Duke Police Outreach Events Return Oct. 16

Starting Oct. 16, Duke community members have a chance to chat with Duke University Police officers about the services they offer, campus safety and more during the biannual 'Tips n' Treats" meet-and-greet sessions.

Officers will meet informally with students to discuss safety and resources available at Duke, as well as hand out candy or cookies provided by Duke Dining Services. It's part of Duke Police's effort to get feedback from the Duke community and hear any suggestions they may have.

In March, officers distributed  about 400 highlighters and 400 wallet cards featuring safety tips and contact information for the department during the spring semester session.

"Our goal with these outreach efforts is to make Duke Police more than just a name - we want students to have faces and names to put to our department when they need us because we value their input," said Eric Hester, crime prevention officer with the Duke Police. "We just want to be a part of their team so they don't think twice about talking to us when they need us."

Upcoming sessions for Tips n' Treats are:

• Oct. 16 at East Campus Marketplace, 6 p.m.
• Oct. 17 at Central Campus' Food Factory at Devil's Bistro, 6 p.m.
• Oct. 18 at West Campus Bryan Center, inside the entrance from the Plaza, 11 a.m.

Duke staff and faculty are also welcome to drop by each event, where community members can also have electronics such as iPods, computers or phones engraved.

When it comes to staying safe and keeping property protected, Robert Mason knows it's a shared responsibility.

He recently organized an electronics-engraving event for students with Duke Police. Officers came to the Duke Divinity School, where they set up a table to provide free engraving on items like laptops and iPods. In all, 43 items were marked with personal information and logged with Duke Police to help hinder theft.

"It's an easy way to keep valuables safe," said Mason, a graduate student and co-president of the Divinity Student Council. "Plus, it's important for us as students of the university to connect with campus police to know there's a presence on campus and to show they're a resource in many different ways."

Mason said that taking the time to meet officers and protect property is worth it to encourage a healthy and safe environment.

"Because students sometimes stay late in our building, engraving our property is an easy way to add another layer of security to our property," he said. "It's a nice way for Duke Police to remind us that they're here looking out for us and serving our best interest."