At 1:08 p.m. Wednesday, May 26, a UST student reported his residence on the 2100 block of Selby Avenue had been burglarized. The student had been out the night before and upon returning the following day, discovered two computers and a game system had been taken from his home. The student stated his neighbors heard people in his residence at approximately 11:45 p.m. the night before. The student could not recall if he had secured his residence and did not have further information on how this may have occurred.

At 6 p.m. Sunday, June 2, a UST student reported the garage of her residence on the 2100 block of Dayton Avenue had been burglarized. The student stated her secured garage had been forcibly entered and a bike was stolen. This incident was reported to the St. Paul Police Department.

There are no known suspects in either incident.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is urged to call Public Safety at (651) 962-5100 or the St. Paul Police Department at (651) 291-1111.

For more information, see Public Safety’s June 4 Advisory. Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the St. Thomas Public Safety website.

At 9:52 p.m. on May 25, three UST students reported they were victims of an armed robbery on Marshall Avenue at Moore Street. An unidentified male suspect approached the students from behind and stated that he had a gun. He instructed one of the students to give him her purse. The suspect took the student’s purse and another student’s wallet. The suspect then fled in an unknown direction on foot. The students reported the suspect had a small silver handgun in his hand, but it was never pointed at them. The students then went to Izzy’s Ice Cream and contacted the St. Paul Police Department.

The suspect is described as a white male, in his 40s, slightly overweight, wearing a red hat and gray sweatshirt.

The University of St. Thomas believes that descriptors alone are not a valid reason to profile or cast suspicion on any individual. They are included here because they may reasonably assist in identifying the perpetrator of this incident.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is urged to call Public Safety at (651) 962-5100 or the St. Paul Police Department at (651) 291-1111.

For more information, see Public Safety’s May 26 Alert. Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the St. Thomas Public Safety website.

At 3:02 p.m. Sunday, May 5, a UST student reported to Public Safety that they were sexually assaulted at an off-campus residence on Saturday, May 4. The following morning, the victim determined an assault had taken place. The incident was reported to the St. Paul Police Department and is currently under investigation. SPPD does not consider the public at risk at this time.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is urged to call Public Safety at (651) 962-5100 or the St. Paul Police Department at (651) 291-1111.

Report crime confidentially or anonymously by e-mailing PSTIPS@stthomas.edu, or calling (651) 962-TIPS.

Sexual violence resources:

• Ramsey County Sexual Offense Services (SOS) 24-Hour Hotline (651) 643-3006
• UST Counseling and Psychological Services (651) 962-6780

Public Safety reminds all community members that escorts are available from Public Safety 24 hours a day. Escorts are provided to and from campus within an approximate six-block radius.

For more information, see Public Safety’s May 6 Alert. Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the St. Thomas Public Safety website.

At about 1:45 p.m. Monday, April 29, Public Safety received information from the St. Paul Police Department that three unknown suspects entered an unlocked apartment, held a resident at gunpoint, and possibly removed personal property items from inside. The resident was unable to provide police with suspect descriptions including race or sex, and indicated he may have been targeted. The St. Paul Police Department does not consider the public at risk at this time.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is urged to call Public Safety at (651) 962-5100 or the St. Paul Police Department at (651) 291-1111.

For more information, see Public Safety’s April 29 alert. Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the St. Thomas Public Safety website.

At 2:10 p.m. Monday, April 29, a UST student reported she was walking from 11th Street through the plaza area, toward the Terrence Murphy Hall entrance. An unidentified suspect approached the student from behind. The student had her cell phone in her hand and was placing the phone in her purse. The suspect grabbed the phone from the student, then forcibly shoved her to the ground. The suspect then fled the area on foot towards 12th Street.

The student received minor injuries and was assisted by officers. The Minneapolis Police Department was contacted and a report was filed.

The suspect was described as a black male, approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall, 20–30 years old, thin to medium build, close cropped hair, wearing reflective sunglasses, a rust colored sweater with buttons, and blue jeans.

The University of St. Thomas believes that descriptors alone are not a valid reason to profile or cast suspicion on any individual. They are included here because they may reasonably assist in identifying the perpetrator of this incident.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is urged to call the Minneapolis Police Department at (612) 348-2345, or Public Safety at (651) 962-5100.

For more information, see Public Safety’s April 29 alert. Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the St. Thomas Public Safety website.

For northbound traffic on Cretin Avenue, vehicles will be directed to Cleveland Avenue.

For southbound traffic on Cretin Avenue, traffic will be directed north to eastbound University Avenue and then to southbound Cleveland Avenue.

Drivers are encouraged to follow the detour signs for eastbound and westbound Marshall Avenue.

On Thursday, April 18, construction will continue with lane restrictions, and the traffic controls will be removed. The streets will be fully opened on Friday, April 19. This will conclude a six-week infrastructure project.

This change will impact the travel time of the ACTC and UST Shuttle buses; in addition, there may be increased traffic on some of the residential streets around campus.

