TU Today

Fall Safety Tips from TU Office of Public Safety

The Towson University Office of Public Safety (OPS) welcomes everyone to a safe fall 2020 term. The OPS team is comprised of the TU Police Department (TUPD), Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), and Access Control (AC).

The mission of OPS is to work collaboratively with other TU Departments and the community to promote and maintain a safe and healthy environment to learn, live and work. Our mission is most successful when members of the TU family are informed and fully engage with OPS to achieve campus safety.

We urge each of you to make the personal safety of yourself and those around you your number one priority at all times. Awareness, avoidance and risk reduction are the best ways to prevent becoming the victim of a crime or unsafe condition. You can find helpful and informative information on the TUPD Facebook page , Instagram and our website. Additionally, the following suggestions will 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. 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 will return. Carry a whistle or noise maker, which can serve as reminders to exercise caution and can alert someone in the area if you need help. Whistles are available free of charge at TUPD’s Community Outreach Office. Please contact Sgt. Shannon Cotton, Cpl. Erica Hamilton or Cpl. Sean Gilligan at 410 704-6530 for more information.
6. Be alert! Look around you and maintain an awareness of your surroundings. Make it difficult for anyone to take you by surprise.
7. Avoid walking in public talking on your cell phone, texting or openly carrying any electronic device.
8. Conceal the phone in your pocket. If you need to be on the phone, be aware of your surroundings.
9. If listening to music, keep the volume low so you can hear what is going on around you.
10. If you exercise at night or in the dark, do so with a friend and wear bright reflective clothing.
11. Trust and follow your intuition. If something doesn’t look or seem right, contact the police.

Help us keep every Tiger safe and healthy on campus by remembering these important guidelines.

• Wearing masks in every building except for when you’re alone in private spaces like offices and dorms.
• Maintain physical distancing of at least six feet.
• Frequently washing hands and using hand sanitizer when available. Avoid touching your face and eyes.

We also encourage you to register for text alerts and emergency notifications. Registering for the TU text alert system is the best way to receive timely information about campus emergencies.

For more information please check out Tiger Care Health Guidelines and for more resources please check out the Mental Health & Wellness Resources for COVID-19 on the Counseling and Wellness Center page.

Categorised in: Students

This post was written by McShane, Kathleen*