Campus Watch: Below is a summary of campus activity reported to or observed by the University Police Department patrol officers between Tuesday, 02/24/09 and Wednesday, 02/25/09. Robbery Prevention Tips The University of Texas Police Department would like to help you develop a strategy to prevent a robbery or to handle one if it happens. Keep these suggestions in mind: - Be aware of your surroundings. - Trust your instincts. If something or someone makes you feel uneasy then leave the area – run if necessary. - Do not become engaged in activities that will distract your attention like talking on a cell phone or wearing your mugger magnets (MP3 ear-buds or headphones). - Do your best to go out with friends; stay in groups as there is safety in numbers. - Keep to areas where you can see other people. If you can see others, then they can see you – again safety in numbers. - Make eye contact with those around you. This lets a potential robber know you have seen him or her. - Practice making mental images of people without staring at them. - If a robber does approach you and demands your wallet, then give it to him or her. Nothing in your wallet is worth risking your life over. - The loss of your wallet could have a lasting impact. Make sure you only carry items you know you will need. Never carry your Social Security Card in your wallet. Only carry the credit cards you need. You should never have more than one or two credit cards in your wallet. Limit the amount of cash you keep on hand. Never write the pin code to your ATM / Debit Card down on a piece of paper. Memorize that number and don't share it with others. - As always, if you see any type of suspicious activity, PLEASE contact UTPD at 471-4441 or 911 from any campus phone. PERRY-CASTANEDA LIBRARY, 101 East 21st Street Theft: A blue Magna women's bicycle was stolen from the bicycle racks located on the north side of the building while it was secured with a u-lock that utilizes a barrel or round key to open and secure the lock. Loss value: $100.00. Occurred on 02/23/09 between at 2:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Crime Prevention Tip: I know we have said many times to use a quality u-lock to secure your bicycle. This case highlights that we need to give a pointer or two about what makes a quality u-lock. The biggest thing you need to look for in a quality u-lock is that the lock is not located on the end of the cross bar. The lock should be located on the side of the cross bar. While looking at the lock itself, make sure it is a lock that takes a flat key or a combination. U-locks that use a round or barrel key are easily defeated by a cheap pen of all things. 2000 San Jacinto Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol by a Minor / Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor: A UT student, who was under the age of 21, was stopped for speeding and failing to stop at the designated point while driving a white Ford van. The student was found to have consumed alcoholic beverages, but not to the point he was driving while intoxicated. A front seat passenger of the van, who was also a UT student that was under the age of 21, was found to have consumed alcoholic beverages. Occurred on 02/25/09 at 4:06 a.m. 2609 UNIVERSITY AVENUE Criminal Mischief: A staff member reported a school picture of her daughter was removed from her 1st floor office desk. The photograph was discovered torn-up and on the ground near the office. Occurred between 02/23/09 at 4:03 p.m. and 02/24/09 at 7:20 a.m. Administrative Note Please see the alarm numbers for yesterday. I can not recall a time when there were so few alarm responses in a single day. On behalf of the UT Police Department, I would like to thank each of you who have alarm systems for working diligently to reduce the amount of false alarms. False alarms are a serious concern for law enforcement and first responders – the story of the boy who cried wolf comes to mind. I would like to encourage everyone to do their part in reducing false alarms. A few reminders will help with this. First, if a door has a card reader device, do not use a key to unlock the door. Your proximity card acts as a key in that situation. If a door is almost closed, do not pull it open. The doors are set up on a meticulous schedule. If the door almost closes and the door is pulled open then an alarm can and probably will be generated. I wish I did not need to remind folks of this one, but don't hold the door open while engaged in a conversation. Holding a door open will generate the most frustrating of all false alarms – the dreaded “Door Held†alarm. A door that starts beeping at you is an indication the door is being held open too long. Simply close the door. In any situation where you believe you may have caused an alarm, please contact UTPD at 512-471-4441. For the Campus Watch faithful who serve as alarm administrators for your department, please make sure your alarm information is updated and provided to the UTPD Crime Prevention Unit. If you are not sure how current your alarm information is, please feel free to call me at 512-232-9638. Let's see if we can make 9 security alarms a day the rule and not the exception. This small request makes a huge difference to the officers on the street. CAMPUS WIDE: Non-Criminal Calls: In addition to the above criminal cases, the University of Texas Police Department responded to 15 alarm calls, 1 fire alarm, 2 suspicious person reports, 1 medical emergency assist, 1 suspicious odor report, 2 lost property reports, and 4 unsecured door reports between 02/24/09 and 02/25/09. 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 via e-mail to Darrell.halstead@austin.utexas.edu . Prepared by WRP To subscribe or unsubscribe, visit http://www.utexas.edu/police/campuswatch/subscribe.php
