Police say following rules may reduce crime
Keeping doors of residence halls, rooms locked are ways to increase campus safety

By Ram Luthra
Staff Reporter

Students need to concentrate on keeping residence halls doors locked and closed to reduce the risk of possessions being stolen as the spring semester progresses, said TCU Police Officer John Carter.

He said the major cause for theft in residence halls is because students don’t lock their doors and they leave the building entrances open.

“The most common things students do is prop open the entrance doors of buildings,” Carter said. “This allows anyone to enter the building.”

According to Residential Services, all of the residence halls are locked 24 hours a day. People can enter the building with a key or TCU ID card.

Photo Illustration by Chrissy Braden/STAFF REPORTER Alison Kothe, a sophomore advertising/public relations major, props open a door at Wiggins Hall. TCU Police warn students against this because it allows anyone to enter.

“We encourage all students to keep their room doors locked, even when the students are in the rooms,” said Maryruth Jones, administrative assistant for Residential Services. “Some students are more careful than others.”

Lee Knight, a freshman premajor, said he is not concerned about the lack of safety in the residence halls because some crimes can’t be prevented despite all the attempts to do so.

“I can’t stop a thief from stealing something,” Knight said. “They are in a position of desperation and they are going to take things, regardless of anything I do.”

Carter said crimes in the residence halls are avoidable if students follow simple rules and procedures. Students should keep their doors locked, put all valuable property in a safe place and prohibit unauthorized people from entering the building, he said.

“If (students) just follow and abide the rules that are in place, then the likelihood of crimes occurring becomes reduced,” Carter said. “But the reality is that students usually do not adhere to the policies.”

TCU Police receives many calls from students about possessions being stolen. The majority of things stolen from dorms include money, jewelry, wallets and purses and anything that is small in size, Carter said.

Kim Hill, a freshman advertising/public relations major, said she doesn’t want any of her possessions to be stolen.

“I heard about several burglaries last semester,” Hill said. “Ever since then, I am a bit more cautious. I always lock all the doors and keep all the windows shut.”

TCU Police officers look for suspicious people around campus, particularly the residence halls, Carter said.

“All the officers pay close attention to people that look like they don’t have any business on campus,” Carter said. “This is especially true late at night.”

Carter said the safety of the students is the police department’s top priority.

Ram Luthra
r.d.luthra@student.tcu.edu