Police Report Arrest, Increased Patrols

We’d like to update you that a suspect has been arrested in the April 23 robbery at CVS Pharmacy on the east edge of campus near Central Expressway. SMU Police were notified today that Dallas Police made the arrest May 5.

This report follows the April 22 arrest by Dallas Police of a suspect in the April 17 robbery on SMU Boulevard. SMU thanks our neighboring police departments for their work on these two cases.

In regard to the crime alert sent this morning, SMU Police are continuing to investigate a robbery reported at 11:30 p.m. May 5 near Owen Arts Center and Mary Hay and Peyton halls, as well as an attempted robbery reported at 3 a.m. April 21 in this area. SMU Police had increased patrols in this area and now are adding a patrol unit dedicated to this location at night, in addition to other security measures.

Anyone with information about these two cases is asked to call SMU Police at 214-768-3333 or report anonymously through the SMU Police Department’s Silent Witness Program by calling 214-SMU-2TIP or online at www.smu.edu/2tip.

Increased patrols and other security measures

In response to these cases, SMU Police have been conducting extra car and bike patrols at night throughout campus, in addition to their normal 24/7 patrols. Campus community members are urged to be aware of their surroundings and call police immediately if they see or hear anything suspicious. Because the SMU campus sits at the intersection of several police jurisdictions, 911 calls made from a cell phone can reach any one of them, depending on the caller’s location. For this reason, campus community members are asked to program the SMU Police Department’s direct line, 214-768-3333, into their cell phones.

Please also take note of the location of blue-light emergency phones, which connect directly to SMU Police, across campus and in parking lots and garages. Security cameras also are located across campus and in buildings, and are equipped to digitally record activity.

 Campus community members are urged to call for a security escort at night:

• Giddy-Up, 214-768-1111, offers free rides on campus from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.
• SMU Police, 214-768-3333, can provide campus rides when Giddy-Up is not available.
• SMU Rides, 214-768-7433, provides service 24 hours a day with an SMU ID; the full cost of the ride is charged to the rider’s SMU account.

SMU Police are available to provide crime prevention education and self-defense training to student groups. Call 214-768-3333 for information.

Campus resources

In addition to SMU Police, resources available to support students who may have concerns or questions include:

• SMU Counseling Services for confidential counseling, 214-768-2277 (an emergency contact is available 24/7)
• SMU Chaplain’s Office for confidential counseling, 214-768-4502
• Office of the Dean of Student Life, 214-768-4564
• Residence Life and Student Housing, 214-768-2407

Students, faculty and staff may submit confidential concerns about any student’s well-being to the Caring Community Connections program, through which students will be connected with campus resources. Information about that program is posted here: http://www.smu.edu/StudentAffairs/StudentLife/CCC