Methodist University Student Development & Services

Public Safety Tips

Hello, all,

In February of last year following the off campus assault of a Methodist community member, I disseminated some ideas about personal safety practices. On the heels of the latest news from the Fayetteville Police Department that a serial rapist is suspected in the at least three attacks in our immediate vicinity over the past 18 months, I want to take a moment to revisit this topic.

Dawn Hamerla
Chief, Police and Public Safety

The description of the suspected rapist is as follows:

White or Hispanic male
Early 20s to early 30's
5' 08" to 6' 03"
Medium to slightly muscular build
Athletic build

Your Public Safety staff has been advised to remain on a heightened alert for ANY suspicious behavior or persons trying to enter the campus. Please be sure to keep you MU ID card with you while moving about the campus or coming onto the campus. Be prepared to show your ID. We want to make sure people who are on campus are supposed to be here.

To review the FPD press release, please scroll to the bottom of this e-mail. You may be able to view it better in HTML format. You can also review the info on the FPD website at http://police.ci.fayetteville.nc.us/

Some thoughts about some personal safety practices we all should remember, on or off campus:

There are several ways to secure various types of doors. Always, always, ALWAYS lock your doors. At night, in the day, at home or away. Lock them up!

But locks need to be appropriate to the type of door and frame. Check your home for the following devices:

Do you have a single or double cylinder deadbolt? If it's single, is it less than three feet from a nearby window? If so, it should be replaced with a double cylinder (keyed on both sides of the door) to prevent an intruder from unlocking it from the outside.
Does the bolt extend at least two inches into the door frame? Is the frame wooden or metal? If it is wood, a metal reinforcement plate should be installed to help prevent the door from being kicked in. Do the screws on the strike plate extend through the frame of the door into the underlying studs? If not, install longer screws.
Is there a sliding glass door in the home? Do you have a "Charlie Bar" installed that prevents the door from sliding when unlocked? Is there a mechanism installed to prevent an intruder from lifting the sliding door off the frame (a small screw installed between the tracks of the top frame will prevent this type of entry while still allowing the door to slide open).
What types of windows are in the home? Can they be opened easily from the outside?
If someone were to try to pry the window, would they be hidden behind vegetation and landscaping?
Are the windows locked with a sliding latch? Are there pins in the tracks of the windows that prevent them from being lifted in the event the lock is disabled?
Are they double hung windows? Are the latches on the inside preventing the upper pane from being lowered?
Do the windows have small pane of glass that could easily be shattered and allow access to the latch? If so, consider installing keyed locks on the windows.
If you are in a rental home, check with your landlord about upgrading your locks, doors and frames. Your landlord may do it or he may allow you to do it. If the landlord won't work with you to help keep you safe, you probably need to look for a new place to stay.

When it comes to personal safety, we can only be responsible for ourselves

Don't travel alone at night.
Always share your travel plans (even if you're only going to be gone for a couple of hours) with someone who can notify authorities in the event you aren't where you're supposed to be when you're supposed to be there.
If you live off campus, call the police if you suspect anything is out of the ordinary! Call campus police and security whenever you see something unusual, or you just need something to be checked out here at MU. Remember the campus escorts and the Public Safety staff are available to accompany you anywhere on the campus.

There are many, many more tips available from our Public Safety staff if anyone would like some more personal safety ideas. We offer a self-defense for Women class. We can even provide people who live off campus with a checklist in order to conduct your own home safety inspection if you would like. These are available upon request from our office. Please feel free to call or e-mail any request for this information and we will get that to you as soon as possible. I regret the information is not yet available on line.

From the Fayetteville Police Department's Release:

We ask that citizens follow these safety tips:

Lock all doors and windows and use available alarms.
Contact police if you notice suspicious individuals or activities. Call 911 and ask for an officer to respond.
Use the buddy system when going out.
Be aware of your surroundings during the day and night regardless of whether you home or away. Be particularly cautious in unfamiliar surroundings.
Get to know your neighbors and the environment in which you live.
Be a good neighbor and look out for one another.
When jogging or walking go with a friend and vary your route.
Do not use earphones when exercising outdoors. They can prevent you from hearing approaching footsteps or vehicles.
Exercise in open areas. Avoid areas where someone can easily hide.
Dont forget to close and lock windows and doors before leaving your home.
Make sure a family member or close friend knows where you are going and when you should return.
Keep your cell phone with you in case an emergency arises.
Contact police if you notice suspicious individuals or activities. Call 911 and ask for an officer to respond to find out what is going on.

Student Development & Services

Getting Involved

Facilities