The National Weather Service will simulate two tornado warnings on April 18:

• The first will take place at 1:45 p.m. when all jurisdictions will activate their warning systems, including their outdoor warning sirens, NOAA weather radios, and the Emergency Wireless Alert. This means the outdoor notification sirens will go off at a time other than the first Wednesday of the month. It allows schools, businesses and hospitals to practice their refuge plans.

• At 6:55 p.m., a second simulated warning in all metro-area counties and many others throughout the state will give families and second-shift workers a similar opportunity.

To assist with preplanning for severe weather, review the tornado watch and warnings information listed below.

Tornado watch

The National Weather Service issues a tornado watch when weather conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes. Continue with normal activities but pay special attention to the latest weather conditions, monitor radio and television weather reports and be prepared to move to a shelter if a tornado occurs.

Tornado warning

The National Weather Service issues a tornado warning when a tornado is reported or is imminent. Individuals should seek shelter immediately when they are in or near the path of the storm. Warnings are issued via radio and television by county and city names. Be sure you know the name of the county where you are located and the names of the surrounding cities.

Thunderstorm winds

Thunderstorms can produce straight-line winds that exceed 100 miles per hour. For this reason, a severe thunderstorm should be treated like a tornado. Individuals should move to an appropriate shelter when they are in the path of the storm. The National Weather Service also will issue a watch or a warning for these weather events.

The strong rush of wind from a thunderstorm is called a downburst. One of the primary causes is rain-cooled air that accelerates downward, producing potentially damaging gusts of wind. Strong downbursts can be mistaken for tornadoes. They are often accompanied by a roaring sound similar to that of a tornado. Downbursts can easily overturn mobile homes, tear roofs off houses and topple trees. People caught outdoors are especially vulnerable to falling trees.

The National Weather service has included Minnesota into the Impact Based Warning System. In addition to providing the general watches and warnings, some of these will include plain language to better communicate the possible impact of the storm. Read more about it here.

Stay tuned to technology for severe weather warnings

Severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings are disseminated swiftly using hotlines and many other means of communication, including radio, television and the Internet. The development of technology has allowed people to receive warnings via cell phones, pagers and other methods. Spotters provide important storm reports and emergency officials carry out the plans that emergency managers have developed. Updates are issued frequently until immediate danger has passed.

In recent years, some media companies have developed cell phone apps to assist as well. Check with an app provider to see what is available.

Owners of newer smart phones can take advantage of Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) – a free tool developed by Homeland Security, the National Weather Service (NWS) and the cellular telephone companies. Now public sector emergency officials can use WEAs to send warnings directly to cell phones in affected areas. These short messages may look like a text message, but unlike texts, which are sent directly to a phone number, these warnings will be broadcast to all phones within range of designated cell towers through the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS).

Outdoor sirens are used by many cities and counties to alert citizens to severe weather. The city of St. Paul replaced all of its sirens this past year. The major changeover included removing the sirens from private buildings, putting them on public rights of way, improving their placement for more effectiveness, and instituting new technology that will allow the Ramsey County Emergency Communication Center to set off the sirens in specific parts of the city rather than throughout the whole county.

The city of Minneapolis also is updating its sirens’ software to improve the operation of its system. Many times people comment about not hearing sirens inside of buildings. These sirens are intended only for outdoor notification. The outdoor systems do not offer an all-clear signal; therefore, people need to consult other media for updates.

The best method of receiving weather warnings inside is with an NOAA weather radio. The National Weather Service will activate the tone-alert feature of the radio when there is severe weather. These radios can be purchased at most stores that sell electronic equipment.

Those who plan to purchase an NOAA weather radio should make sure it has a battery backup and an NWR SAME receiver. This allows the users to program and receive weather notices for a specific geographic area; in addition, these radios will notify users of other types of emergencies such as amber alerts and hazardous spills. Click here for more information. There also are smartphone apps that will permit listening to the weather radio.

The National Weather Service has its own website that provides national and local warnings and updates. Be sure to bookmark it for updates and future reference; also, there are many other websites that provide information and radar images to assist individuals in making decisions.

The Public Safety Department encourages UST offices to coordinate monitoring of weather warnings through one of these NOAA Weather Radios and weather Internet sites.

Depending on the situation, Public Safety may supply notification through the UST Emergency Notification System. Public Safety officers also may supplement notices with public address announcements, bullhorn announcements in buildings or personal visits to different offices or areas of campus. (St. Thomas does not have a central public address notification system.)

The National Weather Service alerts media outlets to severe weather information so that it can be passed along. Local television stations are a good source for updated information.

Seeking refuge and “shelter-in-place” at St. Thomas and off campus

When seeking refuge and shelter-in-place, avoid areas with windows, glass and large roof expansions. This includes buildings with large atriums, such as the Schulze Grand Atrium at the UST School of Law, Terrence Murphy Hall atrium, the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex field house, Schoenecker Arena, and the first floor of McCarthy Gym.

When there is a tornado or severe thunderstorm warming, UST community members in the Anderson Student Center are advised to go the basement near Dance or Bowling or to the parking garage area for refuge and shelter-in-place; also, some of the stairwells in the newer buildings on campus have areas designated as refuge areas.

