Moving away from home to attend college is an experience that can sometimes be nerve-wracking, not only for students, but for parents as well. Parents often have questions and concerns in regards to the safety of their children, even when their children are moving away to attend a smaller university like WT.
According to University Police Department Detective Gabriel Arriaga, two common questions parents and students often have in regards to UPD are if they are really police versus security and if they are 24/7. The answer to both is yes.
“We are a full service police department,” Detective Arriaga said. “We have the jurisdiction to issue citations and make arrests. We also have a 24/7 dispatch.”
Students can and are encouraged to always call if there is an emergency or assistance is needed, such as an escort.
In addition to traditional police department services, UPD offers an escort service. If a student is leaving or arriving to campus at night and their vehicle or residence hall is across campus, the student can call UPD and an officer will escort the student to their destination.
Students are also encouraged to sign up for Buff Alert, an electronic notification system that sends out updates on emergencies happening on campus, such as fire alarms and lockdowns. Students can sign up by going online to wtamu.edu/buffalert.
UPD also has a lost and found service online. Students can access it through the UPD page on the WT website.
“Students can search online for items they have lost if they have been brought in, and they can file a claim on a lost item,” Detective Arriaga said.
One of the most recurrent crimes at WT is theft. Most personal property stolen on campus consists of personal electronic devices taken from inside buildings, such as cell phones, tablets, mp3 devices, computers and gaming consoles.
UPD began Operation LockOut Theft in an effort to decrease the number of thefts. Operation LockOut Theft is a program that helps student mark their belongings and record vital information in the event of theft. Information is retained by UPD to facilitate quicker theft reports and increase the rate of recovery. Students, faculty and staff are all encouraged to participate.
“Students and faculty can register their belongings online now,” Detective Arriaga said. “We’ve had students register a number of items, ranging from computers to hair dryers.”
More information can be found by visiting wtamu.edu/lockout.
UPD compiled a list of statistics that show burglaries are most likely to occur in a residence hall. Statistically, most on-campus crimes do not involved forced entry; they are opportunistic crimes.
Although theft is the most prominent crime on the WT campus, UPD reminds students to keep in mind that other crimes may still have a presence. UPD has a number of crime prevention and safety tips they like students to take note of.
These include:
1) Keep personal property close by and refrain from leaving it unattended.
2) Secure personal property as much as possible.
3) Park your vehicle in well-lit areas. Always lock your vehicle after parking. Refrain from leaving valuables in your vehicle.
4) Always lock your dorm room when leaving for any amount of time, including trips to the shower and the dining hall.
5) Never allow other people access to your keys.
For more details on crime prevention and safety and to see the full list of tips, visit the UPD page on the WT website, or follow UPD on Facebook at facebook.com/wtamu.police.
