Campus Watch: Below is a summary of campus activity reported to or observed by the University Police Department patrol officers between Thursday, 10/29/09 and Friday, 10/30/09. ****Safe and Secure Halloween**** Many of us will be participating in Saturday's night's observance of Halloween. All of us should take some time to make sure Saturday does not turn into a personal nightmare. This afternoon and tomorrow you should look at your house as a masked child would look at it and recognize potential risks and liabilities. Make sure you spend some time removing items from your front porch, driveway and walkway. This is important for several reasons. First, Halloween costumes by their nature inhibit children's field of view, balance and mobility. You do not want young visitors tripping or falling as a result of items you left out. Secondly, in addition to the youngsters looking for treats, there will no doubt be some older kids looking for mischief and opportunities for theft. Any item left out could be subject to vandalism or theft so take a few minutes to bring your outdoor accoutrements indoors. Check your porch lights and make sure they are on. You may even wish to keep them burning throughout the night. To save on your energy bill and to help the environment, look into purchasing fluorescent bulbs. They have a great life and cost much less than regular incandescent bulbs. If you have already adorned your front porch with a Jack-O-Lantern, consider using a flashlight instead of a candle. Open flames are always a danger; especially when around costumes that aren't always flame retardant. Speaking of such costume related risks, if you have a ghost or goblin going out tonight to stock up on sweets, make sure they are dressed in a flame retardant costume that is not too baggy. This will help prevent falls and reduce the risks of a fire injury. Another thing to consider is to use face paint instead of a mask. This will improve your child's vision and reduce the risk of tripping over items. Make sure your child has a flashlight or is wearing a costume that is light in color or preferably has reflective elements. Never allow your child to go into someone's house or get into someone's car. Instruct them to run away if someone asks them into their home or car. You know what, spend some time with them and go out with them. It will be safer and I bet you will have fun too. For the college students, I have but one plea – every Halloween you have been asked to not over-do it with the candy and the pranks. This year is not much different, but I would like to add a comment about over-doing the alcohol. If you do drink alcoholic beverages, please know your limits and stick to them. Make plans before you go out to keep yourself safe. Never drive your car if you plan on drinking. Always have a sober buddy with you to keep you out of trouble. Be smart, have fun and be safe! COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, 2110 Speedway Theft: A Dell laptop computer was stolen from a 6th floor office. Loss value: $900.00. Occurred between 10/28/09 at 4:00 PM and 10/29/09 at 11:05 AM. NURSING SCHOOL, 1710 Red river Criminal Trespass Warning: A non-UT subject was reported as sleeping on the south side of the building. When the subject was awakened he was issued a written criminal trespass warning. Occurred on 10/29/09 at 6:56 AM. 300 West MLK Public Intoxication: A UT student, who was under the age of 21, was observed in the back seat of a cab that was stopped at a green light. Attention was drawn to the student as the top half of his body was hanging out of the open back door of the stopped cab. The student appeared to be suffering from a physical condition which forced him to take this position to prevent himself from having a cleaning bill along with the cab fare. The student did not know where he was or what time it was, but he obviously knew it was past his bedtime as he fell asleep several times during the investigation. The student was found to be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage to the point he was deemed to be a danger to himself. Occurred on 10/30/09 at 1:10 AM. CAMPUS WIDE: Non-Criminal Calls: In addition to the above criminal cases, the University of Texas Police Department responded to 10 alarm calls, 1 fire alarm activation, 1 suspicious activity report, 1 public assist request, 3 found property reports and 1 EMS call between 10/29/09 and 10/30/09. 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. 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. 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 cover 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
