Below is a summary of campus criminal activity reported to or observed by The University of Texas at Austin Police Department between Sunday 3/24/19 and Saturday 3/30/19. 3/27/2019, at 4:30 p.m., 2100 University Ave (Littlefield Fountain) Public Intoxication; UTPD received a report that someone was swimming in the Littlefield Fountain. Review of video showed that someone had indeed been in the fountain for approximately 20 minutes. An officer was able to get the swimmer to exit the fountain, and attempted to interview him. He was incoherent beyond saying he had smoked K2. Officers were concerned about the degree of K2 intoxication they observed, and called for EMS. The man was transported to the hospital and issued a Criminal Trespass Warning. Safety Tip: Synthetic Cannabinoids, including K2, are chemicals sprayed onto plant matter in order to resemble marijuana, but the inexpensive and dangerous drug’s effects are not like marijuana. Symptoms range, but include panic attacks, physical aggressiveness, giddiness, and delusions. Compared to marijuana, K2 is less expensive, and its metabolites bind to brain receptors longer, and with greater potency. The consequences of an overdose can be grave. Due to the high risk and low cost of this drug, the users we tend to interact with are homeless. If you see someone you believe may be on K2 or another dangerous drug, avoid interacting with them. The best thing you can do is call UTPD as soon as you see someone behaving erratically on campus. 3/29/2019, at 8:11 a.m., 1601 Trinity St (Health Center Garage) The UT Austin campus has nearly 200 callboxes, which are yellow poles with blue lights on top, all marked “Police Help.” This morning, a UTPD Dispatcher received a call from one. One dispatcher immediately sent two officers to help while another dispatcher spoke with the person on the callbox. Officers quickly arrived and made contact with a man who was very disoriented. The man was not an imminent danger to himself, so a Peace Officer Emergency Detention was not justified. Instead, the officers offered to take the man to Psychiatric Emergency Services, a county resource for mental illness. After some discussion, the man agreed and was taken to PES without further incident. Safety Tip: If you aren’t sure what kind of help you need, but know you’re in an emergency, give us a call and we’ll help you sort it out. We’re familiar with many local and university resources. Also, be mindful of the callboxes all around campus, and keep them in mind as one of your options for getting help in an emergency. 3/30/2019, at 10:35 a.m., Intersection of 21st St and Whitis Ave UTPD had received reports over the past few days that a transient well-known to UTPD officers was returning to campus and harassing students. During one of these reports, the man had thrown a soft drink on a student. He had received several Criminal Trespass Warnings, but is also known to be mentally ill. This morning, officers were able to locate the man on campus. Officers observed signs of physical deterioration, with open sores covering his body. The man was also incoherent. Deterioration can be part of a valid justification for a Peace Officer Emergency Detention, and in this case, getting this man off the street and in treatment was critical to keeping the community safe. Safety Tip: Chronically homeless individuals with mental illness also have compromised judgment, and can be a complicated challenge for either the criminal justice system or mental health resources. When you see someone on campus evidencing serious mental illness, calling and staying to complete a report helps us resolve these situations more successfully. To be safer from surprise interactions in an urban environment, stay aware of your surroundings, walk with your phone and earbuds put away, and avoid dimly lit areas. The University of Texas Police Department responded to 702 total calls for service, including 137 Foot Patrols, 27 Traffic Violations, and 11 Thefts between Sunday 3/24/19 and Saturday 3/30/19. To view our official crime log, visit https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/fasweb/utpd/nlogon/crimelog/.
