Crime Prevention Tip of the Week: When people walk together, they refuse the likelihood of crime substantially During darkness, try to leave the library, classes, or work with a friend, and if one is not available, use Sure Walk by calling 512.232-9255, emailing orderasurewalk@gmail.com, or visiting this website: https://parking.utexas.edu/transportation/walking 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 during the between Sunday 1/20/19 and Saturday 01/26/19. 1/20/2019, at 07:15 a.m., 1500 Red River (Dell Seton Medical Center). Assault by contact: A woman well known to the staff at the hospital admitted herself to the emergency room, but was quickly medically cleared with no apparent condition. She declined to leave when asked to do so, and stated that she would prefer to go to jail than go outside. She then lightly tapped a nurse on the knee with her foot, in an apparent effort to be arrested. A UTPD officer explained to her that it wasn’t a wise use of resources to take her to jail, and talked her into leaving. 1/22/2019 at 8:00 a.m., 1301 E Dean Keeton (Facilities Complex 1). Driving While License Invalid, Warrants: UT Staff observed a vehicle parked in the grass, and called UTPD to investigate. Officers observed the vehicle had crashed and was not drivable. The driver did not have a driver’s license, but did have several warrants for his arrest. The driver was arrested and transported to Travis County Jail, and the vehicle was towed. 1/22/2019 at 3:01 p.m., 2304 Whitis Ave (Flawn Academic Center). Failure to Identify, Warrant: UT Staff trying to walk on the walkway of the Flawn Academic Center found themselves blocked by a man doing stunts on a skateboard. They also felt uncomfortable walking by a large off-leash dog, and asked UTPD to resolve the situation. When an officer asked the man to talk for a moment, he began skating away. As this resolved the initial problem with the walkway, officers did not actively pursue, but instead predicted where the man might go, and happened upon him in the UT Co-Op bookstore a few minutes later. The man claimed to be partly deaf, and hence had skated off unaware. He also claimed to be a UT Student, which he was not, and gave a fictitious name to the officer. An experienced dispatcher was able to figure out the likely name of the man based on his alias’s similarity to the name of man who was wanted for theft, and she provided the officer with that man’s photo. At this point the skater admitted to his real name, and even expressed awareness of his warrant. Lying about one’s name to a police officer is a crime, and in this case, because the man was already a fugitive, the charge is enhanced. The officer arrested the man and transported him to Travis County Jail. The dog, a pit bull, remained friendly throughout the interaction, and was handed over to the skater’s girlfriend. Remember: there is nothing wrong with using a skateboard on campus, so long as you do so safely and leave room for others to be safe as well. Doing stunts on property, such as benches, is an effective way to get UTPD called to speak to you. Even if you have already made a mistake, lying about your name will make the problem worse. 01/25/2018 at 1:49 a.m., 1900 San Jacinto. Public Intoxication, Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor: A UT employee called UTPD to help a woman passed out on the sidewalk. Officers found a student was passed out, with scratches on her face as though she had fallen. She also smelled heavily of alcohol. The woman was disoriented to the point where she believed it was New Year’s Day, and she believed she had been born in 1921. The woman attempted to leave by crossing a very busy road. This level of intoxication can easily result in getting hurt, and therefore this woman committed Public Intoxication in addition to Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor. When Travis County EMS transported the woman to the hospital, the officer opted to not file any criminal charges, and this matter was referred to the Dean of Students. Having a sober friend around would have made this night much safer. 1/25/2019, at 7:50 a.m., 2025 Guadalupe St (Target). Aggravated Robbery: A UTPD officer who was monitoring APD’s radio heard that a robbery had occurred at the Target near campus. A repeat shoplifter had been spotted entering the store. Loss prevention in the store then observed him steal a few low value items. When the employee stopped the thief, the thief displayed a knife. The employee wisely let the man go. UTPD officers coordinated a search of campus, west campus, and churches, and the university quickly sent out a Safety Alert. Fortunately, a good Samaritan recognized the thief from the Safety Alert, and flagged down the officers searching the area. Officers were able to arrest the man without further incident, and this man received a Criminal Trespass Warning barring him from ever being on UT Austin property, and of course a trip to jail. Important lessons: if someone threatens you over property, stay calm and do as instructed. Money and property are not important. Get a look at the robber, and try to look for something distinctive, such as a tattoo. Take note of the direction and method of their path away from the scene. Let the police catch the robber by calling 911 and providing us with a detailed description. This incident was successful because of great communication between the community and its police. *The University of Texas Police Department responded to 663 total calls for service, including 243 Alarm Activations, 107 Foot Patrols, 43 Traffic Violations, and 16 Welfare Concerns between Sunday 1/20/19 and Saturday 01/26/19. This week's Campus Watch was prepared by: Officer Dustin Farahnak.
