may have concerns about the behavior or well-being of another member of the campus community. By calling BCAL at 512-232-5050, callers may talk with trained staff members who will assist the caller in exploring available options and strategies as well as referrals to appropriate campus support networks. For more information on BCAL, visit the BCAL Web site at www.utexas.edu/safety/bcal or call 512-232-5050. 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 WRP To subscribe or unsubscribe, visit http://www.utexas.edu/police/campuswatch/subscribe.php
