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Historically, Marywood
University and the surrounding area have an extremely low
crime rate. However, it is important that every member of
the Marywood community is conscious of crime. Since it is
the goal of the Security/Safety Department to reduce crime,
every and all available resources are utilized. The
community may only realize the highly visible portion of
these resources, such as the Officer on patrol. Another
imperative area is crime prevention; reducing the
opportunity for a crime to be committed. This is
multifaceted and it is vital each individual in our
community does what they can do to lessen the chances of
becoming a victim of crime. Listed below are a series of
crime prevention tips. While there is no absolute protection
from crime, increased awareness of crime prevention
techniques can help decrease the possibility of crime
occurring.
Please review these tips and
become familiar with the ways to protect yourself and your
property from crime.
CALL
348-6242
TO REPORT A CRIME OR SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY
RESIDENCE HALL
LIVING
Madonna Hall is equipped
with a state of art card access system. This system has a
series of badge readers posted throughout Madonna Hall.
Residents and staff must swipe their identification card to
gain access to the building. The front door remains locked
24 hours a day, while the wing doors are locked in
accordance with Marywood University visitation
policy.
A Security Officer is posted
at the entrance to Madonna Hall and Regina Hall from
midnight to 8 AM. During other periods in the day, Security
Officers make regular rounds through the residence
halls.
Some steps you can take to
help reduce the possibility of becomes a victim of
crime:
- A large number of
residence hall thefts from unlocked rooms occur while the
residents of the room are on the same floor, but step out
for one minute. IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY EIGHT SECONDS FOR
SOMEONE TO WALK INTO AN UNATTENDED ROOM AND REMOVE
SOMETHING, SUCH AS A PURSE OR JEWELRY. Lock your door,
even if you are only going to the bathroom or to the room
next door.
- Lock your door when you
are in your room, especially when you are asleep.
- Lock windows that are
accessible from the outside.
- Try to take showers only
when there are other residents on the floor.
- Never leave handbags,
wallets, jewelry or other valuables unattended in
residence hall rooms, showers or lounges. Put them away
in a safe place in your room (under lock and key, if
possible.)
- Strangers loitering in
or around residence halls should be reported to the
Security/Safety Department at
348-6242.
- Do not prop open
residence hall doors that are supposed to be locked.
- Try not to leave small
items of value in your room during vacation periods and
long holidays.
- If you receive annoying
or obscene telephone calls, notify the Security/Safety
Department immediately. It may be a prank, but you never
know.
- Do not let strangers
into your room.
- Do not advertise or
write on your door where you will be or when you
return.
ALL CRIMES SHOULD BE
REPORTED TO THE SECURITY/SAFETY DEPARTMENT AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE
IN THE HOUSE OR
APARTMENT
- Never use your first
name in the telephone directories or mailboxes and avoid
using prefixes: Mrs., Miss, or Ms. List your first
initial only.
- After moving into a new
home or apartment, it is a good idea to change the door
locks. Every window that can be entered from the outside
should have a good lock and be properly secured.
- Never open your door to
strangers! Repair persons and sales persons carry proper
identification. It is in your best interest to request
they show it to you before you admit them. Also, most
repair persons and sales persons make appointments before
hand. During non-working hours, if repair persons are
making "emergency" repairs or checks, confirm the
necessity for the work by phone before admittance.
- If someone wants to use
your phone, no matter what the emergency claimed, offer
to make the call. Do not open the door.
- Always keep windows
secured and covered at night. Never reveal either in
person or to a telephone caller, that you are alone. Have
two lights on in different locations of the house. This
gives the impression of more than one person at home. To
secure sliding doors, place a strong wooden broom handle
or dowel in the lower track of the door.
- In apartment buildings,
be wary of deserted laundry rooms
ON
CAMPUS
- When walking at night,
use the best-lighted route and try not to walk alone, if
possible.
- Do not jog alone.
- Do not leave personal
property unattended, anywhere or anytime.
- If you are a victim of a
crime, notify Security/Safety Department immediately. If
necessary, use the emergency phones, located throughout
campus. Contacting us is our only chance of helping
you.
- Report any encounters
with voyeurs or exhibitionists to the Security/Safety
Department.
WALKING
- Walk near the center of
the sidewalk and use the busiest, safest and best-lighted
routes. Avoid alleys, parks, vacant lots and parking
areas that are deserted and dark.
- Never hitchhike.
- If you think someone is
following you, cross the street, walk faster or even walk
down the middle of the street. Try to go to a lighted
area, store or near a group of people.
- Do not accept rides from
strangers. If a car approaches and you are threatened,
walk in the opposite direction of the vehicle.
- Do not overload yourself
with packages, books and other things.
- If your purse is
snatched or if you are approached by a would be robber
… DON'T FIGHT. Cooperate rather than risk injury. It
will not be a great loss if you carry no more cash than
is absolutely necessary and keep a list at home of all
credit cards, licenses, etc.
DRIVING
- 1. When you walk to your
vehicle, have your keys ready in your hand so you will
not have to stand outside your car looking for them.
- Always check the rear
seat and floor before you get into your car.
