Crime prevention is a collaborative effort between the Rutgers University Police Department and the university community. With your assistance, we can greatly reduce the opportunity for crime through "target hardening" behaviors.

Personal Safety

• Are you a creature of habit?  Avoid traveling to your destinations using the same route at the exact same time to reduce the opportunity of crime.
• If you have a cellular phone, keep it readily available in an accessible pocket with pre-programmed police emergency numbers.
• Be aware of your surroundings. Keep your head up while walking and walk with a purpose.  Pay attention visually of the actions and behaviors of those who are walking around.
• If you feel you are being followed while driving, attempt to drive to the nearest police station to seek help. DO NOT go to your home or work because it will alert the person following you of these locations.  If you do not know where the nearest police station is, drive to a well-lit and well-populated area.
• Follow your instincts! Trust your gut if you feel that something is wrong and seek help.
• Are you online? Limit the amount of identifying information available on social networks that identify your address, city, or locations you frequent.
• Lock your doors when you are asleep or when you work late.

Property Safety

• Secure property with an appropriate locking mechanism. Keys and passwords are deterrents.
• Minimize access to keys and passwords. It is better to have little or no one possess keys and passwords to access your property.
• Do not leave valuables unattended. Cellular phones, keys, purses, wallets, and laptops are all easily stolen items 

Motor Vehicle Theft

• Don't place valuables in open view. Many of the thefts from motor vehicles are "Smash and Grabs". Suspects smash a window to grab an item they see in plain view.
• Never leave your title, registration, or insurance documents in the vehicle. Keep them with you where you can easily get them if you need to produce them.
• Always lock the doors and trunk of your motor vehicle despite the location you park at.
• Never leave change, cell phone chargers, or GPS holders in plain view in your motor vehicle. These items can alert potential criminals to the possibility of other items being stored in the motor vehicle.

Traffic Safety

• Use caution when driving in adverse weather conditions. Braking time should be increased in rain, sleet, snow, or dense fog.
• New Jersey law requires pedestrians to utilize intersections with marked crosswalks. Pedestrians should cross the street when in a manner that does not interfere with the traffic signal.
• Drivers are to yield to pedestrians utilizing a crosswalk or actively attempting to cross the street within a crosswalk until the pedestrian has completely crossed the street.

Report Suspicious Activity

Focus on the behavior and actions of the person (not race or gender), when considering if the activity is suspicious. We need you describe what the person is doing that is suspicious. An example of this would be describing a person who is checking door handles of several parked motor vehicles on a street.

Provide a thorough description of suspicious person. Height, build, gender, race, and hair description all serve as valuable identifying information after someone has committed a suspicious activity. Provide a clothing description from the top of the suspicious person's head to the bottom of their feet.

It's our job to check it out and to keep you safe! Stay alert. Be aware. Speak up.

Contacting the Police for Assistance 

When calling the police, it is recommended to state your name and location first. If we know who you are and where you are we can begin to send help. You should then describe the situation where assistance is needed. Lastly, provide a phone number where you can be called back.

Listen to the dispatcher and officer answering your phone call as well. They may need to ask questions that are vital to your call.