For safety in apartments, residence halls or office buildings, individuals should move to the innermost rooms on the lowest level. In most cases these will be the basements or tunnels of the buildings. In a hallway, crouch down and protect your head from flying debris.

At home, go to the basement, if possible. Get under a table, work bench or other sturdy furniture to avoid falling debris. A stairwell also is a good place to seek shelter during a tornado. If it is not possible to get to a basement, go to a small interior room on the lowest floor. Closets, bathrooms and interior walls afford the best protection in most cases, or try to hide under a bed. Get under something sturdy or cover yourself with blankets. Stay away from windows.

When severe weather is a threat, abandon a mobile home, car, truck or other vehicle as quickly as possible. Seek a sturdy shelter or permanent structure. Remember that many deaths occur when people try to drive away in a vehicle but get caught in deadly winds. Avoid bridges because they act like wind tunnels.

When outside, a person should lie flat in a nearby ditch or depression and cover their head with their hands; again, do not get under an overpass or bridge; individuals are safer in a low, flat location, keeping in mind the potential for flooding in some severe weather conditions. Never try to outrun a tornado in a car or truck when in urban or congested areas; instead, leave the vehicle immediately for safe shelter and find protection from flying debris – the cause of most severe weather-related fatalities and injuries.

As with any potential emergency situation, the Public Safety Department recommends planning ahead for severe weather. Know how to access information about pending severe weather and the closest and safest place to take cover. Do an advance study of the different terminology that is used for watches and warnings so you know what must be done in case of a weather emergency.

For more information, maps and other safety tips on severe weather and tornadoes, check out the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Homeland Security website.

For more information about St. Thomas’ severe weather procedures call Public Safety, (651) 962-5100.

New evening shuttle schedule:

• 6:35 p.m. SCU-STP
• 6:47 p.m. UST
• 7:05 p.m. SCU-MPLS
• 7:26 p.m. UST
• 7:35 p.m. SCU-STP
• 7:47 p.m. UST
• 8:05 p.m. SCU-MPLS
• 8:26 p.m. UST
• 8:35 p.m. SCU-SP
• 8:47 p.m. UST
• 9:05 p.m. SCU-MPLS
• 9:26 p.m. UST
• 9:35 p.m. SCU-SP
• 9:47 p.m. UST
• 10:05 p.m. SCU-MPLS (return to SCU-SP for drop-off, only stop at UST if specifically requested by a rider)

Click here for complete information on the ACTC shuttle bus service, including schedules.

On Thursday, March 7, between 9:30 a.m. and noon, a UST student reported her off-campus residence was burglarized. The student said a ground floor window on the side of her residence was forcibly opened. Multiple rooms in the house were rummaged through and several pieces of personal property were stolen. The incident was reported to the St. Paul Police Department. There is no suspect information.

Anyone with information regarding these crimes is urged to call Public Safety at (651) 962-5100 or the St. Paul Police Department at (651) 291-1111.

For more information, see Public Safety’s March 8 alert. Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the St. Thomas Public Safety website.

At 2:40 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6, a UST student reported her unattended laptop was stolen from a desk on the lower level of the O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library. The student reported she stepped away from her laptop to use the restroom and returned after approximately 10 minutes and it was gone.

The student reported seeing a possible suspect in the area a few minutes before she stepped away. The student said the suspect stood out because he was walking through the lower level area, but did not appear to be looking for books or anything in particular, and did not have a book bag or backpack.

Library staff later reported encountering the suspect in a lower level area generally not accessed by students. The suspect was described as a black male, approximately 22 years old, tall, slim, with short black hair, wearing a black pea coat and dark pants.

Officers searched the library and surrounding areas. The suspect could not be located.

The University of St. Thomas believes that descriptors alone are not a valid reason to profile or cast suspicion on any individual. They are included here because they may reasonably assist in identifying the perpetrator of this incident.

Anyone with information regarding these crimes is urged to call Public Safety at (651) 962-5100 or the St. Paul Police Department at (651) 291-1111.

For more information, see Public Safety’s March 7 alert. Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the St. Thomas Public Safety website.

At approximately 3:20 p.m. on Feb. 26, 2013,  the Minneapolis Police Department reported that an unidentified victim was assaulted by an unknown suspect on the 1100 block of Hennepin Avenue. The alert noted that the victim was threatened by the suspect with a knife. Further incident details are not known at this time.

While previous Minneapolis Police Department alerts have shown these types of incidents to occur more commonly at night, the time of occurrence is a worthy reminder to community members not to take their personal safety for granted, regardless of time of day.

The University of St. Thomas believes that descriptors alone are not a valid reason to profile or cast suspicion on any individual. They are included here because they may reasonably assist in identifying the perpetrator of this incident.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is urged to call Public Safety at (651) 962-5100 or the Minneapolis Police Department at (612) 348-2345.

For more information, see Public Safety’s Feb. 27 alert. Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the St. Thomas Public Safety website.

