Campus Watch: Below is a summary of campus activity reported to or observed by the University Police Department patrol officers between Friday, 03/06/09 and Monday, 03/09/09. Spring Break Safety Tips With Spring Break rapidly approaching, it is time to start looking at safety and security tips pertaining to Spring Break activities. I would like to start this series of tips with a very specific tip. - The State Department issued a travel safety alert on February 20, 2009. The safety alert reads as follows: The U.S. State Department has renewed a travel advisory warning Americans about an increase in violence along the U.S.-Mexico border. The alert does not recommend staying away from the country or any particular part of it, but advises American to stay away from prostitution and drug-dealing areas. It recommends visiting only legitimate business and tourist areas. The alert issued Friday says violent crime is particularly worrisome along the U.S.-Mexico border, where automatic weapons and grenades have been used in clashes between police and drug traffickers. More than 6,000 people were killed in drug violence in Mexico last year. - Prepare your residence for your Spring Break absence. - Make sure you have your mail held at the post office and your newspaper deliver suspended. - Check out an electric timer from the police department. A timer can be used to turn your interior lights on and off. This gives the impression your home is occupied. - Make sure your lawn, if you have one, is mowed and edged before you leave. An unkempt lawn is an indication no one is at home. - Bring items inside. Bicycles, lawn chairs, potted plants – pretty much anything that you don't want walking off – should be brought inside. This advice is for dormitory residents as well. BRING YOUR BICYCLE INTO YOUR DORMITORY ROOM DURING SPRING BREAK! Don't just bring your bike into your room; use your lock to secure it to something in your room. - Contact your police department to set-up a close-patrol check of your residence. This lets the police department know you will be out of town and serves as a request to have patrol officers check your residence during their patrols. - Prepare your vehicle for Spring Break - This would be a good time to have a mechanic go over your vehicle. - Change the oil - Have the belts and engine hoses checked - Check all of your vehicle's fluid levels checked and check the tire pressure - Put together an emergency kit. This kit will contain some of the following items: Water Emergency Blanket Flashlight / Extra Batteries First Aid Kit Car Cell Phone Charger Traffic Safety Vest ($9.00 in the sporting goods section of many stores) Granola bars - Preparing your personal items for the trip and packing - When packing your clothes for the trip, consider the attire of local people in the area you are visiting. Do dress to “flashy†or “laid-back†as that may cause you to stand out as a tourist and an easy target. Plan to dress conservatively. - Before you leave, take time to plan out your trip. Having an itinerary and sharing it with friends you are travelling with helps to identify possible problems and areas where security may be of more concern. Include your travel plans in the itinerary (how you will be travelling – plane, train, auto, bus, bicycle etc. and the identifiers for that method of travel; i.e. flight number 7645 leaving Austin – Bergstrom at 10 a.m. arriving at JFK International at 3:00p.m.) Make sure you provide a copy of this itinerary with friends or family that are staying here. That way, they know more about where you are, where you plan to be and when you will be back. - If travelling abroad, make sure you look up the local police department telephone numbers and the nearest US Embassy telephone numbers. Program those numbers into your cell phone. You never know when you will need them. - Check the State Department webpage for any travel advisories. The web address is http://www.state.gov/travel/ - Check the contents of your wallet. Only bring that which is necessary. Limit the amount of cash you take with you. Use traveler's checks or a credit card instead. Write down the 1-800 number to your credit card in the event your card is lost or stolen. Keep that number in your hotel. - If you take prescription medications, make sure you have enough of the prescription to last you through the trip. KEEP YOUR PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS IN THEIR ORIGINAL PRESCRIPTION BOTTLE. - Keep your name and address on the inside of your luggage and write your contact information on the luggage tag. Use a luggage tag that has a cover so your information can not be seen by someone walking by your luggage. - Stay with your luggage from your house, to the airport and up to the bag check. Watch the bag security check and ask Transportation Security Agency Officers to lock