- Lock the doors as soon
as you get into your vehicle and keep them locked.
- Do not pick up
hitchhikers.
- When stopping your car
in traffic, always leave enough room to pull around any
stopped vehicle that may be in front of you.
- If you believe you are
being followed by another car, do not turn into your
driveway or parking lot. Attempt to locate open
businesses, or drive to the nearest police department.
Use your horn and lights to attract attention. Try to
obtain a license number of the other vehicle to pass on
to police.
- If you have car trouble,
raise the hood and sit inside your car with the doors
locked until assistance arrives. Ask the person whom
approaches to call a service truck for you. Keep an ample
supply of gasoline.
- Do not stop to offer
help to a stranded motorist, male or female. Stop at the
next public telephone and call the police or a service
station.
- If you park your car and
the attendant asks you to leave your keys, leave only the
car key.
- Place valuables in the
locked trunk or otherwise conceal where they can not be
seen.
- Always lock your bicycle
with a good lock and secure it to a bicycle
lock.
PSYCHOLOGICAL
PREVENTION
BE PREPARED: There is a lot
you can do to avoid becoming a victim, or to respond
effectively if a crime does take place.
- Educate yourself
concerning crime prevention tactics.
- Consider in advance,
what you would do if confronted by a
criminal.
Everyone must work together
to create a safe campus. Please report all crimes to the
Security Department as soon as possible. The Security Staff
is on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
ATHLETIC
FACILITIES
- Avoid bringing cash,
wallets, watches or other valuables to the athletic
facilities.
- Avoid storing valuable
sports equipment in your locker.
- Keep your locker locked
whenever unattended. This includes those times when you
leave briefly to shower. Most thefts at athletic
facilities are from unlocked lockers.
- Report suspicious
persons and incidents of theft to the Security Department
immediately.
ELEVATOR
- If while waiting for an
elevator, you find yourself alone with a stranger, let
him take the elevator and wait for its return.
- If you are on with
someone who makes you feel uneasy, get off at the next
floor.
- Always stand near the
control panel, where you have access to the alarm and
floor buttons.
RAPE/SEXUAL
ASSAULT
The University has
established a prescribed procedure to assist and support
victims of rape or sexual assaults. The Security Department
will assist you in obtaining medical, counseling and police
services. Marywood
University's Civil Rights
Policy.
You are encouraged to
immediately report any incidents of this nature via the
emergency phones or by dialing 348-6242 even if you do not
wish to pursue the matter further. Keep in mind that any
assailant who is allowed to go free is a potential future
danger, not only to you but also to other members of the
community.
All information that you
give will be held in the strictest confidence in accordance
with our own policy as well as by the General Laws of
Pennsylvania. If you wish to report information regarding a
rape or sexual assault anonymously, you may do
so.
When you report a rape or
sexual assault, you may choose to file charges through the
District Attorney's Office or not at all. If you choose to
file charges, the Security/Safety Department will assist you
in every way, but no action will be taken without your
expressed consent.
Every situation will be
different. Therefore, we cannot provide any specific rules
as to what to do or not to do if you are faced with a
threat. Only you can make the determination as to the
appropriate course of action.
If you think you are being
followed, you can call out for assistance and run to a
lighted building or residence; enlist the assistance of a
passerby or flag down a passing vehicle, break a window in a
building or residence or full a fire alarm. Do anything that
might attract attention or summon assistance.
If you find yourself
confronted by an assailant you must remember that, while
screaming and struggling may in some instances frighten off
an assailant, in other instances such action may further
antagonize an assailant and bring forth a more violent
action.
There are numerous sources
available to victims of rape and sexual assault, and you are
encouraged to use all support services.
WHAT YOU CAN
DO
Your involvement is
essential to the prevention of crime on campus. Disinterest
and complacency are the prime contributors to the success of
crime. The burden of crime prevention rests not only with
the Security/Safety Department but also with each member of
the Marywood University Community.
Security cannot be
everywhere at once and are, therefore, dependent upon you to
recognize and report incidents of suspicious and criminal
activity. The extent of your cooperation will greatly
influence Security's effectiveness in fighting
crime.
DOING YOUR PART
MEANS
- Being aware of your
vulnerability and following the suggestions outlined in
this document to protect yourself and your property.
- Being alert for
suspicious or criminal activity and conditions that may
represent a hazard to the community.
- Getting involved by
becoming more security conscious and by reporting all
incidents of suspicious or criminal activity, no matter
how insignificant, to the Security Department
immediately.
Remember that unreported
crimes cannot be solved in that, by not reporting crimes,
you allow the perpetrators to commit additional and perhaps
more serious crimes. Many times crime solving depends upon
how accurately and properly the incident is
reported.
It is important that you be
able to provide as much of the following information as
possible:
- The nature of the
incident.
- When and where the
incident occurred.
- Number of persons
involved (names, sex, race, age, height).
- Direction and method of
travel.
- Vehicles involved
(color, type, make, model, license plate number and
state, distinctive characteristics, i.e., decals, bumper
stickers, damage, number of occupants).
- Description of stolen
property (item, manufacturer model number, serial number,
value, color, dimensions, etc.).
- Any other applicable
information.
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