A rash of off-campus burglaries near DU may have been solved thanks to an arrest last Saturday by the Denver Police Department.
But DU’s director of campus safety says the capture of one man near campus doesn’t mean the community should let their guard down. In a letter e-mailed to students, parents, faculty and staff on Sept. 24, Don Enloe says the arrest hopefully will put an end to the string of break-ins. However, he says the possibility something like this happening again doesn’t completely go away.
“Unfortunately, catching one suspected burglar doesn’t eliminate the possibility that others will follow,” writes Enloe. He encourages students to use basic crime prevention techniques such as keeping doors and windows locked to prevent thefts. This applies to off-campus houses as well as residence halls.
Enloe didn’t limit his comments about safety to the burglaries.
“While there are many ways the department works to keep everyone on campus as safe as possible, it’s important that you are always aware of your surroundings, especially when walking on campus or in the neighborhood after dark,” he writes in the letter.
Since the burglaries began, DU Campus Safety worked closely with the Denver Police Department to apprehend the person or persons responsible. The University’s officers increased patrols on nearby streets, crime prevention officers worked with students living in private homes near campus and the University offered up to $5,000 to the Denver Crimestoppers program.
Enloe also took the opportunity to remind the campus community about the Critical Incident Notification System, or CINS.
In 2007, DU became one of the first universities in Colorado to purchase and implement a notification system that sends text, e-mail and voice messages in emergency situations and snow closures.
Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to register for CINS by accessing their DU account through MyWeb. After logging in, select “Personal Information” and “Notification Preferences” to enter contact numbers. Everyone with a University e-mail address will receive alerts by e-mail but all other delivery methods are provided after registering.