Public Safety’s Crime Prevention Update

Good Morning Campus Community,

With the academic year in full swing, the campus is alive once again. A warm welcome to all of our students, faculty, and staff who are new to campus, or are returning after a summer hiatus. As we kick-off the fall semester, here are a few things to pass along from Public Safety:

• Most of you have probably seen information sent from Public Safety titled, “Timely Warning.” What exactly are these notifications and how are they different from a Cougar Alert?
•      Timely Warning – Narrow focus on Clery crimes. Timely warnings are triggered by crimes that have already occurred but represent an ongoing threat. A Timely Warning is issued for any Clery crime committed within the Clery geography that is reported to campus security authorities or a local law enforcement agency and is considered by the institution to represent a serious or continuing threat to students and employees. Warnings are issued as soon as the pertinent information is available.
•      Cougar Alert – Wide focus on any significant emergency or dangerous situation (may include Clery crimes). An emergency notification is triggered by an event that is currently occurring on or imminently threatening the campus. Emergency notification procedures are initiated for any significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees occurring on the campus.
• Bicyclists and skateboarders, please take a moment to review the bicycle and skateboard laws. Public Safety Officers will be issuing citations to bicyclists and skateboarders violating the City of Charleston’s bicycle and skateboard regulations. This includes: riding on a sidewalk, traveling the wrong way down a one way street, disregarding traffic control devices, etc. As a reminder, bicyclists and skateboarders should ride with the flow of traffic, and follow all traffic laws that apply to motor vehicles. A copy of the Skateboard Ordinance and bicycle guidelines can be picked up at Public Safety Headquarters. If you would like additional information, feel free to contact me.

• Across the country, September is National Campus Safety Awareness Month.  During this month, Public Safety, along with many departments at the College, will be hosting events to promote campus safety. During these events, students, staff, and faculty will have the opportunity to meet and interact with the great men and women who help serve and protect our campus community. There will be prizes, giveaways, and food at almost all of the events. Our calendar for National Campus Safety Awareness Month will be advertised all over campus and will be posted on the department’s social media pages. On behalf of all of us from Department of Public Safety we welcome everyone back to the College of Charleston and we look forward to seeing you at the many great events coming up this September.

• With the increased activity on campus, many of you may be on campus more frequently, or traveling to and from campus buildings later than usual. In your travels, please consider the following risk reduction strategies:
  • Avoid walking alone; it is best to walk in pairs or with a group.
  • Always be aware of your surroundings. Listening to music through headphones or looking down at a cell phone can impede your ability to be alert.
  • Walk on well-lit paths in heavily traveled routes. Using dark and isolated areas make you a more vulnerable target. Please take a moment to review our campus night map.
  • Use your resources! Public Safety provides safety escorts on campus 24/7. In addition, the Cougar Shuttle is available 7 days a week from 11pm-3am.

• Be social with us! If you have not already, please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagramfor departmental news, upcoming events, and other important information.  If you are having trouble accessing our pages, please make sure you are signed in to your social media account.

Crime Prevention Tip:

If you are carrying a shoulder bag, place the strap(s) diagonally across your body, as opposed to carrying it on one shoulder. This keeps the purse in front of you, instead of at your side or behind you, which sometimes happens with purses with long straps. If you are carrying a hand bag, then make sure to hold it close to the front of your body, instead of holding it on your wrist or loosely in your hand.

As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns.

Take Care and Be Safe,