SAFETY VIDEOS
360 Degree Stay Safe Videos
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Click here for access to these topics:
Protect your Possessions and Identity
Sexual Assault
Controlling Behavior
Stalking
Everyday Safety
Common Sense Defense
Safe Travel
Credits
Personal Safety
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Walk or jog with a friend, NOT ALONE!!! Avoid shortcuts through wooded areas, parking lots, or alleys. |
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Avoid isolated, dark areas. |
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Don't flash large amounts of cash or other tempting targets like expensive jewelry or clothing. |
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Know your limits on dates and communicate them to your partner. |
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Tell a friend where you are going and when you will return. |
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Carry a whistle or noise maker. Do not be afraid to scream if you need help. |
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 Use an emergency blue phone or raise the hood and stay in your car if it breaks down. If someone
stops ask them to call the police. Carry a cellular phone if possible. |
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Be aware of your surroundings. |
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Body language counts! Walk with confidence. Show that you are aware and in control. |
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Consider carrying a small, readily available, high-intensity flash light. |
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If you feel that you are being followed look directly at the person, awareness is often a deterrent. Head to the closest public area. |
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Park in an area that will be well lit when you return. When approaching your car or door, get your keys out in advance. Don't fumble for your keys at the door. |
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Lock your car. Lock valuables in the trunk or hide them from view. |
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Don't get in your car until you have checked the inside, especially the back seat. |
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Before driving, lock your doors and put on your seatbelt. |
Harassing Phone Calls
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Hang up as soon as you realize the nature of the call. Do not try to find out who the caller is or encourage the caller by speaking to him/her, even if you think it is a friend playing a joke. |
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Use an answering machine to screen calls. Most answering machines will allow you to record the call if necessary. |
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If calls occur frequently, keep a log of the date and time the call was received and what was said. Note the type of voice and any background noises. |
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Consider depersonalizing your answering machine message. |
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If the calls persist call the Police Department at 523-3611. If an immediate emergency exists call 523-3000 or 8-911. |
Dorm Room Security
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Never leave your room unlocked (including windows on lower floors) and unoccupied. A thief only needs seconds to take your textbooks, purses, wallets, computers, and other valuables from your room! |
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Record the name brand, serial number, and color of your valuable items. If possible, permanently mark (engrave) personal items with an identifying number that can only be traced back to you. |
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Lock the door to your room while you are sleeping. |
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Do not prop exterior residence hall doors open! |
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If you see someone in the building who you know does not belong, call the Police Department at 523-3000 or 8-911. |
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Do not allow strangers to follow you into the building. |
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Keep track of all your valuable property, including make, model number, and serial numbers. Click here for fillable personal property check list. |
Vehicle Security
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Never leave your keys in the car or ignition. Keep your home and car keys separate. |
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Always lock your car. Consider installing anti-theft or alarm devices on your vehicle. |
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Do not leave items of value in plain view, even if the car is locked. Put them in the trunk of the vehicle or take them with you. |
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Copy your license plate and vehicle identification numbers and keep them with you. |
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If possible park in well traveled and well lighted areas. |
Suspicious Letters/Packages
The information listed below is offered to assist you in determining if a letter or package that you have received should be considered suspicious. The presence of one or more of these items does not in and of itself mean that a letter or package should be considered suspicious. The totality of the circumstances must be taken into consideration.
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the sender's address is unfamiliar; |
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it is unexpected; |
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the appearance of the package received is inconsistent with the material ordered; |
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it bears a foreign postmark or other foreign markings, is air mail or special delivery; |
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it bears restrictive markings such as confidential, personal, etc., especially if reception of personal mail is against company policy; |
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it displays excessive postage; |
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it displays hand written or poorly typed addresses; |
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it displays titles but no names, or incorrect titles; |
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it contains misspellings of common words; |
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the exterior is stained with oil or other discoloration's |
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there is no return address; |
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the envelope is rigid, lopsided or uneven; |
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there is excessive securing material such as masking tape, string, etc.; or |
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there are visual distractions displayed on the exterior. |
Suspicious looking letters, packages, or other received items should not be opened. The item should be isolated, the area cordoned off, and the NAU Police Department should be contacted immediately at 3-3000.
Identity Theft Tips
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Report the theft of credit, debit cards, checks, driver's licenses, social security cards, etc. to the police. | |
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Cancel your credit and charge cards immediately! Request new cards with new account numbers. | |
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Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-IDTHEFT for assistance from trained counselors in resolving credit related problems. | |
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Contact the fraud departments of the major credit reporting agencies and ask them to put a fraud alert on the account and add a statement requesting creditors to contact you before opening a new account in your name. In addition, request a copy of your credit report. | |
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Equifax: 1-800-525-6285 | |
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Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742 | |
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Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289 | |
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If bank accounts are involved, report the loss to each financial institution, cancel existing accounts and open new ones with new account numbers. If necessary, place stop payments on outstanding checks and contact creditors to explain. | |
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If a driver's license is involved, contact the state motor vehicle department. If the driver's license uses a social security number, request a new driver's license number. | |
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If you suspect fraud involving your social security number contact the Social Security Administration to determine the accuracy and integrity of your account. | |
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Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271 |
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Change the locks on your house and cars if there is any indication that these have been copied or otherwise compromised. | |
Hate Crimes & Bias Based Incidents
The NAU Police Department understands the destructive nature of hate crimes and bias based incidents. A hate crime can cause broad ripples of discomfort and anxiety among members of a targeted group, followed by feelings of terror and resentment across an entire community. We know that each hate crime victimizes not one person but many. If you feel that you are the victim of a hate crime, we encourage you to report the incident promptly to the NAU Police Department at 523-3000. It will be investigated promptly and thoroughly.
Hate Crime Defined
A criminal offense committed against a person or property, which is motivated, in whole or in
part, by the offender's bias against a race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation,
gender, or disability.
Difference Between Hate Crimes and Bias Based Incidents
Bias based incidents involve behaviors that, though motivated by bias against a victim's race, color,
religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, or disability, are not criminal acts. Hostile
or hateful speech, or other disrespectful/discriminatory behavior may be motivated by bias but is not
illegal. They become crimes only when they directly incite perpetrators to commit violence against
persons or property, or if they place a potential victim in reasonable fear of physical injury.
Arizona Law
Arizona law provides for the possibility of enhanced penalties for hate crimes. Arizona Revised Statute
13-702 says, in part, that for the purpose of sentencing the court shall consider a number of aggravating
circumstances. One of the identified aggravating circumstances is "evidence that the defendant committed
the crime out of malice toward a victim because of the victim's identity in a group listed in section
41-1750, subsection A, paragraph 3 or because of the defendant's perception of the victim's identity in
a group listed in section 41-1750, subsection A, paragraph 3." Arizona Revised Statute 41-1750 identifies
these groups as "race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, or disability."
In addition, Arizona Revised Statute 13-1604, Aggravated Criminal Damage, states that a person commits aggravated criminal damage by "defacing, damaging or in any way changing the appearance of any building, structure, personal property or place used for worship or any religious purpose." Depending on the dollar amount of the damage this offense can be considered a class 6, class 5, or class 4 felony.
