No community is 100% crime free. A university campus is not unlike any other community with the same problems and concerns. Although the incidence of serious crime at West Virginia University is relatively low, the University Police encourage all members of the University community to learn and practice good crime prevention habits. Most crimes are crimes of opportunity and can be avoided with a little planning and common sense. Good crime prevention is simply teaching people how to avoid becoming victims. The University recognizes the types of problems that occur on campus and designs its crime prevention programs to respond to these situations. Take ten minutes to read these crime prevention tips; they could help you in difficult situations.
--Bobby E. Roberts, Chief

Crime Prevention brochures are on this web site and at the Campus Police Offices at 3040 University Ave. If any group or student organizations want training on crime prevention, notify the Campus Police (Lt. Randy Friend 3-COPS), as we are here to assist and address any safety concerns. We will be very pleased to address your group. These are some guidelines to consider while on our campus:

--Don’t leave keys lying around. If keys are lost or stolen, notify the Campus Police immediately.

--Don’t loan your keys to anyone; a friend’s carelessness may lead to your loss.

--Keep control of your personal items.

--Do not leave personal items unattended for even a few minutes. It only takes a few seconds for someone to pick up an unattended textbook, backpack, or purse.

--If you become a victim of a crime, immediately report it to the Campus Police.

--When parking on campus, close your windows and lock all doors.

--Keep all valuables out of sight, use the trunk or don’t leave them in your car. Better yet, leave them at home.

--Walk with friends when you are out and stay in well lit areas.

--Report all suspicious individuals and incidents on campus to our office.

--Use the emergency phones located on campus if you have an emergency.

You and the decisions that you make are the most important resources in the prevention of crime, and we are here to support you.

Reporting Incidents

Report all incidents or suspicious persons to 9-911 from a campus phone; 911 or 293-COPS from a cell or off-campus phone. If something does not appear to be normal, it is better to be safe when in doubt. Public Safety staff are trained to check all situations in a diplomatic manner.

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