Crime Prevention Tip of the Week: UTPD has seen an increase in welfare concerns and mental health evaluations, as is typical this time of the year. The Counselling and Mental Health Center lists some great tips for stress and mental health here: https://cmhc.utexas.edu/stress.html. Also, if you need to talk to someone, you can set up an appointment with CMHC by calling 512-471-3515, and you can also call our 24/7/365 crisis line at 512-471-CALL. Remember, people who get appropriate treatment for mental health can recover and lead a full and rewarding life. Seeking help is a strength, not a weakness. Campus Watch: Below is a summary of campus criminal activity reported to or observed by The University of Texas At Austin Police Department Patrol Officers between Sunday 12/2/18 and Saturday 12/8/18. 12/06/2018, at 10:36 a.m., 110 Inner Campus Drive (Main Building). Criminal Trespass Warning: Many UT Staff working at the Main Building observed a suspicious man on multiple floors of the tower. The man said unusual things like “God sent me” and was verbally abusive to the people in the building. He piggy-backed onto the elevator and entered a room he did not belong in, stood on a table, and refused to leave when employees told him to leave. UTPD officers were dispatched when these employees dialed 911. The man refused mental health treatment, and was given a written warning not to return to UT Property. In situations like this, UTPD often learns about a suspicious person quite a while after the first person in a building found them to be suspicious. We all can work together effectively by making the call when someone’s behavior raises a red flag or they enter an area they do not belong. Also, it’s critical that UT Students, Staff, and Faculty abide by “One Swipe, One Entry” at UT Austin’s Celebrated Entries, Secured Rooms, and Dormitories. 12/06/2018, at 3:30 p.m., 201 E 21st Street, (Jester East Dormitory). Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Alcohol by a Minor: A custodian at Jester East found a glass marijuana pipe in a student’s bathroom. Custodians are used to clean these rooms in preparation for the winter break. An officer was dispatched to the room and spoke to its resident, a UT Student. When the officer asked the student if he knew why they were speaking, the student mistakenly explained he thought it was because of the champagne and wine he possessed despite being 18. The student later admitted to using the contraband to smoke marijuana. He handed over his remaining marijuana. The student’s honesty and cooperation worked in his favor, and the matter was referred to the Dean of Students without criminal charges being pursued. 12/06/2018, at 12:34 a.m., 2600 Guadalupe (7/11). Public Intoxication: UTPD officers were flagged down by a pedestrian who observed a disturbance nearby. The reporting witness said she saw a woman punching the window of a car while yelling at its driver. Officers quickly located the disturbance between a woman and a Lyft driver. The woman refused to identify herself or explain her side of the story, however her strong odor of alcohol, slurred speech, and stumbling explained enough of the situation. Officers prefer to take Publicly Intoxicated people to the Sobering Center, however in cases where they are uncooperative and combative, it is unsafe to do so. In this case, the woman was arrested for Public Intoxicated, and transported to the Travis County Jail. *The University of Texas Police Department responded to 780 total calls for service, including 260 Alarm Activations, 113 Foot Patrols, 96 Traffic Violations, and 17 Welfare Concerns between Sunday 12/2/18 and Saturday 12/8/18. This week's Campus Watch was prepared by: Officer Dustin Farahnak.
