Your Role

A high percentage of campus crimes are incidents of opportunity. For example, students, faculty, or staff contribute to situational crimes and needlessly place themselves or their property at risk by leaving a door or window open or unlocked.  Crime will occur, but prevention efforts can be effective in reducing the opportunity for criminal activity.  Everyone plays a key role in crime prevention and safety.  Be cautious, alert, and protective of your person, your possessions and of university property. Campus buildings are secured during the evening hours at the earliest reasonable time.  During the academic year in which residence halls are open, those halls are secured during the evening hours according to the Department of Residential Life regulations.  Faculty, staff, and students can prevent access by unauthorized personnel in both residence halls and other campus buildings by verifying any door entered or exited has closed and locked behind them.  Do not provide others access to secured facilities unless you know the persons are authorized to be there.  Members of the campus community are encouraged to report any security problem, such as inoperable emergency phones to the University Police immediately.  Please report broken locks, windows or doors as soon as possible to the Physical Facilities Department.

The following suggestions will help you to protect yourself:

• If you must walk alone at night, watch for strangers who approach you. Scream or carry and blow a loud whistle if attacked and run if necessary.
• Do not unlock your door at night unless you know the person who wishes to enter.
• Do not hitchhike or accept rides from strangers.
• Do not pick up hitchhikers.
• Before you enter your car when it has been parked unattended, check the rear floor for possible intruders.
• Do not resist armed robbers. Property can be replaced--your life cannot.
• Keep car doors locked when riding.
• Do not display large sums of money.
• Hold onto your purse and do not depend on purse straps which can be cut/broken.
• Do not leave valuables in public places, even for short periods of time.
• Do not leave your car parked in an isolated location for long periods of time, especially over weekends.
• Lock your bicycle to a bike rack on campus.
• Report immediately to the University Police any suspicious person loitering on campus or in parking lots.
• Report any crime of which you are a victim or a witness.

Additional Tips for Nighttime

• Walk in a well lighted, well traveled area; avoiding shortcuts.
• Walk with a friend.
• If you must walk alone, let a friend know the time you leave and the route you plan to take. Call them when you arrive.
• Carry your keys between your fingers to use as a weapon if necessary.
• Be alert of being followed by cars or pedestrians.
• Walk on the side of the street facing on-coming traffic.
• If you feel you are being followed, quickly walk to a public area.
• Avoid doorways, bushes and alleys.

Crosswalk Safety Ordinances

What You Can Do to Help

• If you see a light out on campus, or an area in which bushes are overgrown, call the Missouri S&T Police Department to report it.
• If anything out of the ordinary is going on around you, use the closest emergency phone to notify the Missouri S&T Police Department immediately.
• Get Involved.
• If you have any questions concerning the above information, call or email the Missouri S&T Police Department. 

Revision Date: 3/31/2011