Campus Public Safety
Security Bulletins
SAFETY ALERT 11-18-08
Installation of Pedestrian-Activated Beacons on Siskiyou Boulevard is Complete:
Pedestrian activated beacons have been installed at the Siskiyou Boulevard crosswalks at Bridge Street, Avery Street and Palm Avenue. Pedestrians can push a button to activate a flashing yellow caution light to make drivers aware that the crosswalk is in use. The beacons will only flash when activated by a pedestrian intending to cross.
The pedestrian crossing at Garfield Street does not have a crossing beacon however the Siskiyou Safety Ad Hoc Committee has begun traffic studies with the assistance of a traffic engineer to evaluate the need for further safety measures, including potential modifications to the Garfield intersection.
The beacons are the latest of a series of pedestrian safety improvements on Siskiyou Boulevard. Rumble strips were installed on the Siskiyou Boulevard pavement near SOU last April and the speed limit in the area was reduced to 25 mph.
Pedestrians should be aware that flashing beacons are not a traffic signal and drivers are not required to stop if they cannot do so safely. The beacons provide you with a way to make approaching drivers aware that you are or will be using the crosswalk. After activating the beacon, you will still need to use caution, check to make sure that drivers in each lane are aware of your presence and that vehicles are able to stop before you enter the lane.
Drivers should be aware that if you see a flashing beacon, it has been activated by a pedestrian entering the crosswalk. State law requires drivers to stop if they can do so safely, and remain stopped until the pedestrian has cleared the lane which the driver is traveling as well as the adjacent lane. Passing another vehicle stopped at a crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to cross is a violation of Oregon state law and can result in serious injury or death to the pedestrian.
With the early hours of darkness is it critical that drivers and pedestrians use extreme care when traveling in this area.
SAFETY ALERT
Southern Oregon University Campus Public Safety is Staffed 24 hours a day
SAFETY ALERT ~ Monday June 9, 2008
There have been 4 thefts of laptops from the Hannon Library since the first of the year. There are no common times or days when the laptops were taken, however, in each instance the laptop was left on a second or third floor table and unattended for a lengthy period of time.
SAFETY ALERT ~ Thursday, March 13, 2008
It has been reported by Ashland Police that at least 10 prowling incidents have occurred in the area of SOU Family Housing. This includes the area around Walker and Mountain Ave, East Main St. and Siskiyou Blvd.
According to reports, the suspect is a medium sized male in his 20’s or 30’s and wears dark clothes and a black ski mask. This person has knocked on doors, approached women, asked for sexual favors and exposed himself on at least 2 occasions.
The incidents have taken place between the hours of 7 pm and 2:30 am. Though no one has been injured in these incidents, the police have a high level of concern about the incidents and recommend the following:
- All residents should lock doors and windows, draw curtains,
- Look for stacks of objects below windows where the prowler may have stood,
- Report suspicious activity immediately to police by dialing 911.
Here is a link to the Mail Tribune article: http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080313/NEWS/803130326
SAFETY ALERT
Thursday December 6th, 2007
In the early morning hours of Thursday December 6th, 2 SOU students were walking near campus on Wightman St. when they were confronted by a man with a shotgun. The students were able to leave the area and call police. Officers from the Ashland Police Department responded and were able to locate the suspect and seize the weapon. The suspect who is not a student was arrested for the crimes of Menacing and Pointing a Firearm at Another.
Though no one was injured in this incident it had the potential to be very serious. We recommend that the following precautions be followed for your safety and the safety of the campus community.
1. Report suspicious persons or incidents immediately by calling Campus Public Safety at 552-6911.
2. Late at night walk with a friend, both on and off campus
3. For an escort on campus call Campus Public Safety at 552-6911
4. Trust your instincts and be alert for your personal safety.
Southern Oregon University Campus Public Safety is staffed 24 hours a day.
Safety Alert November 16, 2007
On Thursday November 14th at 3:40 PM an older well dressed white male contacted a female student inside the Stevenson Union by the coffee stand. He persuaded her to assist him with some research on the 3rd floor of the Library and during this encounter exhibited predatory behavior. This person is very persuasive and tried to gain trust by posing as someone who needed help because of a disability. A similar incident occurred in February of this year at the Library involving who we believe is the same person. He is described in both incidents as an older white male,balding with gray hair and dressed in a suit in the first instance and sport coat in the latest incident.
Both of these incidents are being investigated and we are seeking the identity of the male in the photograph. If you have any information on this case please contact Campus Public Safety at 541 552-6258 or 541 552-6911.
The following precautions should be followed for your personal safety and the safety of the campus community:
1. Report suspicious incidents or persons immediately by calling Campus Public Safety 552-9611.
2. Late at night walk with a friend both on and off campus.
3. Call Campus Public Safety for an escort on Campus - 552-6911.
4. Trust your instincts and be alert about your personal safety.
Southern Oregon University Campus Public Safety is staffed 24 hours per day.
SAFETY ALERT BULLETIN November 7, 2007
The campus has recently experienced a series of incidents involving Criminal Mischief and Disorderly Conduct that may or may not be related.
The first incident, on Sunday morning, November 4, an unknown person(s) committed Criminal Mischief against a vehicle parked on campus by writing on the vehicle with a permanent marker. The vehicle window had the term "Bomb" written on it. Ashland Police responded to this incident and investigated it. No further damage was found.
On the same date, at about 9:00pm, an RA in a residence hall found that someone had, with the intent to create a public alarm, committed Disorderly Conduct by writing " There’s a bomb in [room number deleted for privacy], on a dry erase board outside of a door. A thorough search of the room by the occupant, Ashland Police Department and CPS found that no credible evidence of any device existed.
At 11:30am on 11/05/07, with the intent to create a public alarm, another Disorderly Conduct crime was committed in a residence hall, when it was found that a person(s) had written the term " evacuate" on a dry erase board outside of a door. The word was written in association with a quote from the movie, " V for Vendetta."
On the same day, at 11:33pm, a person(s) committed Criminal Mischief by placing a small home-made explosive device equivalent to a large firecracker on a piece of Southern Oregon University equipment with the intent to cause damage. The device caused minimal damage to the equipment.
At no time during the course of these events was personal health or safety placed in jeopardy.
These events are being investigated by Ashland Police Department with the assistance from CPS.
***** If you have any information about any of these incidents please contact Campus Public Safety at 552-6911 or Ashland Police Department at #911.
Certain precautions should be followed to prevent further incidents:
1. Report suspicious incidents or persons immediately by calling Campus Public Safety at 552-6911 or dial 911 for Ashland Police Department.
2. Report any suspicious packages or devices immediately. Do not touch them!
3. Call Campus Public Safety for an escort on Campus: 552-6911.
4. Trust your instincts and be alert about your personal safety.
5. Lock all doors and windows.
6. BE AWARE!
Southern Oregon University Campus Public Safety is staffed 24 hours per day.
REMEMBER
SOU is your community, protect it. If you have knowledge that will help solve these incidents, report it.
SAFETY ALERT – November 14, 2006
The campus has experienced several burglaries lately with the latest being in Central Hall between Friday afternoon and Monday morning. In this incident, several thousand dollars worth of computing equipment was taken. Anyone observing a person(s) carrying or removing equipment from Central Hall during this time frame, please contact Campus Pubic Safety at 2-6258 during normal work hours or security@sou.edu.
Remember to secure your work spaces when leaving, even for a short time. Protect your keys and close doors.
CPS depends on the many eyes and ears of our campus community. Day or night, if you observe suspicious persons on campus, in places they don't appear to belong, call 2-6911 right away.
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