Welcome back! I hope everyone had a happy and safe holiday. As we kick off the spring semester, here are a few things to pass along from Public Safety:
- A warm welcome to all new students, faculty, and staff who are joining us for the Spring 2016 semester. If you have not already done so, please review our Guide to Safer Living, which provides an excellent overview of safety and security at the College of Charleston. If you have any questions as you acquaint yourself to campus, please contact me at sloanm1@cofc.edu, or visit Public Safety’s webpage.
- Since the season of gift giving has just come to a close, now is an opportune time to remind everyone of Public Safety’s Operation ID and Computer registration program. For those of you returning to campus with computers, cell phones, and other electronics, please stop by Public Safety to register your items. We will keep serial numbers and other important information about your valuables on file. Having this information will assist with the recovery and return process in the event your item is lost or stolen. This service is available 24/7, so stop by anytime.
- The Department of Public Safety will be offering two R.A.D. classes in the spring 2016 semester. R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense) is a series of self-defense classes for women. This program will be open to students, faculty, staff, and community members. Please stop by Public Safety headquarters or email RAD@cofc.edu to sign up. Below are the dates and times for the spring classes:
| Session One | Session Two |
| 2/1/16 5pm-8pm | 3/15/16 5pm-8pm |
| 2/3/16 5pm-8pm | 3/17/16 5pm-8pm |
| 2/8/16 5pm-8pm | 3/22/16 5pm-8pm |
| 2/10/16 5pm-8pm | 3/24/16 5pm-8pm |
- The Department of Public Safety will be hosting several events available to the campus community throughout the spring semester. Please keep an eye out for additional information on these programs. We look forward to your attendance and participation.
- Be social with us! If you have not already, please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for departmental news, upcoming events, and other important information. If you are having trouble accessing our pages, please make sure you are signed into your social media account.
Crime Prevention Tip:
It is common when the weather is cold to see cars warming up in the mornings, either in driveways or complex parking lots. Sometimes, people also leave their cars running when they go into a business “for just a minute.” Both situations are a recipe for a car theft. We generally recommend against either practice. If you must warm a vehicle take every precaution:
- Block the vehicle in with another car
- Use The Club or similar device on the steering wheel
- Use all available security features on your vehicle ( key-less entry also often has “remote start” which starts the engine but prevents the car from going anywhere without a key. )
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns.
Take Care and Be Safe,
PSO Madeline M. Sloan
Crime Prevention Specialist
Department of Public Safety
Office of the President
89 St. Philip Street
Charleston, SC 29424
(843)953-5609