Safety Alerts

A Safety Alert (also known as a "Timely Notice") is issued whenever a serious crime (or series of less serious crimes) occurs on campus and notification of the community would help community members protect themselves from the same or similar incidents. A Safety Alert may be issued with or without an all-campus email alert via the campus's emergency notification system.

Please see our page on Emergency Notifications and Timely Notices for a full description of all notification systems.

Indecent Exposure May 1, 2011 

The Campus Police Department received the following information today (Sunday May 1, 2011) at 4:40PM.  Members of our community were sunbathing behind the canoe house on the upper lake when, at approximately 4:30PM, an individual on a silver-colored BMX Bike rode by them a number of times.  The first time he rode past he was fully clothed and was staring intently at our sunbathing students.  A few minutes later he rode by the students a second time wearing just his black basketball shorts and on his third pass by a short while later he was exposing his genitals. He stopped a short distance away on his third pass and began masturbating in open view of our students.  When this individual observed the students retrieving their cell phones to call Public Safety he immediately dressed and left the area.  It should be noted that he did not speak to, nor attempt to touch, any of our students throughout this encounter.

This individual is described as a white male between the ages of 18 and 23, with a lean build (approximately 165 lbs), with short brown hair (no facial hair), average height wearing black basketball shorts and a black tank-top shirt.  Public Safety has compiled a composite of the suspect which will be posted as soon as it is available.

This incident is being investigated by Campus Police Detectives and the local area police departments have been advised as well.  The Campus Police will be performing additional patrols of the upper lake area. This message is being sent out to advise our community members of this incident and to remind everyone to use general safety precautions.  Anyone with any information regarding this matter is asked to contact Campus Police at 538-2304 any time of day or night.

Community Crime Prevention Notice

Motor Vehicle B&Es April 28, 2011

Yesterday afternoon the Department received two reports of cars broken into between 3:30pm and 5:00pm, one at Mount Holyoke and one at Hampshire. In both cases, side windows were broken on the vehicles.  At Hampshire a laptop and backpack were stolen, the backpack was recovered later.  At Mount Holyoke a purse was stolen and was recovered by South Hadley police department a short time later. The victim reported it appeared there was nothing missing from the purse.
The following steps can reduce the likelihood of similar thefts:

• Leave your windows closed, lock your car doors and enable your vehicle’s car alarm (if equipped).
• Do not leave any valuables in your car. Remove any laptops, GPS units, CD’s, bags, cases or other valuables in view in your car. If you cannot take them with you, secure them in your trunk. Even loose change can be tempting for someone desperate for money.
• If you notice someone looking into car windows, notify Public Safety immediately. 

Safety Alert

Computer Thefts October 21, 2010

Case Solved: A student was identified as the suspect in this case. Public Safety is working with the Dean of Students for an appropriate outcome for this case.

Following the report of several computers stolen from Clapp and Cleveland Halls, the Department of Public Safety would like to remind members of the community about measures you can take to prevent similar thefts:

• Do not leave your computer unattended, especially laptops which are extremely portable for thieves
• Secure your computer in a locked area
• Make a record of the make, model and serial number of your computer and keep this information stored in a secure place
• If you are responsible for college computers and would like to discuss methods to protect those computers, please call Public Safety
• Be sure to regularly backup your data so if your computer is stolen you do not lose all of your data as well

Report any suspicious activity to Public Safety right away, providing a description of the person, their location and direction of travel, and what they were doing that caught your attention.

In addition, if anyone has any information that might assist Public Safety in its investigation of the computer thefts in Clapp and Cleveland Halls, please contact us at x2304, or dial (413) 538-2304 from off campus or from a cell phone.

Officers are on duty twenty-four (24) hours a day to respond to incidents and to give assistance. Crime prevention is everyone's responsibility. Working together we can keep the campus safe.

Please visit the Public Safety website at www.mtholyoke.edu/go/safety for more crime prevention tips.

February 23, 2010

Today at approximately 3:00am Public Safety Officers responded to a cell phone call from a student, that there were two men at the Blanchard bus stop who were trying to get her to come over to them. Public Safety officers responded and were able to identify the two individuals and ran a records check. One of the two was Hector Diaz who had an outstanding warrant out of the city of Holyoke for failing to register as a Level 3 sex offender (for information on sex offender registry classification, please visit www.mass.gov/sorb).

Hector Diaz is 49 years old, 5’6”, 145-160 lbs and has black hair and brown eyes. He was placed under arrest, booked and transported to Hampshire county jail. Both individuals were trespassed from campus.
 
The second individual trespassed is 42 years old, 5’4”, 130 lbs, with black hair and brown eyes.  

It was the quick action on the part of the student reporting the incident that aided in apprehending this individual.

While the individual was apprehended Public Safety recommends the following crime prevention measures:

• carry your cell phone and pre-program the Public Safety phone number (413-538-2304)
• consider walking in groups
• walk on the well-lit campus walkways
• report any suspicious behavior immediately to Public Safety

Officers are on patrol 24-hours a day and respond to all reports of suspicious behavior or activity.

Public Safety can provide self defense programs in the residence halls. For more information contact Senior Officer Kellie Cournoyer-Cronk at x2304.

Students parking their cars in campus lots or working in academic buildings late at night (after 12:30am) may call Public Safety from any emergency phone or cell phones to request a transport from the lot or academic building to their residence halls.

Officers are on duty twenty-four (24) hours a day and respond to all community concerns. If you need support call Counseling Services at 538-2037.  Crime prevention is everyone's responsibility; working together we can keep the campus safe.

This alert is being provided to our community in compliance with the Jeanne Clery campus safety act.