Staying safe on campus and off

University and law enforcement officials remind students and their parents about the importance of staying safe on and around the campus and about the availability to students of such resources as a UD escort service, late-night shuttle buses, more than 200 emergency phones throughout the campus, crime-awareness information and self-defense programs.

The issue of crime and personal safety was particularly in the spotlight during fall semester, after a student and a Newark resident were raped and a second student was sexually assaulted in separate attacks in their residences near campus in October. Newark police said the same perpetrator likely committed all three crimes.

At a campus forum on Nov. 2, the University announced a $20,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in the attacks, and information about security measures was provided.

William Nefosky, Newark police chief, said he readjusted schedules to allow for extended hours and extra patrols by officers, particularly in the predawn hours, when the three assaults occurred.

“One common denominator in all three of these crimes was that the suspect came in through an unlocked window or unlocked door,” Nefosky said. “If there’s one thing I can emphasize first, it is to make sure, no matter how much of a sense of security you have, that you lock your doors and lock your windows.”

James Flatley, director of UD public safety, urged students and members of the community to be proactive in reporting crimes or suspicious behavior. He reminded students of the services his department provides, such as student police aides and safety escorts, and said he had increased the hours and numbers of the student police aides.

The escort program is a free service for students, faculty and visitors walking to any location on campus and is available every night of the week. An escort can be requested by calling (302) 831-6666 or by using one of the more than 200 blue light emergency phones located across the campus.

Flatley also encouraged students to take the Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) course taught by public safety each semester. Each 15-hour course, which is offered in a series of five three-hour classes, teaches women how to combat sexual assaults and rapes through awareness and hands-on self-defense training. Free to all female students, faculty and staff, RAD courses are taught by certified instructors and include realistic simulation scenarios.

Cynthia Cummings, UD associate vice president for campus life, encouraged all students, parents and community members to read the security information and resources provided at the forum and online through the UDaily news web site, [www.udel.edu/udaily], and its Crime Alert e-mail service.

Mark Bonistall, father of the late Lindsey Bonistall, the UD student who was murdered in her off-campus apartment in 2005, addressed the safety measures needed for off-campus living. He said students must ask their landlords the necessary security questions so that they are involved in their own safety. He said his daughter felt invincible, but students must get involved and take the appropriate measures, such as locking their windows and doors and talking to their landlords, to protect themselves.

Bonistall said he and others have started a certified off-campus housing program that will provide landlords and owners of off-campus residences with safety guidelines to ensure the proper security measures are in place, such as deadbolts and peepholes. A new UD registered student organization, PEACEOUTside Campus is affiliated with the Lindsey Bonistall Foundation.

Bonistall said the ability to prevent crimes on and around campus lies not only with the police but also with the thousands of University students. “If we all combine our efforts, we can help the Newark police, public safety and the administration keep you safe,” he said.

What can students do?

Parents are encouraged to remind students of the importance of personal safety. Here are some tips from law enforcement
and the University:

• Always keep the doors and windows to your apartment, townhouse or house locked, especially when you are alone, when you are planning to go to sleep or when the building is left unoccupied.
  
  
• Make sure all first-floor entryways are locked.
  
  
• Do not leave exterior doors or windows unlocked or propped open.
  
  
• If locks are broken on doors or windows, alert your landlord immediately.
  
  
• Do not allow strangers into the building.
  
  
• Do not allow anyone to follow you into a building.
  
  
• Do not open your door to a stranger.
  
  
• Avoid walking alone at night.
  
  
• Avoid dark or infrequently traveled areas.
  
  
• Stay sober and coherent, and always be alert and aware of your surroundings.
  
  
• Do not lend your keys or cards to anyone, including friends. Not everyone will take the same care you would.
  
  
• Attend security awareness programs on campus, and educate yourself about campus and local crime trends. Crime information from UD and Newark police is posted regularly on UDaily, and e-mail crime alerts are sent to those who sign up via UDaily.
  
  
• Keep emergency numbers handy. Students who live in residence halls and call 911 should use a residence hall phone, not a personal cell phone.