updated 04.20.07
SECURITY ALERT UPDATE:
PRECUATIONARY SAFETY GUIDELINES
New York, NY – April 20, 2007
This is an updated advisory regarding the capture and arrest of the suspect behind the sexual assault of a Columbia graduate student that occurred last weekend in her West 141st Street apartment. There are some circumstances surrounding this event that are worth noting if we are to salvage anything from her terrible ordeal. You are all well-aware of these precautionary guidelines, but they certainly bear repeating:
- Always be aware of your surroundings and the people around you.
- Do not allow strangers to follow you into your apartment building.
- Never ring someone into the building unless he/she is someone you are expecting.
- Never get onto an elevator with someone you feel at all uncomfortable about.
- Do not locate and hold the key to your apartment in your hand in the presence of a stranger.
- If a stranger is behind you, do not go to your apartment and open the door. Instead, go to a neighbor's door and knock. You cannot get into your apartment faster than you can be pushed in and the door closed by him behind you both. Crimes of this nature are common enough as to have a name - the police refer to them as "push-ins."
Many victims of serious crimes indicate to police later on that they "knew something was not right," and regret not listening to their instincts. The reason most victims give for not listening to their instincts is that they did not want to "hurt his feelings by not getting on the elevator with him," or some such variation on that theme. Please listen to your instincts; you have them for good reason.
Should you ever have any information about a suspicious occurrence, please contact Barnard Safety & Security immediately at x88 or x43362.
William Plackenmeyer
Director of Safety and Security |
