WELCOME TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT

Transcription

1 The University of Houston Clear Lake Police Department is a full service police agency, providing law enforcement and security services to the UH Clear Lake campus community operating twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Our police officers are fully state certified and have the same authority as any other police officer in Texas. The University of Houston-Clear Lake Police Department is a nationally accredited law enforcement agency through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. This is an honor bestowed on less than 4% of all police agencies in the nation. For more information about law enforcement accreditation, visit Our primary jurisdiction is the UHCL campus and outlying university properties. We also take action as needed to provide assistance to other law enforcement agencies and to protect university assets (personnel and physical) in the areas adjacent to our primary jurisdiction. Our personnel are committed to serving the campus community. In return we ask our community join us by proactively addressing issues and concerns before they become serious safety threats. This pamphlet is a first step towards campus community involvement. It provides an overview of our services, describes how to contact us, and shares vital personal protection information. Should you have any questions about this pamphlet or any police department services or campus security concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Chief Paul Willingham. He can be reached directly by policechief@uhcl.edu; or you may call me through our 24 hour dispatch center at MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the University of Houston-Clear Lake Police Department is to provide exceptional law enforcement services and effectively respond to critical and emergency situations, while proactively safeguarding the lives and liberties of our community.

2 STOREFRONT The University Police Department does not offer a storefront to its police headquarters. We have chosen to invest our personnel resources in our emergency and law enforcement services. To request our services, we urge you to call We will bring our services to you! CRIME STATISTICS / CLERY The University Police believes in working with the community to maintain a safe environment. To that end, the department releases timely reports to the public detailing any unusual police activity on campus. These reports are posted outside Police Headquarters at Bayou 1636 and on the department website ( The University Police also complies with federal Clery law and publishes the last three years worth of crime statistics for the campus and surrounding area. This information can be obtained on the web at Hard copy reports are also available by request from the Police Department. SAFETY TRANSPORT SERVICE The Police Department recommends traveling in numbers when walking campus after dark. As an added measure, we provide a safety transportation service upon request for all faculty, staff, students and visitors from dusk to dawn. This service is available for transportation to any points within the Clear Lake campus borders. You may request this service by calling MOTORIST ASSISTANCE The Police Department will be glad to assist if you should experience difficulty starting your vehicle or in the event you lock your keys inside your vehicle.

3 If you run out of gas, we can take you to the nearest gas station as long as you supply the gas can. For flat tires, we can re-air the tire; however we do not change tires. To request assistance, call us at HAWK PATROL The University Police Department offers a student patrol service called HAWK Patrol. HAWK Patrol is staffed by UHCL students and managed by the University Police. HAWK Patrol provides extra patrols of campus parking lots, particularly student parking, from 5PM 11PM, Monday Thursday. HAWK Patrol also will provide safety transportation services and motorist assistance. To request HAWK Patrol services, call EMERGENCY INFORMATION HOTLINE The Emergency Information Hotline number for the University of Houston-Clear Lake is This number leads to a recorded message designed to share weather information, building closures, and other emergency messages as needed. EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION The University operates a Mass Communication system that allows messages to be transmitted via or text to all students and employees of the UHCL campus. Employees are automatically enrolled when their contact information is entered into PeopleSoft System. Students are also automatically enrolled when their contact information is provided during the admissions and registration processes. To update contact information or opt out of the University s mass communication system, go to

4 Remember, the UHCL domain is the primary means of communications at UHCL. Students are advised to monitor that account for official university information. CODE GREEN CODE GREEN is the official coding placed on all MUST READ life safety emergency messages. If you receive an or text with CODE GREEN in the subject line, please stop what you are doing and read that message. LOST AND FOUND The Police Department maintains a Lost and Found collection for items left behind on campus. If you find an item, please turn it in to the Police Department at Bayou Building, Room 1636 for processing and storage. If you have lost an item, contact the Police Department at to see if your lost item was returned. Please do not delay. Due to storage limitations we only hold Lost and Found items for thirty (30) days before destroying the property. Also note, due to storage limitations, we cannot accept certain items. Visit the Lost and Found section of our web page ( for more information about what items we will accept. KEY AND ACCESS CONTROL SERVICES The University Police Department handles the University s key and access control system. To order keys or access control cards, please contact the UHCL Police Department s Technical Services Unit at locksmith@uhcl.edu our You may also order these items through the Police Department s website at Click on the Police Online Services tab.

5 CRIME PREVENTION Crime prevention is a cooperative effort which can be achieved by the university community and the police working together. To better understand how to prevent crime, one must know that three elements are required for crime to occur: 1) Motive (Desire to commit a crime) 2) Means (Ability to commit a crime) 3) Opportunity (A victim and/or chance to commit a crime. A crime cannot occur if you prevent any one of these elements. You can do your part in crime prevention by not giving crime an opportunity. Here are some helpful reminders: PROTECT YOURSELF: Don t walk alone at night. Before walking to your vehicle, have your keys ready and look inside your vehicle before entering. Report any suspicious people or circumstances to University Police immediately. Utilize the Police Department s Safety Transportation Service. Wear light colored or reflective type clothing if jogging or bicycle riding after dark. We recommend you do not do these activities alone. If you do choose to walk or ride alone, let someone know your route and how long you should be gone. Stay on lighted paths or roadways. Remember to ride with traffic and jog/walk against traffic. Have the Police Department s telephone number programmed into your cellular phone: o On Campus call University Police at

6 o o Off Campus call the Police Department of the city you live in. In any case, you may always dial for emergencies. PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY: Lock your vehicle upon arriving on campus. Valuable items should be secured in the trunk of your vehicle. Don t leave valuable items laying out in the open and unattended. Properly mark or engrave your name and driver s license number on all property, including your textbooks. Check with the Police Department for lost or found property. OUTREACH University police officers actively incorporate crime prevention and community outreach techniques in their daily patrol routine. The Department also provides formalized training programs and presentations designed to reinforce solid crime prevention practices in our daily lives. If your organization or group would like a presentation on any safety topic, contact the Office of the Chief of Police at or via policechief@uhcl.edu. IDENTIFICATION Don t Leave Home Without It! In the interest of security and personal protection, everyone on campus should carry identification at all times. Section of the Texas Education Code states that The governing board of a state institution of higher education or its authorized representative may refuse to allow person(s) having no legitimate business to enter on property under the board s control, and may reject any undesirable person from

7 the property on his/her refusal to leave peaceably upon request. Identification may be required of any person on the property. At any time, you may be asked by faculty, staff or the police department to present your identification while on campus. Please be prepared to present it. COMMENDATIONS / COMPLAINTS The University Police Department endeavors to serve the university s needs. If one of our officers performs exceptionally, please send a note to the Office of the Chief of Police so we can share the good will with our staff. Likewise, if a Police Department employee is not performing appropriately, we would like to know. You can send commendations or complaints to policechief@uhcl.edu. POLICE WEBSITE Please visit the UHCL Police Department website at From there you can find resources for crime statistics, crime prevention and online services. The online services we provide through our website include ordering campus keys, access cards, public information requests, and submitting commendations and complaints. SOCIAL MEDIA The University Police Department has embraced social medial as a way to communicate and interact with the university community. We are on Facebook at We are also on

8 Please note that the police department does not take crime reports or emergency calls via social media. The ONLY way to make those reports is by calling our 24 hours dispatch at or by dialing PARKING REGULATIONS The University Police Department does not manage the parking function and parking enforcement on campus. The UHCL Parking Department is a separate entity that handles this function. For information about parking on campus, visit or call CARS (2277). Sincerely, Paul S. Willingham Chief of Police University Police Department