We have all heard the old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth of a pound of cure.” This certainly applies to the philosophy of the Crime Prevention Section. The members of the Crime Prevention Section devise, implement, and deliver educational programs that let all members of the University community—students, faculty, staff, and visitors—know what they can and should so to prevent themselves from becoming victims. It is better, much better, for an individual to take certain common-sense precautions than to suffer the physical, emotional, and financial trauma that occurs when innocent people are victimized by criminals.
The overall focus of the Crime Prevention Section is to educate the members of the University community in the areas of prevention, reduction, and awareness of criminal activity. Succinctly stated, we fervently believe that a well-informed community will be a safe community! Crime prevention officers interact with the public in myriad ways—all aimed at promoting individuals’ safety and awareness. This interaction also lets the University community know that their Police Department is very proactive in creating a campus environment that is as safe and enjoyable as possible.
Additionally, the Crime Prevention Section practices a philosophy of proactively engaging identified crime issues that affect the quality of life on campus. A major focus of the crime prevention officers over the last year has been to work closely with Uniformed Operations in supporting enforcement efforts concerning DUI and underage-drinking. Crime prevention officers closely examine crime trends or acute crime issues on campus and then contact persons who may be affected by these issues. This approach allows FSUPD to be a partner with the campus community to efficiently and effectively focus on important safety issues.
Successful programs include Adopt-A-Copp, Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) training, residence hall security consulting, and Auto Theft Prevention activities. When conducting their programs, Crime Prevention officers work closely with the community to develop the type of trust and cooperation that foster an atmosphere of two-way communications. The result is that our students, faculty, staff, and visitors become another set of eyes and ears of the Department. And more important, these individuals are safer for having a better idea of what they should do and should not do to, thereby making it much more difficult for criminals to prey upon the innocent.
For more information, please contact:
Officer Kevin Sears
ksears@fsu.edu
850-644-1388
Officer Dan Cutchins
dcutchins@fsu.edu
850-644-3660
