Community Notification: Your Safety Is Our Priority

This message was sent to all students at 4 p.m. February 2, 2022.

Dear Great Dane:

The University Police Department (UPD) and Off-Campus Student Services are here to help ensure your safety and security on and off campus.

In the beginning of each semester, we share information with students on how to remain safe while on and off campus. We strongly encourage you to review the information below and keep it in mind this spring semester. It is important that we all remain vigilant in protecting ourselves and others, both on and off campus.

Personal safety tips:

  • Walk in groups: When possible, walk in groups of three or more. Data show that being with a group of people is safer than traveling alone.

  • Stay in well-lit areas: Do your best to travel in places that have good lighting.

  • Be aware of your surroundings: As you are walking, always be aware of who is around you. If you notice someone following you, move to an area where there are more people and call for help.

  • Parties/social gatherings: Avoid attending/hosting large gatherings with individuals you do not know and be mindful not to enter houses or apartments belonging to strangers. As COVID-19 remains a concern, please review ways to be safer when socializing during a pandemic. 

  • Alcohol: If you are of legal age and choose to consume alcohol, consume with moderation. Overindulging makes you less aware of your surroundings and statistically more likely to become a target of a crime. Avoid juice, punch, and other mixed drinks as they may contain other substances. If you did not make it, you don’t know what’s in it. Support your peers by reviewing these tips from the Center for Behavioral Health Promotion and Applied Research on the signs of alcohol poisoning or other drug overdoses.

  • Drug use: Illegally manufactured counterfeit pills, which have been found in the Albany area, are made to look like real prescription medications (Xanax, Adderall, Percocet, etc.). Fake prescription pills may contain other drugs or impurities that are extremely hazardous to your health. More information about the danger of these pills is available in this fact sheet from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

  • Respect boundaries: Be aware of cues that indicate someone might want more physical, sexual, or emotional space. More tips for respecting boundaries are available from the Center for Behavioral Health Promotion and Applied Research. 

  • See something, say something: Be sure to carry your cell phone with you and don’t hesitate to call 911 if you see something that doesn’t feel/look right.

  • Dial 911 in the event of an emergency off campus. If you need our help on campus, contact UPD at 518-442-3131 or 911 from any campus phone. 

Visit the UPD website and be sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more tips on how to stay safe!  

Stay safe and healthy, 
 

Paul Burlingame 
Chief of Police
 

Charles Rogers 
Associate Dean of Students 
Off-Campus Student Services