Welcome back from TUPD

Published by on August 28, 2019 12:00 am Comments Off on Welcome back from TUPD in Students

The Towson University Police Department (TUPD) welcomes everyone to a safe fall 2019 term.

The mission of TUPD is to create a safe environment to learn, live, work, and thrive.  Our mission is best achieved when members of the TU community are informed and aware, and fully participate in campus safety policies, crime prevention initiatives, and available victim services.  You can find this information on our Facebook page, Twitter Page, and  website.  

We encourage you to make personal safety your number one priority while on campus.  Awareness, avoidance, and risk reduction are the best ways to prevent becoming a victim.  The following tips can help you remain safe during your time here.

General Safety Tips:

  1. If you are the victim of a crime, report it to the police immediately.
  2. Contact TUPD by dialing 410-704-4444 for on campus emergencies.  Medical and off-campus emergencies, please dial 911.
  3. Always lock your doors and windows.
  4. Never walk alone at night.  Whenever possible, travel in groups of two or more and always travel in well-lit, heavily traveled areas.  Use Towson’s Escort Service by calling 410-704-SAFE (7233).
  5. When you are going out, tell a friend where you are going and when you expect to return.  Carry a whistle to alert someone if you need help. Whistles are available free of charge at TUPD’s Community Outreach Office.  
  6. Stay alert and aware of your surroundings.   Make it difficult for anyone to take you by surprise.
  7. Do not walk in public while talking on your cell phone, texting, or openly carrying any electronic devices.
  8. If listening to music while walking in public, keep the volume low so you can hear what is going on around you.
  9. If you exercise outside during the hours of darkness, do so with a friend and wear bright reflective clothing.
  10. Follow your intuition and trust your instincts.  Report unusual/suspicious behavior to the police.

For more information, contact Sgt. Shannon Cotton at 410-704-6530.  As always, the TUPD is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We wish you a safe and productive fall term!

Safety On Campus

The Towson University Police Department wants to remind everyone to be safe on and off campus. Please see the following tips and services available to the campus community.

Register for TU Text Alerts & Emergency Notifications:

Registering for the TU text alert and emergency notification system is the best way to ensure that you receive information about campus safety, school closings, and weather alerts. The system simultaneously sends text alerts and email messages.  The service will also post a message on the university’s website and as a pop-up box for individuals using Google, Yahoo, or AOL as their home page. To register, sign up at https://www.towson.edu/publicsafety/notification/

Protect Your Property and Identity:

The Towson University Police Department wants to encourage the campus community to protect their personal property. Never leave your personal items unattended.  TUPD also offers free engraving of property to the campus community. Free Online Personal Property registration is available to all faculty, staff, and students. Don’t wait until it’s too late! Please visit https://www.towson.edu/publicsafety/prevention/propertyregistration.html for more information and to register your property.  To schedule an engraving, please contact Sgt. Shannon Cotton at 410-704-6530 or email at scotton@towson.edu 

Identity theft is on the rise.  Fraud scams can come in many variations, such as telephone calls or misrepresenting e-mails.  Never give out your personal information such as your date of birth, address, social security number, or account numbers/information to anyone who initiates contact via phone or email. Be suspicious of any unsolicited email requesting your personal information.  Ensure that your computer browser is up to date, and be careful of what you allow.   Always contact your bank or financial institution about any suspicious correspondence.  

SaferMobility:

 The TU SaferMobility app can help you protect yourself against potential crimes.   The app features include:

  • Mobile Escort feature tracks your touch – if you let go, app sounds an alarm & calls the police
  • Video capability: send real-time video of an ongoing crime, or video chat with Police Communications Operators
  • Instant message capability for when you don’t want to be detected
  • Geo-locator component to help police find you in an emergency
  • Profile feature allows app users to share health information to aid emergency response

The app is available for free on Apple or Android devices. To download, search for “Towson University” in the App Store or on Google Play and choose “SaferMobility Caller”.

Tags: , ,

Categorised in:

This post was written by McShane, Kathleen*