Good Morning Campus Community,
As everyone continues to enjoy the spring semester, here are a few things to pass along from Public Safety:
- With the start of spring break today, please take proper precautions to keep you and your valuables safe. When leaving your residence for spring break, make sure all doors and windows are secure. Consider taking items of value with you or secure them in a safe location. If you live off campus in the downtown area, you may contact the Charleston Police Department ((843) 577-7434) and request checks of your residence while you are out of town.
- As the weather is warming up, most of us will be spending more time outdoors and staying out later. Please take a moment to review the Campus Night Map. This map features the recommended route for night travel based on adequate lighting and access to emergency call boxes. In addition to this resource, safety escorts for campus travel are available to all students, faculty, staff, and visitors 24/7.
- The Department of Public Safety’s webpage is an excellent source for crime prevention information and other safety materials. Visit our webpage to access the 360 Stay Safe at College videos, or check out our Guide to Safer Living. You can also find information on surviving an active shooter incident and how to handle a bomb threat.
- Maintaining a safe and secure campus is a community effort. Do your part by reporting suspicious activity to Public Safety. Describe specifically what you observed, including: who or what you saw; when you saw it; where it occurred; and why it is suspicious. You can learn more about reporting suspicious activity through the Department of Homeland Security’s “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign.
- As the weather gets warmer, now is a good time to review the City of Charleston’s bicycle and skateboard regulations. Public Safety Officers are issuing citations to bicyclists and skateboarders violating these ordinances. This includes: riding on a sidewalk, traveling the wrong way down a one way street, disregarding traffic control devices, etc. As a reminder, bicyclists and skateboarders should ride with the flow of traffic, and obey all traffic signs and signals. Please review the ordinances relating to bicycles and skateboards here.
Crime Prevention Tip:
Upon returning from vacation, BEFORE you go in the house, do a quick walk-around and make sure you don’t see any windows or doors broken or anything else wrong. If you do see where someone may have entered your home, DO NOT GO IN! Back away and call 911. Wait for police to arrive and clear the interior for your safety.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact the Department of Public Safety with any questions, comments, or concerns.
Take Care and Be Safe,
Robert S. Reese, M.S.M.
Chief of Police
Office of the President
College of Charleston
Campus Safety and Security Area
89 St. Philip Street
Charleston, SC 29424
843-953-2468 (office)
843-953-2105 (fax)
Email: reeser@cofc.edu