Middlebury College and the town of Middlebury, Vermont are relatively safe communities, but no community is crime free. To ensure your own security and that of your friends and colleagues, take care and use common sense. By following suggestions outlined in this booklet, you can substantially reduce the possibility of becoming a victim. Your involvement is essential to the prevention of crime on campus. Disinterest and complacency are the prime contributors to the success of crime. That is why the burden of crime prevention is shared by the Department of Public Safety and the Middlebury College community.
Members of the community are called upon by the DPS to recognize and report incidents of suspicious criminal activity. Your assistance will greatly aid the DPS in effectively fighting crime. Please do your part in the following ways:
Be Aware of your vulnerability; follow the measures of self protection and property protection outlined in this booklet.
Be Alert for suspicious or criminal activity and conditions that may represent a hazard to the community.
Get Involved by becoming more security conscious and by reporting all incidents of suspicious or criminal activity, no matter how insignificant they may appear, to the Department of Public Safety immediately.
Remember that unreported crimes cannot be solved. By not reporting crimes you may be allowing the perpetrators to commit additional and possibly more serious crimes.
Walking or Running
Avoid traveling alone at night. Travel in pairs. Call Midd Rides (x7433) if you need a safety escort at night.
Avoid dark, vacant or deserted areas; use well-lit, regularly traveled walks or pathways. Avoid short cuts and keep away from shrubbery, bushes, alleyways, or any other areas where an assailant might be lurking.
Runners, walkers or joggers should do so facing traffic. Avoid these activities after dark, but if you do so, use extra precautions like staying in pairs, travel well-lit areas and wear reflective clothing or tape.
Dress in clothes and shoes that do not hamper movement.
Dress sensibly, don't flaunt expensive jewelry. Don't carry large amounts of cash.
Always let someone know where you are going and when you will return.
Carry a noise-making device with you at all times, and use it if you suspect you are in danger.
Be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times. Walk purposefully, confidently and keep moving.
Do not hitchhike or accept rides from casual acquaintances.
When walking to your residence or vehicle, have your keys ready in hand.
When being dropped off at your residence by taxi or private vehicle, ask the driver to wait until you get inside.
If threatened by an approaching vehicle, run the opposite direction. The vehicle will have to turn around before being able to follow.
If you think you are being followed or feel threatened, increase your pace and move away from the threat, join any group of people nearby or cross the street, and if necessary, keep crossing back and forth. If you are pursued, run to a lighted area, business, or residence; call for help, scream, or raise a commotion any way you can to get someone's attention; enlist the aid of a passerby; locate a phone and dial 911 or pull a fire alarm. Do anything that might attract attention or summon assistance. If you are walking alone and someone passes you, check to make sure that person has continued walking in the other direction.
If you find yourself confronted by an assailant, you must remember that while screaming and struggling may in some instances frighten off the assailant, in other instances such actions may further antagonize the assailant and bring forth a more violent reaction. Above all you must keep your head and assess the situation before choosing your course of action. Whether or not the assailant is armed or has made threats against your life will, obviously, be a determining factor in your decision. The key word in this type of situation is survival.
Residence Halls and Private Residences
Keep the doors and windows to your residence locked at all times.
Never sleep in an unlocked room or house.
Report defective locks on windows and doors immediately.
Do not put your name and address on key rings. Do not attach your keys to your Midd Card.
Do not keep your residence and your vehicle keys on the same ring.
If you lose your keys to your residence, have the locks changed. On campus residents should notify the Department of Public Safety immediately.
Do not study in poorly lit, secluded areas.
Require visitors to identify themselves before you open your door. Request official identification from all repair or service personnel.
Get to know your neighbors so you can help each other.
If you find that your room has been entered, DO NOT GO INSIDE. Go to a neighbor and call the Department of Public Safety (for College housing) or the town police (for private residences). If you are already inside, DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING. You may disturb evidence that is important to police investigation.
If you are awakened by an intruder in your room, do not try to apprehend him. He may be armed or may easily arm himself with something inside the room. Attempt to get out of the room if it is possible.
If you see a suspicious person or vehicle on campus or in your neighborhood, IMMEDIATELY contact the Department of Public Safety or the town police. Try to get the license plate number, state and description of the vehicle, but do not chase the car to do so.
