Welcome back to the Fall Semester! Campus Watch is a highlight of recent activity our officers have observed in our community. It is intended to help frame relevant tips that can protect you and your property. Please connect with UTPD via Twitter and Facebook, and remember you can reach out to your campus District Representative with any non-emergency concerns or questions you have. Other great social media resources include the Twitter feeds for UT Austin’s Office of Campus Safety and the Austin Police Department. To view our official crime log, visit: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/fasweb/utpd/nlogon/crimelog/ 8/19/2019 at 3:58 p.m. Theft: UTPD took a report from a student who said he locked his bike to a rack in the morning, and he returned to find it no longer there. Safety Tip: Most bike thefts can be prevented by properly locking the bike. The most secure way to lock your bike is with two locks. Use a U-Lock to secure the frame and a wheel to the bike rack. Use another lock to secure the other wheel to the frame, and ideally also the bike rack. UTPD takes many reports of bike theft where a single wheel is left locked to the rack. It’s easy to detach the wheel and take the bike sometimes with a wheel from a compatible bike nearby, so think about this when you lock your bike. Parking and Transportation offers a video and more details: https://parking.utexas.edu/bike/locking-your-bike Remember you are required to register your bike with PTS, which is free and helps UTPD return your bike to you if we recover it. 8/22/2019 at 2:28 a.m., 2800 Guadalupe St. Driving While Intoxicated: A UTPD officer observed a vehicle run a red light and initiated a traffic stop. When the officer asked about the scent of alcohol detected, the driver said he had “two beers.” The driver’s performance on the Standardized Field Sobriety Test was very poor. The officer arrested the driver for DWI and transported him to Travis County Jail. A UTPD Intoxilyzer Operator took two breath samples. The first showed 0.137 blood alcohol concentration and the second showed 0.140 blood alcohol concentration. This means the intoxication level of the driver was well in excess of 0.08 BAC, and under Texas laws was too impaired to drive a car. Safety Tip: No one wants to suffer the life-changing consequences of a DWI crash or spend a night in Travis County Jail for a DWI arrest. Preventing DWI is a challenge for officers, but it’s never been easier for the drivers. Austin has great transportation alternatives, such as ride shares, the Cap Metro E-Bus from 6th Street to west of campus, and of course designated drivers. The first thing to be compromised when you are impaired by alcohol is your judgment. Any time alcohol is in your plans, a sober friend is the best way to have a good time without being unsafe. 8/24/2019 at 3:21 a.m., 1616 Guadalupe St. Warrant Arrest: UTPD officers responded to a citizen’s report about a suspicious man, possibly under the influence of drugs, behaving very strangely outside the UT Administration Building. Officers found a man well-known to UTPD and not welcome on campus. The man was arrested for several warrants. When someone is arrested on warrants, an inventory of their personal property is performed. Officers found various drug paraphernalia and seized it. Safety Tip: If you feel unsafe, call 9-1-1 and let UTPD figure out the situation. Our officers are mental health officers, know many of the homeless in our community, and by letting us know about a concern, we can do a better job keeping you and your colleagues safe. Who knows? You may get a free pizza for your tip! 8/24/2019, at 5:49 a.m., 2501 Whitis Ave. Assault on a Family Member: A man, who is not a student or otherwise UT Austin-affiliated, reported he fled a violent argument with his girlfriend off campus. When his girlfriend followed him, he contacted the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which advised him to call 9-1-1. The investigating officer arrested the woman and transported her to the Travis County Jail. UTPD also referred this incident to the UT Austin Victim’s Advocate Network (VAN). Safety Tip: In this investigation, the victim expressed a fear he would be arrested, despite not being the perpetrator of assault, due to bias. Know that no matter your sex, size, or any other factor, it’s never okay for someone to hurt you. UTPD will carefully consider evidence to reach the best result with no bias. If you are in a Domestic Violence Situation, have a safety plan for what you would take and where you could go in an emergency. Be prepared for your safety if the situation escalates. Join a support group to discuss your situation with other survivors. We have other helpful tips on a relationship violence page on our website. Students can access many resources by contacting Student Emergency Services in this situation. You can call the 24-hour National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, and if you are in an emergency, you should always call 9-1-1. VAN is a group of faculty and staff volunteers who can provide mental health first aid and discuss community resources for support after distressing events on our campus. You can reach them by calling 512-232-9699. You can subscribe to the Campus Watch here: https://utlists.utexas.edu/sympa/subscribe/campuswatch You can unsubscribe to Campus Watch here: https://utlists.utexas.edu/sympa/signoff/campuswatch
