Chief of police gives safety tips for library

University Police Chief John McCall  takes library safety and keeping your things secure seriously.

Keeping valuable items close is important, and leaving them unattended is not recommended, McCall said.

“In the past, especially with international students, they have gone to get a book, and when they return, everything looks normal,” McCall said.

What they don’t realize then, McCall said, is that someone has stolen something, which is, most times, out of their wallets.

McCall advised that if you have to go book hunting that you either pack your things up or take them with you.

Library safety is not a new topic, but, with the recent theft of money from the university’s library safe, students should be cautious of their surroundings, and should also take special notice of suspicious activity around them.

For added precaution, the Troy University police department allows students to enroll in a program called Operation ID.

Operation ID is a service that encourages students to bring in their personal items, such as electronics and other valuables, to the police department. The police department will register the item in their computer system and mark the item so that it may be identified if reported stolen.

For students that study late into the night at the library, the police department also offers escorts for those who do not feel safe when walking back to their dorms or cars. A student can request an escort by contacting the police department at (334) 670-3215.

For more safety tips and information on services offered by the police department, visit the its office located in Hamil hall or visit its website at trojan.troy.edu/universitypolice.