At approximately 1:41 p.m. on Jan. 11, 2013, Public Safety officers were dispatched to a burglary alarm at 2050 Summit Avenue, a non-residential UST property. The alarm was sounding upon officers’ arrival. The front door had been forced open and the frame damaged. Nothing appeared to be missing or damaged in the house. No nearby properties had signs of attempted entry. The St. Paul Police Department was contacted.

Through investigation, two suspects were identified fleeing from the property at the time of the alarm. The first suspect is described as a white male with dark hair, wearing a dark/gray pullover with a hood, dark pants or jeans worn low, wearing tan shoes or boots. The second suspect is described as a white male, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with the hood up (the sweatshirt possibly has an Air Jordan logo on the chest), wearing black pants and dark shoes.

The University of St. Thomas believes that descriptors alone are not a valid reason to profile or cast suspicion on any individual. They are included here because they may reasonably assist in identifying the perpetrator of this incident.

Anyone with information regarding these crimes is urged to call Public Safety at (651) 962-5100 or the St. Paul Police Department at (651) 291-1111.

For more information, see Public Safety’s Jan. 11 alert. Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the St. Thomas Public Safety website.

On Thursday, Dec. 20, at 10:40 a.m., a UST student reported an unidentified suspect attempted to steal his unattended laptop. The student reported he stepped away from his computer in a second floor study area and returned a few moments later and found the suspect closing his laptop. The suspect saw the student and fled on foot.

Public Safety responded and officers began searching the library. While searching for the suspect, officers were approached by a second student who reported his unattended laptop was stolen. The student was studying at a desk on the third floor in the northeast corner of the library. At approximately 10:35 a.m., the student got up to take a call and stepped into the stairwell. The student returned to the desk ten minutes later and his laptop was gone.

The suspect in the attempted theft was described as a black male, college aged, no facial hair, wearing a gray zip-up sweatshirt, a black flat-brimmed cap and possibly a backpack. The suspect was also observed in the area of Coffee Bene on the first floor in the time frame of the incidents. He may have possibly put on a red leather coat before leaving the area.

Officers searched the library and surrounding areas. The suspect could not be located. It is not known if the suspect is responsible for the theft of the second student’s laptop. There have now been four laptop theft related incidents in the library in the past five days.

The University of St. Thomas believes that descriptors alone are not a valid reason to profile or cast suspicion on any individual. They are included here because they may reasonably assist in identifying the perpetrator of this incident.

Anyone with information regarding these crimes is urged to call Public Safety at (651) 962-5100 or the St. Paul Police Department at (651) 291-1111.

For more information, see Public Safety’s Dec. 20 alert. Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the St. Thomas Public Safety website.

• On Saturday, Dec. 15, at approximately 1 p.m., a UST student reported her unattended laptop was stolen from a desk on the third floor of O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library. The student reported she had left her laptop for only a few minutes to get something to eat.
• On Sunday, Dec. 16, between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m., a UST student reported his unattended wallet was stolen from the third floor of Anderson Student Center. The student reported he left his wallet on a table in  the Student Leadership Center while he went to use the restroom.
• On Monday, Dec. 17, between 6:25 and 6:45 p.m., a UST student reported her unattended laptop was stolen from the fourth floor of O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library. The student reported she left her laptop in a backpack under a desk while she went to get something to eat.

There is no available suspect information in any of these incidents. For more information, see Public Safety’s Dec. 18 alert.

Anyone with information regarding these crimes is urged to call Public Safety at (651) 962-5100 or the St. Paul Police Department at (651) 291-1111.

Public Safety also would like to advise the community of two incidents recently reported by the Minneapolis Police Department.

• On Wednesday, Dec. 12, between 1 and 1:45 a.m., MPD reported an unidentified victim was assaulted on the 100 block of 9th Street. The victim reported he was assaulted from behind by an unknown suspect. The victim was stabbed and later sought medical attention at Hennepin County Medical Center.
• On Sunday, Dec. 16, between 12:43 and 12:47 a.m., MPD reported a non-UST affiliated suspect was arrested for third degree assault on the 700 block of Hennepin Avenue. A second non-UST affiliated suspect was arrested for disorderly conduct.

Further details are not known for either of the incidents at this time. For more information, see Public Safety’s Dec. 18 advisory.

Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the St. Thomas Public Safety website.

Situation: You are about to step into an elevator when the fire alarm goes off. What should you do?

Situation: You are teaching in an O’Shaughnessy Educational Center classroom and sirens begin to wail, warning of severe weather. What should you do?

Situation: You are in your residence hall room and you hear what sounds like gunfire. What should you do?

When what seemed to be gunshots were reportedly heard near the St. Thomas campus Nov. 16 in downtown Minneapolis, individuals on the university’s Minneapolis campus were instructed to “seek shelter and remain in place.”  According to Karen Lange, dean of students  and co-chair of the University Action and Response Team (UART), it is critical that people are prepared and have the tools they need. Reviewing emergency procedures, discussing your department’s office safety plan, and registering your mobile phone numbers with St. Thomas’ emergency notification system are important in preparing for an emergency on campus.

