Welcome back to campus. As the new semester begins, the Campus Police Department asks that you please take a moment to review the crime prevention and safety tips below to assist in keeping the New College campus a safe environment.
Crime prevention strategies reduce the opportunities for criminal activity and everyone has an active role in this important effort. The following is a list of safety tips and general crime prevention information:
In general
Be aware of surroundings. Avoid walking around while using electronic devices. Electronic devices are a distraction from nearby activity. Do not focus on electronic devices when walking. Avoid having both ear buds in while walking.
Keep a phone in hand and have Campus Police 941-487-4210 or 9-1-1 on “speed dial” for unexpected emergency situations.
When walking to a vehicle, your keys should be kept in hand and ready to use when entering the parking lot.
Report all suspicious persons, vehicles and activities to the Campus Police Department immediately, by using any campus blue light phone or by calling (941) 487-4210. Look for the blue emergency phones in parking lots. Blue light phones will display a blue light at the top.
Report lights that are out and any hazardous conditions immediately to Campus Police at 941-487-4210.
NCF is a proud member of the nationwide “If You See Something, Say Something” program. Call 9-1-1 immediately for any life-threatening situation.
Protect your property
Theft is one of the more common crimes committed in all communities. Theft is a crime of opportunity and occurs primarily when property is left in unlocked or in unattended areas. In an attempt to alleviate this problem, Campus Police makes the following suggestions:
- Keep all offices and laboratories locked when not in use.
- Make sure that all locking devices are in proper working order.
- Keep desks, cabinets, etc., locked when not in use.
- Purses should be kept locked up, and coats or jackets should not be left unattended with wallets or other valuables in the pockets.
- Avoid leaving valuable personal property in your office overnight.
Operation Identification
Operation Identification is a nationwide crime prevention program. The program involves the marking of laptops and bicycles with a decal provided by the Campus Police Department. By registering your laptop and affixing a Campus Police Department decal, the owner of the laptop is authorizing any Campus Police officer to stop anyone possessing the laptop to confirm ownership or permission to possess, should the officer suspect that the person with the laptop is not the owner.
The Campus Police Department offers the Bicycle Anti-Theft (BAT) program. By registering your bicycle and affixing a BAT decal to the bike, the owner of the bike is authorizing any Campus Police officer to stop anyone operating the bike to confirm ownership or permission to possess should the officer suspect that the operator is not the owner.
Motor vehicles
Law enforcement agencies in Manatee and Sarasota counties are reporting an increase in automobile burglaries in commercial parking lots and residential communities. A good portion of the burglaries and thefts have occurred because automobiles were left unlocked. As a safety reminder when you are here on campus or when you are out and about in the community or studying at home, please remember to:
- Always lock your automobile and use anti-theft devices.
- Always store all items out of sight or take them with you.
- Never leave your automobile running while you run inside your home or a store, even if for only a minute or two.
- Never store a spare key on or in your automobile.
- Take a photograph of your automobile’s license plate and vehicle identification number (VIN) and store on your phone in case you need to report your automobile stolen. Not remembering a license plate is the biggest delay for reporting and recovering stolen automobiles.
- If there is suspicious activity that may pose an immediate threat to you or others, always call 9-1-1 to report the information or call the Campus Police at 941-487-4210.
Stay informed
If you haven’t already, sign up for the NCFSafe system, which enables the College to contact all members of the New College community simultaneously via email, analog and cellular telephone, and text messaging in the event of an emergency. During an emergency, additional important information can be found on our Campuswide Alerts page.
Important phone numbers
9-1-1: First call for all emergency and life-threatening situations.
Campus Police 941-487-4210: Second call for emergency situations on campus.