Students should not prop open doors to dormitories or other College buildings.
Be cautious when using bathroom facilities when there is no one else around, particularly at night.
Solicitation in residence halls for any purpose by persons outside the College community is prohibited. Outside solicitors found in the dorms should be reported to the Department of Public Safety immediately.
Peeping Toms are best dealt with by not yelling or attempting to detain the offender. He or she may panic and react in an unpredictable manner. If the offender runs away, note the direction of travel. If there is a place from which you can observe safely, watch to see if they get into a car, go to another dorm, etc. Try to get a good description of the person and report the incident by calling x5911 immediately.
Obscene, harassing and annoying phone calls should be dealt with by immediately hanging up as soon as you realize the nature of the call. Do not try to find out who the caller is even if you think it is a friend playing a joke. Contact the Department of Public Safety to report phone harassment. Some ways to deal with phone harassment include using your voice mail system or answering machine to screen calls. You may also record an obscene call by using the memo feature on some answering machines. If the calls occur frequently, keep a log of exactly when the call was received and what was said. Describe the type of voice and note any background noises. Consider changing your phone number, depersonalizing your answering machine or voice mail message or not being listed in the campus directory. Contact Telephone Services (x5700) for assistance in these areas.
Use of Athletic Facilities
Avoid using the athletic facilities alone, especially after dark or during off-hours.
Use the "buddy system". Work out with a friend, and make arrangements to go to and from the gym together.
Confine your running and jogging to the daylight hours and to open, well-traveled areas.
Avoid showering alone in the locker room. Shower back at your residence.
Avoid bringing cash, wallets, watches or other valuables to the athletic facilities.
Keep your locker locked whenever unattended. This includes those times when you leave briefly to shower, visit the trainer or the equipment room, etc. Most of the thefts at the athletic facilities are from unlocked lockers or property left unsecured in the locker room area.
Do not leave items of significant value in the coat rack area adjacent to the fitness center while your work out.
In the women's locker room:
If there is another woman in the locker room, ask her to wait for you, so you will not be showering alone. If you are with a male companion, ask him to wait for you just outside the locker room.
Report all incidents of voyeurism to the Department of Public Safety immediately.
If you encounter a male intruder inside the women's locker room:
1. Call loudly for help. Your call for assistance should carry into the hallway.
2. Keep out of the intruder's way, and do not attempt to prevent him from leaving.
3. Try to exit the locker room quickly.
4. Formulate a description of the intruder in your mind.
5. Notify the Department of Public Safety immediately by using an emergency phone to dial 911 or x5911.
Safety When Driving
Report all suspicious persons or vehicles seen around parking areas to the Department of Public Safety immediately.
When parked, keep your vehicle locked and the windows rolled up tightly.
Have your key ready when you approach your car. Check inside and under your car to make sure no one is hiding.
Never leave your vehicle's engine running while unattended.
When parking, choose a well lit, heavily traveled area.
Lock all packages, luggage and valuables in the trunk or out of sight.
Stereo tape players, C.B. radios or other valuable equipment should be mounted either out of sight or with slide-out brackets. These brackets will permit the removal of the unit for taking with you or securing in the trunk when the vehicle is unattended.
Consider having your vehicles ignition, doors and trunk keyed differently.
Keep spare keys in your wallet or purse, not inside the vehicle where a thief is likely to find them.
Consider installing anti theft devices such as alarm systems, hidden ignition or fuel "kill" switches, steering column ignition switch protectors, steering wheel to brake pedal bar locks, tapered door lock buttons, and locks on hoods and accessory items, such as gas caps, mag wheels, spare tires etc.
If your car breaks down, open the hood and then stay locked inside the vehicle. If someone stops to help, do not open the door or window, but have him or her call for assistance.
If you do not know the location of your destination, ask someone for specific directions before you leave.
If you get lost, do not pull over until you find a well-lit public area where you can stop and ask for directions.
If you suspect you are being followed, drive to a well-lit public area and call the police.
If a person with a weapon ever confronts you and wants your vehicle, give it up. No car is worth being injured or losing your life over.
Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs)
Try to use ATMs during daylight hours.
If you must go at night, do not go alone.