your bag after it is checked. - Airport Travel Safety If you are taking to the air to reach your Spring Break destination, make sure you prepare yourself for airport security as well. I know you have heard it time and time again, but first thing is first – Make sure you arrive early enough to check in, make it through security and to your departure gate before the plane is scheduled to board. I have found that you should arrive at the airport at least two hours before your flight. When you do arrive, keep the following suggestions in mind; - Make sure your bags are closed and locked with a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) approved luggage lock (sold in many stores) - NEVER LEAVE YOUR BAGS UNATTENDED – and what I mean by that is that you actually need to be watching your bag. - Stay with your bag until it is checked. After your bag is inspected / searched by TSA watch to see if they re-secured the lock. If they did not, ask them to secure your bag with the lock. - Bring proper photo identification with you for the check in procedure. Your state issued driver's license works well for this. If travelling abroad, you should also have your Passport (you need this even if you are flying to Mexico or Canada). - If you are carrying a purse, make sure you wear the should strap diagonally across your torso. Even then, consider carrying your wallet in a pocket. - If you are only carrying a wallet, keep it in your front pocket – it is easier to pick pocket from a back pocket. Wrap a rubber band around your wallet as that too helps keep your wallet in your pocket. - DO NOT BRING ANY WEAPONS INTO THE AIRPORT – enough said about that. - Listen to directions given by TSA and airport staff and follow those directions; they are for your safety and the safety of others. - Pay attention to the pre-flight safety instructions given by flight attendants – those instructions may prove useful. I venture to say the lucky travelers who recently exited their plane in the middle of the Hudson River were glad they paid attention. - Keep these tips in mind for the return flight. Airports in other countries will have different procedures for checking in and screening, but your personal security and responsibility for your property remains the same. - Taxi Safety Tips The very nature of taxi travel opens the door for scams, thefts or worse. Think about it; you voluntarily get into a stranger's car knowing that the stranger knows you have money. Don't get me wrong, the majority of taxi service providers are honest hard working people, but there are those who prey on someone needing a ride. To protect yourself from such a predator, consider the following: - - Try to catch a cab at a taxi stand. Many cities have such places in areas where people typically use cab services like the airport, train stations, tourist attractions etc. - - Before you jump into a cab, look to see if the cab is similar to others in the area. Cab drivers that work for a company that has a fleet of cabs tend to be more reliable and honest than an independently operated cab driver. Another thing to consider is that thieves will sometimes use a cab look-a-like to con tourists into their vehicle. - - Look to see if the cab has the company's telephone number posted on the outside of the cab. Legitimate cab companies do not waste any advertising space on their vehicles and put their phone number on every side of their vehicles. - - Check to see if the cab has a meter and a radio. This provides further evidence the cab is legitimate. - - Check to see if there is a child safety lock feature on the door. This is a lever on the side of the door that can be seen when the door is open. If there is such a device, make sure it is in the unlocked position. If it is in the locked position, then you can't open the door form the inside. - - Before you close the door, look to make sure the back seat has a door handle – if not, catch another cab. The last thing you want is to be stuck in the back seat of any vehicle. - -If possible, do not place important bags / luggage in the trunk. If you need to get out of a cab quickly, then you won't have time to get your bags. - - Know where you are going and be confident in your request to get there. This lets a cab operator know you know where you are going and how to get there. A cab driver will be less likely to vary from the logical path to get to your destination. - - Do not share rides with strangers. The few dollars you will be saving by sharing a ride is not worth the risk of letting a potential “bad guy†know what hotel you are staying in or for that matter getting into a cab with someone who doesn't mind to bad things in the back of a cab. - - As always, know the police telephone number or emergency number for the town you are in. ALMETRIS DUREN RESIDENCE HALL, 2624 Whitis Suspicious Activity: Two