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Volume2/1988_February03UNIVERSITY OF UTAH HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER February 3, 1988 HSC Staff Part of Solution to Preventing Crime Recent arrests broke up two vehicle burglary rings operating on and around the University campus, allowing local police to close a large number of burglary cases. Several of the crimes occured in parking lots around the Health Sciences Center and in the parking terrace west of University Hospital, according to Lt. Ben Lemmon of University Police. In an effort to prevent attacks, burglaries and vandalism, University Hospital is joining with the University's Department of Public Safety and the Parking Services Department to launch " Parking Watch," a security awareness campaign modeled on Neighborhood Watch programs. "People sometimes don't recognize that it is suspicious... or they don't want to get involved because they think it will mean lots of paperwork or taking time off from work to go to court... or they fear involvement," he said. This apparently proved true in HSC parking lots during the last few months when vandals and burglars were at work. Most of the crimes took place during daylight hours, Lt. Lemmon said, but it is thought that staff members and others who might have seen suspicious things did not report them. " People see someone breaking into a car and assume that the person locked him or herself out," he explained. " Most of the time, that's exactly what is happening, but no PARKING WATCH Neighborhood Watch programs all over the country have achieved success in reducing crime significantly by increasing the awareness of citizens in how to protect themselves and their property, explained Lt. Lemmon. The creed of the Neighborhood Watch program is simple: " If you see ^ something that looks out of place, call the police." As simple as that sounds, it doesn't happen for a number of reasons. harm is done if someone calls the police and reports it. The police will find out if it's the owner or not." Some people see something unusual going on, but it is not viewed as suspicious. For example, some time ago, someone rode up on a bicycle, dismantled another bicycle, climbed on his bike and rode away with three- quarters of the other bike. Several University and HSC employees were sitting on the lawn nearby eating lunch and watched the whole event. No one called the police. The thief was apprehended later when a police officer stopped him because he thought it suspicious to be carrying so many bicycle parts. " Individuals sometimes see something that looks like a potential problem, but are reluctant to call the police. They feel embarrassed that it might not be anything and the police will be mad at them," he continued. " It's not an inconvenience. Officers don't see the invalid calls as a waste of time," he explained. When police officers are off- duty and see something suspicious, they call the police. The suggestion for a Neighborhood Watch- type program came from the University Hospital- School of Medicine Parking Advisory Committee. While University Police and Hospital Security regularly patrol the parking lots and terraces, police usually apprehend thieves when someone who has seen something reports it. The goal of this program is to make parking lots and building entrances safe and secure in addition to protecting the vehicles and bicycles of staff and patients and visitors. ( See additional stories on the back for more information.) Like Neighborhood Watch programs, Parking Watch will work only if staff members volunteer to be the eyes and ears for University Police and Hospital Security. Parking Watch brochures are available in Personnel Services for employees and anyone else interested. Send comments, suggestions or questions about the program to Pat Hawthorne, employee communications coordinator, Personnel Services, room 1A1 UUMC, or call extension 2300. University Police Offer Precautions For Staff University Police offers the following tips to help you protect yourself and your vehicle: • Before getting into your car, check for flat tires, obstructions or signs of forced entry and check the inside of the car, especially behind the front seat, for intruders. If something looks wrong, don't get into the car. Call the police and don't disturb any evidence. • Once you get into the car, lock the doors and use a seatbelt. • If your car won't start, your best move is to check for loiterers nearby and then return to where you came from and call for assistance. NEVER ACCEPT HELP FROM STRANGERS. Ask them to send for help instead. • While in your car, don't stop to help strangers. If someone seems to need help, drive to a phone and call police to send help. • If someone tries to get into your car, drive away. Use your horn as an alarm. • Try to park in heavily traveled areas and in well- lighted lots. If you will leave after dark and there are no parking spots available near building entrances when you arrive, consider taking time to move your car when parking spots become available. • After parking and before leaving your vehicle, check the area for loiterers. • Lock all doors every time you leave your car, even if you'll be back in a few minutes. Don't forget to roll up the windows. • Take your keys with you and don't hide a second set of keys in the car or somewhere on the outside. • Don't hide or leave a spare set of house or office keys in the car and/ or identification. You're giving someone all the information necessary to commit a second crime! • If you are parking in an attended garage, give the attendant only the ignition key. • A car is not a safe place for valuables and may even attract a thief. Never leave valuables, wallets, purses, credit cards or cash in your car or lock them out- of- sight in the trunk. • If you have a cassette player or CB radio, try to cover it up. • Make sure small, loose items like cassette tapes or books are stashed under the seat or locked in the trunk. Don't leave mail with your home address in the car. It alerts a thief that your house may be unoccupied. • Never leave your car running while you run into a building, even for a second. • When going to your car after dark, try to walk in groups. Avoid shortcuts and unlit areas. ( Hospital Security also offers an escort service for staff. Call extension 2294.) Remember That Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and University Hospital's recreation therapists have a carnation of a deal for you. Health Sciences Center staff and patients can order a personalized Valentine-- a carnation with a card- to be delivered to anyone in the Health Sciences Center. All for $ 1. The Valentine flowers will be delivered on Friday, February 12, since Valentine's Day falls on Sunday. Orders for the carnations will be taken from Monday, February 8, through Thursday, February 11, 11 a. m.- l p. m. on the first floor bridge and in the cafeteria. Proceeds will go to recreation therapy. The Valentine's Project is the first hospitalwide project aimed at encouraging patient participation and increasing awareness of the role of recreation therapists at University • Have your keys ready when you leave a building instead of having to hunt for them in a dark parking lot. • To protect your car, consider a steering wheel lock, burglar alarms and locking gasoline caps. Replace T-shaped locks with straight locks. • Make sure you can identify your car if it's stolen. Etch an identifying mark in the door or drop a business card into the door frame. Keep a record of the car's vehicle identification number ( VIN), license number and description. Someone Special! Hospital. Patients will help take orders, prepare the flowers and make deliveries. Licensed health- care professionals, the therapists work in a variety of areas, using individual recreation treatment plans based on the patient's needs and abilities. Specific recreation therapy programs include leisure education, community reintegration, social adjustment, cognitive stimulation and fine and gross motor develoment. UH's recreation therapists include: Holly Bedke, Terri Wagner, Diane Oliver, Kathy Lusted, Joe Timmons and Jackie Welch, psychiatric units; Susan Binch, physical medicine and rehabilitation; and Mary Anne Peabody, pediatrics. For more information, call Ms. Binch at extension 2267. Spotting Suspicious Behavior HSC staff should report any and all suspicious individuals and activity to HOSPITAL SECURITY, ext. 2294, or UNIVERSITY POLICE, ext. 7944. Things to look for include: • someone breaking into a car or the sound of breaking glass • a person or persons loitering in parking lots or terraces • anyone going from car to car, looking inside and trying doors • vehicles going through parking lots slowly • someone running away • someone throwing objects from a car • someone detaching mechanical equipment from a car or disassembling a bicycle or carrying property These actions might signal a crime is in progress. If in doubt, call the police. If you see someone or a group of people acting suspicious, DO NOT CONFRONT THEM. CALL THE POLICE. Give the police as much information as possible about location, action and a description of the persons involved. If there is a car involved, try to get the license number and a description