What should you do?

A good start is to learn and follow the safety tips provided by the Public Safety’s quick reference Emergency Guides. When emergencies arise, it’s critical to know what to do. Lives may depend upon your actions. In addition to listing emergency telephone numbers, the guide provides procedures to deal with:

• Active shooters
• Bomb threats and searches
• Criminal activity
• Fire
• Gas leaks, fumes or vapors
• Hazardous material spills
• Medical emergencies
• Severe weather
• Suspicious mail or packages
• Utility failure

The University Action and Response Team (UART) and Public Safety also suggest the following:

USTALERT

Register your mobile phone with USTALERT through Murphy Online. Complete the registration via the “Personal Information” tab.

Sheltering in place

Things happen that are out of our control, so sheltering in place is required. What should you do when an emergency dictates that you shelter in place? Dan Meuwissen, director of public safety, offers the following “sheltering in place” guidelines:

Hazardous material released from fires, explosions or chemical spills, or severe weather conditions, such as a lightning storm, large hail or tornado:

• Go immediately indoors and close all windows and doors.
• For soot/ash from local fires and chemical spills, close off all air from under doors, or wherever air could seep into the room.
• For tornadoes, seek shelter in the lowest, most inner part of the building.
• For floods, move to upper floors.
• Do not leave your shelter until directed so by authorized personnel.

Dangerous situations, such as a person with a gun, bomb or other weapon:

• If the threat is in the area, but not near you:
  • Move AWAY from the area of danger, as quickly as possible.
• If the threat is near you and you can escape:
  • If you know where the threat is and can move away from it, do so as quickly as possible. Run, if necessary.
• If the threat is near you and you can (safely) lock the door:
  • Move into an area in which you can LOCK THE DOOR.
  • Turn off the lights and turn off all electronic devices
  • Hide behind furniture and be as quiet as possible.
  • Wait for an all-clear message or for UST Public Safety to release you from your position.
• Do everything you can to survive until UST Public Safety or police respond.
• When police enter the room, follow their instructions carefully.

* * *

The University Action and Response Team offers this Sheltering in Place Exercise for office, department and classroom discussions.

* * *

Is your office, department or classroom prepared for an emergency? An Office/Department Safety Plan can be viewed here.

On Saturday, Dec. 8, at approximately 2 a.m., an unidentified female took a bus from downtown Minneapolis to 34th Street and Chicago Avenue. A male suspect, that the female believed followed her from downtown, grabbed her and dragged her to an isolated area, where he sexually assaulted her. The suspect also took her phone and jacket. The suspect was described as a black male, 30-40 years of age, thin build, dark complexion, wearing a black puffy jacket.

The University of St. Thomas believes that descriptors alone are not a valid reason to profile or cast suspicion on any individual. They are included here because they may reasonably assist in identifying the perpetrator of this incident.

The Minneapolis Police Department is seeking community assistance with locating this suspect. Persons with information for MPD are asked to call Sergeant Melissa Banham at (612) 673-2869.

For more information, including photos of the suspect, see Public Safety’s Dec. 12 advisory. Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the St. Thomas Public Safety website.

11/19/2012 Sex Assault at 27th Ave & West River Pkwy

According to an Associated Press report in the Pioneer Press, a suspect has been arrested. Louis Richard Oliver, a.k.a. Terry Woods, was arrested at Region’s Hospital after being reported as approaching women near a parking area in a suspicious manner. A suspect photo has not been released to the public due to the nature of the investigation.

For more information see Public Safety’s Nov. 30 bulletin. Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the St. Thomas Public Safety website.

At approximately 7 a.m. on Nov. 24, a suspect displayed a handgun to a SuperAmerica store employee and asked for cash. The store employee complied with the request. The suspect fled the store and left heading east on Grand Avenue.

The SuperAmerica employee called the St. Paul Police Department, who responded and searched the area without successfully finding the suspect.

The suspect is described as a white male in his late 20s, wearing a black Carhartt hooded jacket, gloves and black sunglasses.

The University of St. Thomas believes that descriptors alone are not a valid reason to profile or cast suspicion on any individual. They are included here because they may reasonably assist in identifying the perpetrator of this incident.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is urged to call the St. Paul Police Department at (651) 291-1111, or Public Safety at (651) 962-5100.

For more information see Public Safety’s Nov. 24 alert. Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the St. Thomas Public Safety website.

Temporary traffic control, including detour routes, will be on site to maintain traffic flow and alternative routes. Advance warning signs will be set up this week.

Left turns will be restricted at Cretin and Marshall avenues and detour routes will be posted. Through-traffic movement will be maintained at the intersection; however, there may be some delays during parts of the day because of limitations on traffic flow. People who regularly use this route may want to make alternative plans.

If the project is delayed, a supplemental article will be published with additional details.

