UTPD Announcements:

Meet us for Mocktails!

Join UTPD and AAA Texas in the West Mall TOMORROW from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for free non-alcoholic mocktails. The AAA is bringing a local mixologist to teach students how to make safe alternatives to alcohol before spring break.

Coronavirus Information

Please continue to refer to the official university page for updates: https://www.utexas.edu/coronavirus

Self-Defense Course Offerings

Our next free, three day self-defense course is now open for registration. The nightly sessions are held at UPB. Register for the April 6-8 class here: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/fasweb/utpd/classes/nlogon/

March 1, 2020, Jester Dormitory

Suspicious Activity: Officers took a report from a student who advised they received a message from a friend on Snapchat asking if they could use the student’s profile to look at another friend’s Snapchat because they had been blocked. The student gave their password out and then called the friend to verify if it was them. The student’s friend stated they did not send any messages, nor did they ask for a password. The student then attempted to use their Snapchat account only to find that the password had been changed. The student began communicating with the person who compromised their account via email. The suspect stated that they would give the account back if they received the passcode for the student’s “my eyes only” section of Snapchat. The student did not give their passcode but instead contacted UTPD.

Safety Tip: Anytime you receive a message that seems odd, always attempt to verify what you are seeing. If you receive a message from a friend, call that friend and verify the information you received. Never hesitate to call and report suspicious activity to UTPD we want to help you! Please also visit this helpful page created by the UT Information security Office: https://security.utexas.edu/outreach/passwords

March, 1, 2020, 1:40 a.m., 2300 Speedway

DWI/ Evading arrest or detention: Officers were conducting a foot patrol of the Speedway pedestrian mall when they heard the distinct sound of a vehicle approaching them on the brick walkway. They turned to find a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed. Both officers quickly followed the vehicle in their patrol cars with their emergency lights activated. The vehicle continued south on Speedway and officers noticed that the front of the vehicle dipped sharply each time it slowed down. Officers used their horns and sirens to alert pedestrians to the danger. The driver continued through the grassy area and onto Jester Circle. The driver ignored the officers’ commands to stop the vehicle and ended up at the loading dock area of Jester (a dead end). The vehicle finally came to a stop because the driver had nowhere else to go. The officers noticed smoke coming from under the vehicle. They determined that this driver had the emergency brake activated throughout the trip. Officers approached the vehicle and noticed multiple signs of intoxication in the driver. After performing poorly in the usual sobriety tests, the driver was placed under arrest for Driving While Intoxicated.

Safety tip: There are multiple teachable moments from this incident with the most obvious being DON’T DRIVE DRUNK. If you drink, use ride share services, busses, or taxis. In this day and age there is no excuse to get behind the wheel when you have had alcohol. Another teachable moment is to pull over when you see emergency lights flashing behind you. You may not be in any trouble. The emergency vehicle may just need to get around you to respond to an emergency. When walking around, be aware of your surroundings. If you want to use ear buds leave one out so you can still hear and glance up from your phone and see what is going on around you periodically. Had pedestrians not heard the sirens and horns, they could have easily been hit by the drunk driver.

March 3, 2020, 6:30 p.m., Winship Drama Building

Theft: A student was charging their phone in a dressing room at the Winship Drama Building. The student left the area for 10 minutes. When the student returned, the phone was gone.

Safety Tip: Theft is the #1 crime on campus. It is important to keep track of your belongings. Never leave any items of value unattended, even if it will only be a short time. You can register your belongings on UTPD’s website through the following link https://police.utexas.edu/services/property this will give us a way to identify your property if it is found or turned in to UTPD.

Reminders

Don’t forget to connect with UTPD via Twitter and Facebook, and remember you can reach out to your campus District Representative with any non-emergency concerns or questions you have. Other great social media resources include the Twitter feeds for UT Austin’s Office of Campus Safety and the Austin Police Department.

To view our official crime log, visit:

https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/fasweb/utpd/nlogon/crimelog/

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