Campus Watch: Below is a summary of campus activity reported to or observed by the University Police Department patrol officers between Thursday, 03/11/10 and Friday, 03/12/10. 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. - Prepare your residence for your Spring Break absence. - Make sure you have your mail held at the post office and your newspaper delivery 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. - 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 not 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 we are 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. - Hotel Security - Let friends and family know where you will be staying – hotel name, address, telephone number and room number should be given to your friends and family back home. - Make checking in a priority when you arrive. Keep an eye on your belongings until you get them to your room. Even a few seconds of inattention can result in your entire vacation wardrobe walking off. - When you check in, make sure the electronic key or actual key does not have your room number listed on it. If it does, ask if you can mark the room number out with a marker. Make plans to keep your cards with you. - When you check in, ask about security services such as after-hour entrances, room safes, safety deposit boxes and local emergency telephone numbers. - Ask if the hotel has a courtesy escort van and if that service can be called to come pick you up after your outing. - Make sure you keep your valuables locked in the room safe of safety deposit box when you are not using them. - Keep an eye on your hotel key. Keep it on your person. Do not let others hold on to it or see it. - When mingling with people you meet, keep your hotel information private. If the people want to meet up with you later – then meet them at a public place and bring your friends. - ETOH - EtOH, or Ethyl Alcohol (grain alcohol) consumption during Spring Break, is such a concern for law enforcement officers, paramedics, the fire department, hospitals, city governments, parents and yes the morgue that I thought we would dedicate an entire section to it. All too often, Spring Break party goers inundate towns along the coast, up in the mountains and on foreign soil. Many of these rabble-rousers share one thing in common – alcohol consumption. For the most part, alcohol consumption does not cause too many problems. It is when people over-indulge that life changing events take place. Over consumption of alcohol leads to a variety of problems, including property destruction, fighting, assaults, sexual assaults, DWI – which brings about a litany of other concerns, public intoxication, accidents, injuries and all too often falls from balconies. All this being said, if you are under 21, the drinking age is 21 – don't drink, or you could lose your license. If you are 21 and older – know your limits and don't exceed them. Always have a sober friend with you. - ETOH; second shot – pun intended Imagine the cool evenings at the beach side hotel, the sounds of the waves breaking on the beach. You can feel the sea breeze through your hair as you face the vast ocean from your hotel balcony. Just typing the words makes me want to close my eyes and wish I was there. Now imagine the same scene while sharing the balcony with 20 other party goers while you yourself are feeling the effects of a long hot day of consuming alcohol. This same scene is more common than the previous scene during Spring Break. Every year, over-crowded hotel balconies and / or intoxication lead to the tragedies of people falling from their balconies. This is just one of the many situations that you may not consider as dangerous when you dive into that bottle. Another dangerous situation involves taking a plunge into the nearest body of water while you are intoxicated. Spring Break is and should be all about relaxing and enjoying life – trust me, I wish I had done more of both while I was in college, but I am confident I would have known my limits both as a swimmer and as a drinker. Believe it or not, drinking alcohol will impair your swimming abilities. Yet another everyday activity that alcohol will impair without your knowledge is just that – day activities. Alcohol impacts the body in many ways – one of which is that it dehydrates your system. The combinations of hot days and alcohol can quickly and easily lead to medical problems such as dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Make sure you take plenty of breaks from the outdoor activities and that you stay hydrated – that does not mean drink liquor all day long. Drink plenty of water. If you are drinking alcoholic beverages, then alternate alcoholic beverages with water. Get rest, eat well, stay with friends, know your limits and … don't forget the sunscreen. GEORGE I. SANCHEZ BUILDING, 1912 Speedway Burglary of a Coin Operated Machine: The doors to three feminine hygiene product dispensers located inside the women's restrooms on the 2nd floor, 3rd floor and 5th floor were pried open. Each of the machines were emptied and deactivated after a previous attempt to burglarize the machines. The thief obviously discovered there was nothing to steal and left the building. Repair cost: $150.00. Occurred between 03/02/10 and 03/10/10. PERRY CASTANEDA LIBRARY, 101 East 21st Street Criminal Trespass Warning: A non-UT subject was reported as walking around the library and “bothering†students by picking up their books. The investigation revealed the subject was not stealing the books. The subject was issued a written criminal trespass warning. Occurred on 03/11/10 at 11:47 AM. SAN ANTONIO PARKING GARAGE, 2420 San Antonio Graffiti: Blue spray paint was used to write words on a cement hand rail. Red, black, green, yellow and blue spray paint were also used to draw images in the northwest stairwell of the garage. Removal cost: $100.00. Discovered on 03/11/10 at 6:50 PM. WHITAKER FIELDS, 4901 Guadalupe Burglary of Motor Vehicle: The left rear opera window was broken out of a Toyota 4 Runner while the vehicle was parked on the north side of the property. Two backpacks belonging to two different people, two wallets containing identification cards, credit cards, two calculators, an Apple i-Clicker and a textbook were stolen from the vehicle. A classmate of the victim later reported seeing a suspicious subject in the area during the time frame of the burglary. The subject was described as a black male, approximately 5'11†tall, 300 pounds and wearing all black. The subject was seen leaning on the back of a parked car and looking around the lot. Repair cost: $100.00. Loss value: $320.00. Occurred on 03/11/10 between 2:15 PM and 3:15 PM. 2200 Robert Dedman Open Container in a Vehicle: A non-UT subject was stopped for speeding while driving a red Dodge pick-up truck. An open container of beer was found inside the vehicle. Occurred on 03/12/10 at 1:41 AM. 100 East 21st Street Public Intoxication / Disorderly Conduct (Fighting in a Public Place) – 2 counts: A UT student and a non-UT subject were observed holding down and striking another UT student. The UT student who was being struck told officers he was very drunk as he had “way too much to drink†so he asked his friends to hit him. The student who was hit was indeed found to have consumed “way too much†as he was found to be intoxicated to the point he was a danger to himself. Occurred on 03/12/10 at 2:35 AM. Crime prevention Tip: I have heard of several urban legends to speed up the sobriety time frame; coffee drinking, cold showers and exercise just to name a few but being voluntarily assaulted is a new one to me. Makes me wonder why anyone would ever want to drink at all. The best advice I can give is to not drink and if you wish to consume alcoholic beverages, do so responsibly and in moderation or at least keep friends who do not hit very hard. CAMPUS WIDE: Non-Criminal Calls: In addition to the above criminal cases, the University of Texas Police Department responded to 17 Alarm Calls, 2 “Police Help†Call Box Activations, 1 Suspicious Package Report, 1 Motor Vehicle Collision, 3 Suspicious Activity Reports, 1 Medical Emergency Assist, 1 Welfare Concern Report and 2 Unsecured Door Report between 03/11/10 and 03/12/10. To view a map of the campus visit: http://www.utexas.edu/parking/maps/index.html 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. Campus Safety and Security at (512) 471-5767. 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. 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/ 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 William R. Pieper at 512-232-9638 or via e-mail to photocop@mail.utexas.edu Prepared by WRP ISA To subscribe or unsubscribe, visit http://www.utexas.edu/police/campuswatch/subscribe.php
