Campus Watch: Below is a summary of campus activity reported to or observed by the University Police Department patrol officers between Wednesday, 09/09/09 and Thursday, 09/10/09. ****Upcoming Event**** The Counseling and Mental Health Center is proud to announce U.T.'s first Suicide Prevention Week (September 14th through September 18th). This week is dedicated to raising awareness about suicide and suicidal behaviors among our students. It represents a call to action and involvement by all UT staff, faculty, and students to support suicide prevention. Throughout the week, many UT departments and organizations are sponsoring a variety of interactive programs. Be that one who recognizes when your student or friend is thinking about suicide and learn how to help them. For more information about the week's events, check out cmhc.utexas.edu/bethatone ****ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE**** The University of Texas Police Department will be hosting the 6th annual Citizen's Police Academy (CPA). The CPA will be held every Monday night beginning, October 5, 2009. The academy will end, November 16, 2009 with a graduation ceremony. If you are interested in attending the next Citizen's Police Academy, contact Capt. Don Verett at 232-6444 or don.verett@austin.utexas.edu. ****Upcoming Event**** This weekend, UTPD will be holding the first RAD for Men program. Please see the attached advertisement to see how you can sign-up for this program. Limited spaces are available, so act now so you will be safer later. PARKING LOT 99, 1900 Robert Dedman Theft: A vehicle wheel immobilizer (wheel boot) was affixed to the wheel of a UT student's burgundy Cadillac as the vehicle showed to have outstanding unpaid parking permits and was displaying a parking permit that was reported as stolen. When UT Parking and Transportation Services Parking Enforcement Agents checked the parking lot a second time, they discovered the Cadillac and wheel boot were no longer in the parking lot. Loss value: 596.83. Occurred on 09/09/09 between 8:48 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, 510 East 23rd Street SCAM: An unknown caller placed a telephone call to a UT staff member and told the staff member she was a customer service representative from the company that supplied the staff member's department copy machine. The caller stated she needed to verify the department's copy machine serial number. The staff member wisely told the caller, that if she was a representative from their copy machine contract, then the caller should already have the serial number. The caller then disconnected the phone call. Occurred on 09/09/09 at approximately 2:00 p.m. Crime Prevention Tip: This is a common scam in which the caller attempts to identify the type of copier an office uses and will normally try to get the office's supply or procurement employee's name. The caller will then send overpriced, low quality toner to the department with the supply person's name listed on the invoice in the hopes the department will accept the toner and pay the invoice. Question any call you receive in regards to information about your copier, fax machine or procurement officer. For more information regarding this and other scam, visit websites like Snopes.com. If you receive any suspicious telephone call on a UT telephone, remember to use the STAR 57 feature of the telephone. This feature will trap the telephone number of the person making the telephone call. To use this feature, once the telephone call is ended, hang the handset up. Pick the telephone handset back up and dial *57. You will hear a message that will let you know if the telephone number was trapped or not. When you make a police report about the suspicious telephone call make sure to tell the officer you used the STAR 57 feature. By trapping the number of the caller, we can make contact with the caller to further the investigation. PERRY-CASTANEDA LIBRARY, 101 East 21st Street Theft: A white MacBook laptop computer and computer charger were stolen when they were left on a 4th floor table for approximately five minutes. Loss value: $1,100.00. Occurred on 09/09/09 between 1:30 p.m. and 1:35 p.m. SIMKINS HALL, 2501 San Jacinto Theft: A black gas grill belonging to Housing and Food was stolen when it was left on the west side of the dormitory. Loss value: $150.00. Occurred between 09/05/09 and 09/09/09. CAMPUS WIDE: Non-Criminal Calls: In addition to the above criminal cases, the University of Texas Police Department responded to 18 alarm calls, 3 medical emergency assists, 2 malfunctioning light report, 1 gasoline leak and 7 unsecured door reports between 09/09/09 and 09/10/09. 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/ Emergency Text Message Service The University of Texas at Austin and its police department are responsible for notifying faculty, staff, and students of emergency situations (e.g., inclement weather, building evacuations, campus closures, etc.). The University employs a wide variety of tools to make sure everyone on campus is informed during an emergency event—including text messaging. In order to accomplish emergency text messaging more effectively, the University is collecting cell phone numbers from members of our campus community. Effective August 26, 2009, this database of cell phone numbers will be used for emergency text messages. Please complete the form at http://www.utexas.edu/cellphonealert so you will become an integral part of this important emergency notification system and help the university to achieve the highest standards of campus and community safety. Your cell phone number will not be used for any other purpose. If you require any additional information regarding this service, please contact Campus Safety and Security at (512) 471-5767. 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
