Safety Help

• Safety tips
• Sexual assault information: what to do
• Escorts, DART Van
• Locked out or need a jump start?
• Reporting crimes and hazardous conditions
• Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) Program
• Lost and found

Visit the Public Safety site for additional information on the services that department provides. The Department of Public Safety building is across from Parking Lot 6 on the outside (Residence Halls side) of Ring Road.

Safety tips

• Keep your rooms locked and do not prop open your doors.
• Do not leave your valuables unattended or keep them in plain sight.
• Do not walk alone, use the Dart Van shuttle service.
• Walk in well-lit areas.
• Keep your motor vehicles locked.
• Do not allow strangers into your residence halls.
• Female students: attend a RAD class.
• Do not accept drinks from strangers--the drinks may be drugged.
• Report any suspicious person or activities: x8107 or 508-999-8107.
• If you are the victim of a crime, report it in a timely fashion: x8107 or 508-999-8107.

Sexual assault information: what to do

• Go to a safe place
  
• Get support. You deserve to have all resources available to you. Contact someone who can help you consider your options, obtain medical care, and support you. On and off-campus resources are listed here.
• Preserve evidence. If possible, do not shower, bathe, douche, brush your teeth, or throw away any clothing that might contain evidence of the assault. Save articles of clothing, bedding, etc. in separate paper bags and bring them to the hospital or give them to the police. (Try not to use plastic bags as they can damage evidence.) Do not disturb anything in the area in which the assault occurred.
• Get medical care. Go to the hospital emergency department for treatment of injuries, prevention of sexually transmitted diseases--including HIV--and pregnancy, and crisis intervention and emotional support services.  Physical evidence for medical and legal services can also be collected at this time. A toxicology kit can be completed that may be able to detect "rape drugs." You may seek medical care without reporting the crime to the police. St. Luke's Hospital and Charlton Memorial Hospital both have Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) available to assist people who have been sexually assaulted/raped.
• Decide if, how, and when you will report the assault. There are a number of mechanisms on campus for reporting a sexual assault, which are described in detail here in the Student Handbook.  The person reporting the assault may use any one or a combination of the options outlined in the Student Handbook. In all cases, the survivor of the assault will decide if, how, and when s/he will report the assault.

Click here for additional sexual assault resources and information

Need an escort? Looking for the DART Van?

• A student-staffed escort service is available from the library to adjacent parking lots, from 5 p.m. until the library closes, Sunday through Thursday. Stop at the desk near the entrance to the library's second floor.
• The DART Escort Service Van travels the campus from 5:15 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., seven nights a week. Check here for DART van stops.
• Upon availability, a university police escort is available 24 hours. Contact x8107 or 508-999-8107.

Locked out or need a jump start for a car on campus?

• Dial x8107 or call 508-999-8107 from a cell phone. A Campus Police Officer will make every attempt to assist you, whenever possible.

Do you have information about a crime or hazardous condition?

• Report information anonymously about any incident or crime to the Tip Line. Call x8477 or 508-999-8477 and leave a message. If you would like to discuss your message, leave your contact information. Or complete a Tip Line Silent Witness form online.
• Report a security hazard to the Department of Public Safety at x8107 or 508-999-8107.
• Report a safety hazard, such as defective lighting or poor road condition to the Facilities and Physical Plant Office at x8100 or 508-999-8100.

RAD Program

Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) Training: The RAD System is a comprehensive course for women that begins with awareness, prevention, risk education and avoidance, while progressing to the basics of hands on defense training. There is no charge for this program. To schedule a RAD class or to find out about upcoming sessions, call x8967 or 508-999-8967.

Lost and found

A Lost and Found bin is kept at the UMass Dartmouth Public Safety Office (the building directly across from parking lot 6). Please stop by to check for items found or call 508-999-8107 to report lost items.