UTPD Announcements: FREE PIZZA! We want you to call 9-1-1 anytime you feel unsafe, and if you do—you just might get a free pizza! Under our new Safer by the Slice program, certain crime tips, or life-saving intervention will be rewarded with a free 16-inch pizza redeemable at Jester City Limits. It’s our way of saying thank you. Take our self-defense class! Free, three day Rape Aggression Defense course November (11-13). Register now. View all UTPD class offerings here. October 4, 2019, 1:02 a.m., 201 E. 21st St (Jester West Residence Hall) Criminal Mischief: A student reported that someone knocked down two exit signs by slapping them with his hand. UTPD was able to develop a credible lead to a suspect. Safety Tip: These kinds of crimes can go hand-in-hand with alcohol consumption on campus, such as the ACL Music Festival, and there’s often a mistaken belief that petty offenses won’t be investigated. UTPD will attempt to investigate every crime, even crimes that municipal agencies might not have the resources to focus on. Under the broken windows theory, visible signs of crime and anti-social behavior will encourage further crime. Therefore, rooting out suspects of crime will promote a safer campus. The best way to avoid making mistakes that might harm your relationship with the university is to bring a sober friend with you when you go out, and listen to what they say. October 3, 2019, 2:25 a.m., 2000 Martin Luther King Blvd Driving While Intoxicated: An officer observed a vehicle driving on the wrong side of Guadalupe, and initiated a traffic stop. The vehicle ran into a construction sign while stopping. The officer detected many signs of intoxication, such as glassy eyes, the odor of alcohol, and the driver also admitted to having consumed alcohol. Part of the way through the Standardized Field Sobriety Test, the driver explained he wasn’t able to comprehend the test. The officer arrested the driver for Driving While Intoxicated. Safety Tip: The majority of wrong-way DWI collisions occur in the left lane. Unfortunately, DWI is a real problem when driving in the late hours, so when possible, travel in the right lane. It should go without saying that paying for a ride-share is much cheaper than paying for a DWI attorney. Please don’t drink and drive. September 29, 2019, 8:30 p.m., 1900 E. Martin Luther King Blvd Disturbance: Two officers eating dinner in a restaurant were approached by a concerned citizen. She saw a man screaming and smashing the windows to a car outside. The officers found that a man was indeed outside standing on a car screaming and kicking the back windshield. All of the windows on the car were broken. The man ran from one officer to the other a few times before he was handcuffed. At that time, he told officers that the car was his, and he was making a video for social media. The officers determined that the man was indeed smashing his own car’s windows. Arrangements were made with the business owner for cleanup of the glass on the ground, and the man was released with a warning. Safety Tip: If you feel unsafe for any reason, dial 9-1-1. Situations like this one highlight one of the greatest challenges for a police officer: situations are often not what they appear to be. If an officer asks you to stop, escalating the situation by refusing to stop is a very poor decision. Cooperating and providing even a bizarre explanation is a much better idea. This Campus Watch was prepared by Officer D. Farahnak Don’t forget to 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/