At 7 a.m. Monday, Nov. 19, an unidentified female, acknowledged as a St. Catherine University student, was walking near the area of 27th Avenue South and West River Parkway in Minneapolis when she was sexually assaulted. The victim was approached by an unidentified male suspect asking for money. The suspect then forced the victim to a nearby wooded area, where she was sexually assaulted.

The victim was able to flee the area on foot and was later transported to an area hospital for medical attention.

For more information see Public Safety’s Nov. 19 advisory, and St. Catherine University’s Public Safety alert. Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the St. Thomas Public Safety website and the St. Catherine University Public Safety website.

Minneapolis Police gave an “all clear” Friday afternoon after spending more than two hours searching an office building near the St. Thomas campus following reports of possible gunfire.

“There is no evidence of a shot of any kind,” Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau told reporters outside the Retek on the Mall building, 10th Street and La Salle Avenue, where several individuals reported hearing gunshots on the 10th floor around 11 a.m.

St. Thomas sent an all-clear alert to students, faculty and staff at 1:25 p.m., allowing activities at the Minneapolis campus to return to normal. The first alert, sent at 11:37 a.m., advised individuals on campus to “seek shelter and remain in place,” and a second alert at 12:12 p.m. stated they should “remain in place until all clear.”

Retek on the Mall is across La Salle from Opus Hall, and the skyway between the two buildings was shut down during the alert. Police searched the 11-floor building floor by floor and did not allow any occupants to leave until the all-clear was issued. Police speculated the gunfire-like noise could have been related to noise in the ductwork or ventilation system of the building.

St. Thomas suspended shuttle service between the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses, and it was restored after 1:30 p.m.

To issue alerts, the St. Thomas Public Safety Office deployed USTALERT, powered by RAVE, a new emergency notification system that replaced CityWatch on Oct. 1. The system sends simultaneous text and email messages as well as social media updates to faculty, staff and students. Read more about USTALERT here.

–FIRST STORY PUBLISHED 11/16/12, 1:06 p.m.–

Report of possible gunfire near Minneapolis campus prompts “remain in place” alerts

Reports of possible gunfire in a downtown Minneapolis office building near the St. Thomas campus late this morning prompted  the university to issue an alert advising those on campus to “seek shelter and remain in place.

A Minneapolis Police Department spokesman told reporters at the scene that someone on the 10th floor of the Retek on the Mall building, 10th Street and La Salle Avenue, heard what sounded like gunshots around 11 a.m. Building security personnel were notified, 911 was called and police officers arrived at the scene. They are still searching the building at this time, and authorities instructed all people in buildings near the scene, including the Minneapolis campus, to remain in place until an “all clear” is issued.

St. Thomas sent its first alert to students, staff and faculty at 11:37 a.m., minutes after being notified by authorities. A second alert at 12:12 p.m. instructed those on the Minneapolis campus to “remain in place until all clear.” Members of the University Action and Response Team (UART) are meeting to monitor the situation.

St. Thomas has suspended shuttle service between the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses until the incident is resolved.

Nov. 5 to 9 is Winter Hazard Awareness Week in Minnesota. The website provides information to help you plan for winter. It also contains current information on the types of winter weather storm warnings, safety kits and winter driving.

To assist you in this preparation, the University of St. Thomas has developed the following information and guidelines for what to do and who to call during a winter weather snow emergency on campus.

Will a winter storm cancel classes? Dial 962-SNOW to find out

Love them or hate them, we can count on at least a couple of storms this winter. When the snow starts piling up and driving becomes treacherous, one of the first things that students, staff and faculty start to wonder is whether the university will declare a snow emergency and cancel classes or close.

When the university officially is closed because of inclement weather, all classes are canceled, and all administrative offices are closed for the day; however, it may be possible for classes to be cancelled and for the university to be open. It is important to listen carefully to the status of the university.

Once a decision is made, it will first be announced on the “Snow Line”: (651) 962-SNOW or (651) 962-7669, if your phone does not have letters on the keys. This will be the most up-to-date source for you to call. No other department or phone number will have more updated information.

The decision to close the university will be made by 6 a.m., if at all possible. When the university is officially closed, all classes are canceled and all administrative offices are closed for the day.

If weather improves during the day … or gets worse

On occasion, the inclement weather subsides as the day progresses. On these occasions, a decision to reopen the university for evening classes and other activities will be made by 3 p.m. In cases where the university is open during the day, but worsening conditions warrant the cancellation of evening classes and activities, that decision also will be announced by 3 p.m.

Radio and television announcements

St. Thomas will continue to use WCCO’s synchronized alert on WCCO radio (AM 830), WCCO TV and WCCO’s website as the official closing-notification. Students, staff and faculty will know what decision has been made if they listen to or view the station updates closing information between 6 and 8 a.m.

In addition the university also alerts two local television stations, KARE and KSTP.