Avoid ATMs that are not well lit or clearly visible from the street.
Be aware of people loitering or sitting in cars around ATMs
Prepare your transaction ahead of time. Do not spend a lot of time at the machine.
Do not give out your Personal Identification Number (PIN). Memorize it and do not keep a written copy of it in your wallet.
Either keep your ATM receipt or tear it up well and throw it away in a location far from the ATM machine. Thieves can acquire valuable information from these receipts, such as your account number and your balance.
The majority of crimes that are committed on the Middlebury College campus involve the theft of personal property. Larcenies are crimes of opportunity and occur primarily when property is left in unlocked or unattended areas. In an attempt to alleviate this problem, the Department of Public Safety makes the following recommendations:
Residential locations
Avoid bringing large amounts of cash or valuables to campus or your residence.
Keep items of value out of sight. If you must keep cash or valuables in your room for short periods of time, do not store them in obvious hiding places like desks or dressers.
Never lend the key to your room or residence.
If you live in a dormitory, take your room key to the shower with you. Do not leave it in your robe or clothing, where someone going through your pockets can find it.
When leaving your vehicle at a service station or parking garage, leave only the ignition key.
Participate in the Midd Watch Program.
When leaving for vacations, store valuables such as stereos and televisions out of sight. During summer recess, do not leave valuables in student storage areas. These areas are not secure and the College is not responsible for the loss of property. The Department of Public Safety does have a secure storage area. Storage issues are addressed in the Miscellaneous Services section of this handbook.
Check with your family insurance agent to determine if your property is properly covered under your parent's homeowner's insurance. If not, you should consider purchasing your own insurance.
Offices and Laboratories
Keep all offices and laboratories locked when not in use.
Make sure all locking devices are in working order.
Establish a key control system. All department keys should be signed in and out. Keys should be issued when only absolutely necessary.
Do not label keys with their purpose. Use a code system instead.
Keep desks, cabinets, etc., locked when not in use.
Computers and other portable office machines should be bolted or locked down. Small items, including calculators and tape recorders, should be locked away when not in use.
Avoid bringing valuable personal property to work with you.
Petty cash should be kept to a minimum.
Pocketbooks, backpacks and tote bags containing wallets should be locked up. Do not hang up coats or jackets with valuables or wallets remaining in the pockets.
Before leaving, check to make sure that no one is hiding and that your area is properly secure.
Watch out for your neighbor. If someone forgets to secure his or her area or property, keep an eye on it.
Report all suspicious persons or improperly secured areas the Department of Public Safety immediately.
Bicycle Safety and Security
All those using bicycles on campus are encouraged to participate in the bicycle registration program described in the Crime Prevention section of this handbook. Other ways to ensure the safe use and protection of your bicycle are as follows:
Wear a bicycle helmet at all times while riding your bike.
Make sure your bicycle brakes are in working order.
Use a bicycle light when riding at night.
Always ride on the right side of the road with the flow of traffic. Ride on roads and not sidewalks whenever possible.
Obey all traffic laws.
Pay attention to your surroundings: warn pedestrians or fellow riders when you are passing them with statements like "On Your Right!" You should also warn motor vehicle drivers if they are placing you in danger with their driving.
Take extra care when passing parking lot exits or biking through a parking lot.
Invest in a strong bicycle lock or strong padlock and chain. Chains should be casehardened steel with links of at least 5/8inch in diameter.
Always lock your bike. Optimally, bikes should be locked around the frame and through both wheels and secured to a bicycle rack, lamppost, telephone pole, etc.
Try not to lock your bike "free standing". A thief can easily walk away with a bike and remove the lock.
Whenever possible, keep your bicycle inside. Most residence halls have designated "bike rooms".
If you leave your bicycle outside, choose a well lighted and heavily traveled location.
Find out if your bicycle is covered by your parent's insurance policy. If not, it would be advisable to insure it.
If left unattended or unlocked, a bicycle might be removed by the Department of Public Safety. Abandoned bicycles are taken to Fletcher Barn Storage for safekeeping by Public Safety officers. If you are concerned that members of the Department of Public Safety may have removed your bicycle, please contact the department to ascertain if your bicycle may be secured in Fletcher Barn storage.