by Margo Frazier, Public Relations

Larceny—the taking of personal and state property—is the most prevailing crime at MUSC, with negligence at the root of the problem.

It is a crime of opportunity. Female students, faculty and employees leave their purses in the most predictable place, the bottom desk drawer. Some outsiders treat MUSC like a shopping mall, by roaming the hallways and coveting anything that is accessible and valuable.

To combat this crime and others, MUSC’s Department of Public Safety is waging war. They are implementing new initiatives to increase security while providing informative programs to increase awareness. “We consider ourselves more proactive than reactive,” said Charlotte A. Wilson, Public Safety business manager.

They are installing 55 new emergency call boxes throughout the campus, along with 17 new closed circuit television systems. Card access systems are being installed on elevators and exterior doors and equipment rooms in order to control and record the comings and goings of everyone entering the buildings. The first system was installed in the Gazes Research facility. Currently, a system is being installed in the College of Nursing.

Public Safety's programs offer services and crime prevention tips to all new employees and students and to anyone else who requests them.

Public Safety officer's conduct orientations and distribute pamphlets, to help people avoid certain dangerous situations. They also escort people to and from campus at night and encourage students to register their bicycles with them. This registration not only satisfies the city ordinance but also provides a means of tracking lost or stolen bicycles. Project Identification is a program geared toward protecting private property. Public Safety either engraves the property with the individual’s driver’s licence number or loans out the equipment for individuals to take home. This process increases the likelihood of private property being returned. “Marked property does not have much value in pawn shops,” said Lt. Bob Waite.

If students want to increase the security of their residences, public safety has a program, Home Security Surveys, in which officers evaluate and identify weaknesses then recommend corrective actions. According to Waite, 90 percent of homes are easy targets because “people either do not lock their windows and patio doors, or their locks are defective.”

In addition to these programs, Public Safety offers assistance to victims of sexual assault. The department makes an extra effort to heighten the awareness of circumstances that usually lead to rape and the consequences of committing rape. Alcohol and being in unfamiliar places are the two main contributing factors. Public Safety informs all personnel to report all incidents of sexual assault to their department.

Due to the many programs and the constant presence of Public Safety officers, few serious crimes are committed at MUSC. Despite their success, crimes do occur. So the Department of Public Safety offers a few common sense tips to protect people’s property and lives:

• Control belongings. Carelessness is the number one cause of larceny. Individuals should find less obvious places to store purses and other valuables.
• Be aware of office surroundings. If someone looks suspicious, call Public Safety immediately.
• Bicycle owners: Place the “V” bolt lock through the front wheel, frame and the bike rack. Thieves will have a harder time stealing the bicycle.

Employee/Student assistance numbers

Public Safety 792-4196

Counseling Center 792-4930

Escort Service 792-4196

Crime Watch 792-3018