Who needs to come in; who can stay home

All employees who are not designated as “emergency essential employees” are excused from work, without change in compensation, for the day of closing. Emergency essential employees are required to report to work as scheduled. The following positions are designated as emergency essential employees: Public Safety officers, IRT server administrators, Resident Dining Food Service workers, and certain Physical Plant employees, such as Physical Plant managers, building service workers, grounds workers, shift supervisors and managers, maintenance mechanics and electricians. If you are unsure whether you are an emergency essential employee, please contact your manager. Emergency essential employees will be compensated according to the university’s Inclement Weather Closing Policy, except that emergency essential employees who are represented by a union will be paid according to their collective bargaining agreement.

The O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library and Archbishop Ireland Memorial Library will attempt to be open with a limited staff, though these staff are not designated as emergency essential employees.

In addition to the SNOW phone and radio …

The university will use several additional methods to announce the cancellation of classes, or the reopening of evening classes if weather permits:

Telephone

In addition to the message available at (651) 962-SNOW, a recorded announcement will be sent to all voice mailboxes on campus.

Students who live on campus can hear the message simply by accessing their voice messages.

Faculty and staff can access the message on their campus voice mailboxes by using two methods. If school is closed for the day, faculty and staff are encouraged to leave that information on their personal voice greetings.

Here’s how to access your St. Thomas voice mailbox from off campus:

Option 1 (This is the preferred method; note that in most cases the box number is the same as your five-digit campus extension.)

Dial (651) 962-7777. When the system answers, enter your five-digit voice mailbox number. You then will be prompted to enter your pass code. Upon doing so, you will have accessed your voice mailbox.

Option 2 (This works well for multiple-box environments, where you share a phone with others.)

Dial your St. Thomas phone number. If you are in a multiple-box environment, press 1 or 2. Press the star key (*). You then will be prompted to enter your pass code. Upon doing so, you will have accessed your voice mailbox.

Please note that if school does close and a voice message is sent to all St. Thomas voice mailboxes, you will NOT have a light indicator of a new message.

Newsroom Updates

Announcements of school cancellations or reopenings will be sent to all St. Thomas email accounts. The announcement will be added that day to the Newsroom home page and will be sent separately as a Newsroom Update.

The announcements made by email will be made as soon as possible but will not be available as early in the morning as the phone messages. The email announcements will be especially useful for evening-class students who might wonder in the afternoon if they need to drive to class that night.

About the libraries

The O’Shaughnessy Frey Library will attempt to be open during weather emergencies on days the university is closed. Any changes in the hours will be made available on the libraries’ website and also can be heard on the hours telephone message for each library.

Other St. Thomas libraries likely will be closed.

Phone numbers for individual libraries are on the libraries’ Inclement Weather Web page.

Chat Reference Service

UST Libraries generally will staff the chat reference service from remote locations during weather emergencies.  See the IM reference page for status at that time.

St. Paul and Minneapolis snow emergency information

If you’d like to be notified when St. Paul or Minneapolis have declared snow emergencies for the cities, you can sign up for their notification services:

• In St. Paul, sign up for SnowAlert: You can sign up to receive email and/or text message notifications when a snow emergency is declared.  Notices are also posted on the city’s website, as well as its Facebook and Twitter accounts.
• In Minneapolis, in addition to email and text alerts, you can also sign up to have your phone called automatically when a snow emergency is declared.  And, notices are also posted through social media on Twitter and Facebook.

These sites (St. Paul and Minneapolis) also have detailed information about where and when to park during snow emergencies and how to recover an impounded car.

Also note: It is illegal in St. Paul to leave snow accumulation on a sidewalk. Saint Paul City Ordinance requires snow and ice to be removed from sidewalks within 24 hours.

A word about St. Paul’s E-Subscription system (email and SMS/text messaging)

By going to the city of St. Paul’s E-Subscription website, you can sign up to be notified by email or text message when the city has declared a snow emergency.

St. Thomas students, staff and faculty interested in the city’s electronic notifications are encouraged to sign up for that service using their St. Thomas email address, personal (non-St. Thomas) email address and/or wireless cell phone number.

A place to stay on campus in case you are snowbound

During office hours, commuter students should work with Off-Campus Student Services or the Dean of Students Office.  After business hours, students can work with Public Safety.  Either of these offices will work with the students to meet their needs, which may include staying overnight.  In that case, either office will contact Residence Life regarding availability.

Parking on campus during snow emergencies

During a snow emergency, normal parking restrictions on campus still apply. Students and employees still are required to have a permit to park on campus; this necessary procedure allows for an orderly flow of the university’s internal snow removal. This includes no overnight parking in non-resident parking lots.

In some cases, a lot or location may be closed off due to snow removal. The Newsroom will announce parking-related information as it becomes available.

Resident students with permits also should make sure to check for lot-closing postings during heavy snowfalls in the event it is necessary to close resident lots for plowing. This also will be announced in the Newsroom.

The (off campus) 48-hour rule

Keep in mind that the city of St. Paul’s snow-emergency rules do not impact the existing rule that cars must be moved every 48 hours if parked on a residential street. Vehicles still must be moved regularly.

As noted in the university’s St. Paul Parking Guide: “Even in areas where no permit is required, there is a 48-hour limit for parking a vehicle in the same location on city streets.”

