Lehigh University Police Department Tips
If you are leaving your off-campus residence for university holidays, scheduled breaks or for an extended period of time, you may have concerns about the safety of your residence. The Lehigh University Police Department allows you to register your off-campus residence for the times that you are gone and will provide additional police patrols in your neighborhood.
Through the HawkWatch App, students can also take advantage of the walking escort service, TRACS van service, or dispatcher live-monitoring services offer through LUPD. If you ever feel unsafe walking home to your off-campus residence, these are great resources to use.
Visit the Lehigh Police Department "Living Off Campus" page for more information.
Students can find more information below on staying within City safety guidelines and practicing smart home safety.
Stay Smart and Stay Safe
- Find the number of your local fire department and post in an accessible location
- Know the location of all the fire extinguishers and fire alarms in the building.
- Pennsylvania law requires that the landlord supply a working smoke alarm. If the detector fails and it is not a dead battery, the tenant is to report the failure to the landlord.
- Keep your home free of clutter, trash piles, and other accumulated items.
- Use space heaters, particularly kerosene heaters with caution. Barbecuing on porches, roofs, or indoors is unsafe and is a City fire code violation with a maximum fine of $600.00.
- Make sure your electrical system is in good order. Check all appliances for frayed spots. Do not overload your circuits. If your fuses or circuit breakers are continually shutting off power, the system is overloaded. Do not put too many plugs into one outlet; this may cause a fire.
- There should be two means of exit from each living unit.
- Know and post the number to the local police department in an accessible location
- Ask the landlord to install new locks when moving into a house or apartment. If the landlord is not willing to change the locks to your satisfaction, ask if you can make the change at your expense and provide him/her with a key in case of an emergency. Do not leave extra keys where they can be easily found.
- Use deadbolt locks (especially those with a key) or sliding barrel locks on all doors to the outside. For your garage, cellar, or other utility doors, use crossbars and hasp locks. Do not use cheap locks or spring-snap locks; they are easily opened. Make sure all windows, including cellar windows, are locked.
- Mark your valuables with a driver’s license number or other identifiable mark. The Bethlehem Police Department will lend you an engraver. University Police also have engravers that you can borrow. This will aid in the recovery of stolen valuables and help the police trace items. If you cannot engrave an item, write down its description and serial number. If you cannot prove ownership of a stolen item, the police will not release it to you.
- A well lit house and garage is an excellent burglar deterrent. At night, leave a couple of lights on inside the house. When you are away, do not leave any notes saying when you will return.
- One of your most important ways of protecting your home is to know your neighbors. Make them fully aware of your living habits such as who comes and goes and when. If you notice a stranger doing something out of the ordinary, call the police immediately.
When leaving for an extended time, consider some basic precautions:
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Register your vacation with the University Police. They will watch your home while you are gone. This is especially true during Semester and Spring Break. Lehigh's schedule is no secret!
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Cancel daily deliveries of mail and newspapers or arrange for someone to pick them up.
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Keep a couple of lights on in the house or install an automatic timer to turn them on.
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Close your curtains.
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Arrange to have grass mowed or snow shoveled.
Lehigh University offers walking escorts and TRACS (Take a Ride Around Campus Safely) van service through the combined efforts of students, University Police and Transportation Services. Walking escorts are requested by dialing (610) 758-1111. Download the Lehigh University App on your Smartphone to access TRACS schedule at any time.