subjects were reported as attempting to steal a bicycle. The reporting person believed the subjects were using a pair of bolt cutters to cut a lock. The two subjects were last seen running southbound and were described as wearing black hooded sweatshirts. Responding officers were not able to locate the subjects. Occurred on 03/07/09 at 1:35 a.m. JESTER CENTER WEST, 201 East 21st Street Theft: A red Power X bicycle was stolen when it was “secured†with a cable lock to a bicycle rack located by the dormitory. Loss value: $96.00. Occurred between 03/06/09 at 3:00 p.m. and 03/07/09 at 4:00 p.m. NORTH END ZONE BUILDING, 405 East 23rd Street Public Intoxication / Possession of More Than One Valid Driver's License / Consumption of Alcohol By A Minor: A UT student, who was under the age of 21, was observed assisting a female student to the elevator while leaving a party. The female student, who was under the age of 21, was having a most difficult time with her balance. The male student was found to have consumed alcoholic beverages. The male student was also found to be in possession of more than one valid driver's license as he had another person's driver's license. The female student was found to be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage to the point she was a danger to herself. In lieu of arresting the female student, she was turned over to a sober adult who was willing to accept care, custody and control of her, but not until after she was issued a citation for the consumption of alcohol by a minor. Occurred on 03/08/09 at 1:45 a.m. NORTH END ZONE BUILDING, 405 East 23rd Street Disorderly Conduct – Fighting with Another: A UT student became upset when the bar at a party stopped serving alcohol at 1:00 a.m. When a friend of the upset student stepped in to calm the student down, the student pushed his friend over a table and onto the floor. The student then punched his friend in the eye. The friend did not wish to file charges for assault. Occurred on 03/08/09 at 1:06 a.m. Texas Penal Code 101: In Texas, assault charges are filed by the victim. In this case, the victim did not wish to file charges for assault. I am sure the student in this case did not think of the fact that a peace officer in Texas can file charges for disorderly conduct fighting in a public place. Of course in most cases like this, public intoxication is another charge that could probably be filed by a peace officer. NORTH END ZONE BUILDING, 405 East 23rd Street Public Intoxication: A UT student, who was under the age of 21, was found sitting on the floor in a restroom stall. The student had a difficult time maintaining her balance and needed support to make it out of the restroom. The student was found to be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage to the point she was a danger to herself. In lieu of arresting the student, she was turned over to a responsible adult who was willing to accept care, custody and control of her. Of course this did not happen until after the student was issued a citation for the consumption of alcohol by a minor. Occurred on 03/08/09 at 12:41 a.m. RECREATIONAL SPORTS CENTER , 2001 San Jacinto Theft (2 counts): A small Coach wallet containing 2 credit cards was stolen from a purse that was left unattended by the stage in a 2nd floor dance studio. A Canon Sureshot was stolen during the same time frame when it was left unattended on the stage. A witness reported seeing a black female subject standing near the purse, while a black male subject rummaged through the purse. The black male subject was described as being in his 40's and wearing a black and purple stripped shirt. The witness thought the two subjects were married and the male was looking for something in his wife's purse. It was not until after he heard of the theft that he realized he had witnessed the crime. Loss value: $125.00. Occurred on 03/07/09 at approximately 11:30 a.m. SAN JACINTO RESIDENCE HALL, 309 East 21st Street Public Intoxication: A UT student, who was under the age of 21, was reported as being “passed out†on the west side of the dormitory. There was evidence on the ground to suggest the student's body had already tried to expel the liquid toxin he had ingested. The student could not recall where he lived, how he had gotten to the San Jacinto Residence Hall or how much he had ETOH he had consumed. Austin-Travis County EMS was summoned to the scene and they determined the student was not intoxicated to the point that he needed to be transported to the hospital for alcohol poisoning. In lieu of being arrested for public intoxication, the student was turned over to a responsible friend who was willing to accept care custody and control of the student. The student was issued a citation for consumption of alcohol by a minor. Occurred on 03/07/09 at 3:15 a.m. 2300 Guadalupe Driving While Intoxicated / Possession of a Controlled Substance: A non-UT subject was stopped for failing to maintain a straight line of travel and drifting left of the center stripe while driving a white 1997 Chevrolet sport utility vehicle. The subject was found to be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage to the point she was deemed to be driving while intoxicated. A plastic bag containing .2 grams of cocaine was found inside the subject's purse. Occurred on 03/08/09 at 3:32 a.m. 600 Lavaca Graffiti: A black marker was used to write words on the side of a trash dumpster located in an alley just off of 600 Lavaca. A witness reported seeing two males wearing dark clothing fleeing form the dumpster. Removal cost: $35.00. Reported on 03/09/09 5:20 a.m. 2500 San Jacinto Possession of More Than One Valid Driver License: A UT student was stopped for driving at night without the vehicle's headlamps turned on. The student was found to be in possession of his driver's license and a second valid driver's license that had been issued to a “friend†of the student. Occurred on 03/07/09 at 3:07 a.m. 1900 Speedway Leaving the Scene Collision: A 2001 Chevrolet pick-up truck struck the left fender and side mirror of a parked and unattended 1996 Honda as the truck was backing out of a parking space. A witness observed the driver of the truck get out of the truck and look at the damage to the Honda. The driver of the truck switched seats with a passenger in the truck and the passenger drove the truck away. The driver of the truck did not leave any driver information on the vehicle that was struck. Repair cost: $1,000.00. Reported on 03/07/09 at 12:18 p.m. 100 East 21st Street Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor (3 counts): Two UT students, and a non-UT subject were reported as blocking the intersection of 21st Street and Speedway by placing traffic cones in the roadway. All three subjects were under the age of 21 and were found to have consumed alcoholic beverages. Occurred on 03/08/09 at 4:47 a.m. 100 East 21st Street Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor (2 counts): A UT Police Officer observed a white Chevrolet Blazer stopped in the middle of the roadway. Two passengers in the vehicle, who both UT students under the age of 21, were found to have consumed alcoholic beverages. Occurred on 03/07/09 at 1:35 a.m. Food For Thought Did anyone pay attention to the dates and times of the entries in today's Campus Watch? If you compare the date and time of this case with the dates and times of other cases you will see there was another report that came in at this exact same time the officer started this investigation. In the other case, two possible bicycle thieves made their get-a-way and were not located or identified. If the two officers working this case had been available, then maybe they could have helped locate the suspected bike thieves. Yet another reason people under the age of 21 should not be drinking. 200 East 21st Street Burglary of Motor Vehicle: An IBM laptop computer, a power cord for the computer and a UT Parking permit were stolen form an unsecured Toyota Camery while the Toyota was parked and unattended. Loss value: $1,300.00. Occurred on 03/08/09 between 7:10 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. 300 East 21st Street Consumption of Alcohol By A Minor (2 counts): A UT student and a non-UT subject, who were both under the age of 21, were identified as passengers in a vehicle that had been stopped for speeding. The student denied having consumed alcoholic beverages and stated the distinct odor the officer smelled must have been the fajitas she had eaten. The non-UT subject admitted to having consumed a beer, but stated the odor emanating from him was the result of someone having expelled their stomach contents on him during a party. Sounds like a good time was had by all. Occurred on 03/07/09 at 4:31 a.m. 300 West 24th Street Driving While Intoxicated / Possession of a Controlled Substance: A non-UT subject was stopped for having a malfunctioning headlamp while driving her black Honda 2-door. The subject was found to be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage to the point she was deemed to be driving while intoxicated. The subject was also found to be in possession of a plastic bag containing .5 grams of cocaine. Occurred on 03/09/09 at 1:50 a.m. CAMPUS WIDE: Non-Criminal Calls: In addition to the above criminal cases, the University of Texas Police Department responded to 44 alarm calls, 11 “Police Help†call box activations, 2 fire alarms, 1 disturbance calls, 2 suspicious activity reports, 2 welfare concern reports, 1 lost child report (reunited with guardian), 1 trash dumpster fire, 1 collision, 7 medical emergencies and 9 public assist requests between 03/06/09 and 03/09/09. 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
