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and in our vision: ...Police and Community Services with Empathy
and Pride
We
work closely with the university community.
Our philosophy includes working closely with the university community
to reduce crime against persons and property. Crime is a serious problem
everywhere and the Texas Medical Center (TMC) is not exempt from crime
risk. However, at The University of Texas at Houston, the incidence of
crime has been kept below that of surrounding areas through the cooperative
efforts of the U.T. Police and the university community.
In particular the incidence of crimes against persons have been maintained
at a minimum level through the persistent and determined efforts of the
U.T. Police department and the university community by using crime risk
reduction programs. Some of the programs include U.T. Police officers
patrolling university premises in the TMC 24 hours a day and giving special
attention to high activity and risk periods. The university community
assists U.T. Police by reporting suspicious persons and activity, securing
work areas when they are not occupied, notifying U.T. Police when they
will be working after hours, and by displaying photo identification badges.
Crimes against property account for over 80% of all crimes reported to
the university police. Property crimes are primarily those of opportunity
where items are taken from unoccupied and unsecured locations. (Information
on a program to physically secure high-risk property is available.)
Our police philosophy includes offering services
We provide guard protection and general community service functions and
employ university police officers, police dispatchers, and university
guards. University police officers carry a sidearm and other defensive
tools and have full State of Texas Peace Officer authority. University
guards are not armed and are assigned to non-criminal service calls. They
provide general protection and safety services in university buildings.
A combination of foot/mobile patrol, bike patrol, fixed posts at building
entrances, CCTV monitoring, and alarms are used to provide law enforcement
and protection services. The posting of university guards at building
entrances is used primarily to screen incoming traffic for unauthorized
persons and to prevent inventory from being removed without proper approval.
We patrol the university grounds on foot, by bicycle, and in marked patrol
cars. University guards are assigned to patrol building interiors by foot.
And we employ these
tools
- Two-way radios
for communication between officers and the Command Dispatch Center (CDC)
- Command Dispatch
Center monitors the card access system
- Local security
devices
- Closed circuit
television from university premises
- Intrusion, duress
and fire alarms
- Emergency campus
direct dial 911
- Emergency/assistance
telephones located on the inside and the exterior of university premises
Our philosophy
is Proactive
Our law enforcement and protection is based on a pro-active philosophy and
a system approach. Many law enforcement and protection programs are combined
to provide a comprehensive Police Protection Plan for the university community.
We advocate the use of technology to extend the productivity of our personnel
and reduce the need for additional labor. This program has been ongoing
and it minimizes the inconvenience to university citizens while maintaining
cost effective protection.
We secure both the outer and inner perimeters of the property. The outer
perimeter of university buildings is considered the starting point. It is
defined at by exterior walls and fencing. The outer perimeter is a physical,
psychological, and legal barrier for university premises and is secured
by:
- powered gates
- mechanical locks
- door prop alarms
on emergency exits
- card access system
- closed circuit
television
- guards at selected
fixed post
- intercoms and telephones
- security lighting
of the perimeter
The inner perimeters
of university buildings are lobbies, offices, patient care spaces, class
rooms, and laboratories.
These areas are protected by:
- mechanical and
electronic locks
- closed circuit
televisions
- intrusion and duress
alarms
- burglary resistant
storage
- physical protection
systems
Periodic patrol of
all U.T. premises is maintained on a twenty-four hour basis with special
emphasis given to high-risk areas.
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