Where to find this message when the snow starts falling

If severe winter weather is on the way, you will find a link to this information on the Newsroom homepage.

USTALERT is the comprehensive, multichannel alert notification system that informs the community when an emergency is in progress. The system is administered through a partnership between Public Safety and Student Affairs, under the direction of the University Action and Response Team (UART).

Register your mobile number

Text messages delivered to mobile devices offer the quickest option for notifying our community of an emergency. Eighty-eight percent of undergraduates are currently subscribed to receive updates via text message; however, the same is not true for graduate, professional and law students (29 percent) or faculty (18 percent).

If you are not sure if your number is registered or if you would like to add or update your mobile number, watch your inbox. Faculty, staff and students who do not have a mobile number registered through Murphy Online will be receiving an email with instructions on how to register.

What can you expect from USTALERT text messages? Notifications will be related to specific types of incidents deemed emergencies by Public Safety. They include active shooters, incidents that require evacuation such as bomb threats or gas leaks, and incidents such as a power outage or severe weather that would cancel classes. When necessary, notifications will be accompanied by instructions, such as an evacuation plan.

A test notification will go out once per semester to ensure the system is working properly.

New technology, faster alerts

Many people on campus are familiar with the CityWatch system, which sends text message alerts about emergencies to people who opted in with their mobile numbers. Since CityWatch was implemented, technology powering emergency notification systems has advanced and now allows messages to be delivered more quickly and effectively; consequently, Public Safety has replaced CityWatch with a much more comprehensive and effective system called RAVE.

With RAVE powering the USTALERT system, messages are sent much quicker and received in a more timely fashion – 2,500 text messages per second, 1,000 emails per second and 7,500 concurrent office phone calls per minute to name a few. This is significantly faster than the CityWatch system.

RAVE also allows more communication channels to be updated depending on the level of urgency, including text message, email, voicemail, the UST website, social media profiles and digital signage; in addition, messages can be targeted to specific groups depending on the nature of an emergency; for example, if there is a fire in a residence hall, a notification can be sent specifically targeting the students who live there.

Another benefit that RAVE offers is the verification of each subscriber’s mobile phone number with phone companies to help ensure the system is not bogged down with false or outdated numbers. Institutions such as the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have had excellent experience with response times using RAVE with populations of more than 110,000 subscribers on each campus.

Online emergency resources

In addition to the USTALERT notifications, online resources are available during an emergency to St. Thomas community members and the general public. The best, most up-to-date place for updates and information about an ongoing situation will be the St. Thomas homepage at www.stthomas.edu, which will switch over to emergency mode if it is determined necessary by UART.

In addition to highlighting the latest alert notifications from Public Safety, the emergency homepage will feature links to latest headlines from the public information officer and University Relations. It also will feature links resources from UST CARES, including ongoing assistance and support from offices such as Student Affairs, Campus Ministry, and Counseling and Psychological Services to name a few.

To learn more about the university’s emergency preparedness, visit the Public Safety website. You also can follow Public Safety on Twitter.

For more information on resources available during an emergency, visit the UST CARES website.

To receive the latest Public Safety alerts published in the St. Thomas Newsroom, visit the Public Safety Notices page or subscribe to the RSS feed.

At approximately 4:45 a.m. on Oct. 11, officers patrolling Lot O came across a suspicious vehicle parked in front of the Binz Refectory. As the officers approached, a non-UST affiliated male suspect voluntarily stepped out of the vehicle. The suspect appeared to be confused and disoriented. When asked, he consented to a search of his person and officers found marijuana related paraphernalia on him.

When officers questioned the suspect as to why he was on campus, he claimed to have been studying on campus, but could not accurately describe where. The suspect then consented to a search of his vehicle. Suspected marijuana was recovered from the front of the vehicle, and a hand gun and several rounds of ammunition were recovered from the back seat of the vehicle. The hand gun was concealed in a binoculars case, under towels. The St. Paul Police Department was then contacted.

SPPD arrived a short time later, determined the firearm was stolen and arrested the suspect. He was formally trespassed from campus and taken into custody by SPPD. The suspect’s vehicle was later towed and impounded.

At this time there is no cause to believe there is an ongoing threat to the campus community.

For more information see Public Safety’s advisory (PDF). All alerts, advisories and bulletins can be found on the Public Safety website.

At 1:16 a.m. Monday, Oct. 1, a student reported her bicycle was stolen from her secured front porch on the 2200 block of Marshall Avenue. The screen on the porch door was damaged and the door was found unsecured.

At 1:20 p.m. Monday, Oct. 1, a student reported his bicycle was stolen from his unsecured front porch on the 1900 block of Selby Avenue.

At 9:14 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3, a neighbor reported an attempt was made to steal a bicycle from his secured front porch. The screen on the porch door was cut and the door unsecured. A bike was removed from the porch, but recovered in the front yard. The neighbor believed the bike was left because a wheel was secured to the bike frame with a U-style lock.

For more information see Public Safety’s Oct. 4 alert. Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the Public Safety website.