The Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) will work to raise public awareness and focus on preventative measures during the upcoming Crime Prevention Month.
While this national theme month technically only encompasses October, the university will get an early start during Medford Community Day this Sunday, Sept. 30.
During that event, TUPD will hold a display on the Academic Quad, giving residents of surrounding neighborhood the chance to meet officers.
Other upcoming events will include displays in the lobby of the Mayer Campus Center on Oct. 2 and 24, during which officers will facilitate student sign-up for all of the department's programs, such as bicycle registration.
At the displays, female students will have the opportunity to register for Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes.
The RAD program is offered through the Experimental College and comprised of weekly hands-on classes taught by TUPD Officer Jessica Bruno. The course covers physical as well as mental defensive responses for rape scenarios.
After completion of the 18-hour course, students become RAD certified and are equipped with techniques needed in the dire event of sexual assault.
"Not to knock on the martial arts or anything [but] the techniques you learn in the RAD class are fairly easy to apply," said TUPD Officer Linda D'Andrea, who is also certified as a RAD instructor.
"I have students frequently come back proud to tell me how they were put in a situation where they unfortunately had to use one of the techniques," she said.
Crime Prevention Month will also promote the Operation Identification program, as part of which students are encouraged to make use of engraving tools to mark laptop computers, cell phones and other such valuables.
Another laptop security device that will be featured is the Security Tracking of Office Property (STOP) plate, which can be mounted on the metal covers of the computers.
Though the plate is virtually impossible to remove, in the event of removal, the words "stolen property" get imprinted in bright red on the cover.
These initiatives will be highlighted during the Laptop Security Day on Oct. 10 in the campus center, as well during the Oct. 2 and 24 events.
Other efforts will focus more on theory rather than practice. TUPD, for example, may revive its "If I Were a Thief" exercises, during which its officers work alongside RA's to mark all unlocked dormitory rooms. This is meant to encourage students to lock their doors.
Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman said the goals of Crime Prevention Month are important, especially because crimes of opportunity are fairly common on college campuses.
"After all, crimes of opportunity don't take criminal minds; they just take a moment of bad judgment," he said.
