With the winter holiday season approaching, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) is here to offer any and all safety reminders for students. Need a police escort for your evening walk home? Want to keep your holiday deliveries secure? They’ve got you. Plus: Meet some of the awesome members of Public Safety Operations, and stay up to date on DPS’ community events!

Thank You for Your Feedback!

Last month, Public Safety invited Dragons to participate in a community survey aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the services we provide. Your responses have been collected and will be reviewed. Thank you for your feedback! It is crucial to DPS efforts to improve the efficiency and success of the department.

In addition, the Drexel University Police Department and Public Safety Communications Center have both just received reaccreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). Thank you to all partners who participated in the review process.

December Safety Tips and Reminders

These safety practices, and our shared responsibility to uphold them, are evergreen. Visit the Public Safety website for additional tips about avoiding dangerous circumstances and the precautions you can take to prevent potential campus threats. Remember to report any suspicious behavior to Drexel Police by calling 215.895.2222.

Walking Escorts for Winter Nights and Beyond 

Now that time has “fallen back” and the days are shorter, you might want extra protection or help for your walk home from a night class or late work shift. Public Safety is here for you! They offer walking escorts for the Drexel community 24/7 within our patrol boundaries of 30th to 36th streets and Chestnut to Spring Garden streets. To request a walking escort:

• call Public Safety at 215.895.2222;
• use one of the many building and blue-light emergency phones located across campus; or
• ask any Public Safety officer on patrol or inside a building.

As a result of a partnership with the University City District, escorts are also provided by University City District Ambassadors from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. between 30th and 42nd streets from Wallace Street to Woodland Avenue and from 42nd to 50th streets from Market Street to Woodland Avenue.

Live or attend class in Center City? Walking Escorts are currently available 24/7 from New College Building within a two-block radius by calling 267.359.2380.

You can also set up a timed, virtual escort through the Drexel Guardian app.

Don’t Get Wrapped Up in Package Theft

It’s fun and convenient to shop online, but when you do, be sure to track your packages regularly, and do not leave them outside or in public spaces for long periods. If you know you won’t be around to collect a package, you can arrange for alternative delivery options or make sure a trusted confidante is present to receive the delivery. Detailed tips below:

• If you won’t be home, have your packages delivered elsewhere, such as an Amazon pick-up/return site, P.O. box, or a FedEx or UPS location. It is well worth the commute there to ensure your packages are safe.
• Request that deliveries require a signature. With carriers like FedEx or UPS, you can often set this preference through your customer account, even if the package is already on its way. In other cases, such as U.S. Postal Service deliveries, you will need to arrange for a signature ahead of time.
• Subscribe to delivery alerts. All major delivery services offer notification services for package updates. A text message will inform you that your package has arrived.
• Ask a family member, roommate or trusted neighbor to retrieve your package for you.

How to Outwit Identity Thieves and Cybercriminals

The Department of Revenue is encouraging Pennsylvanians to take steps to protect their personal information from identity thieves and cybercriminals. These bad actors are constantly working to steal sensitive data that can be used to file fraudulent tax returns and request fraudulent tax refunds. Here are some related tips to keep your info yours and yours only:

• Use security software for computers and mobile phones — don’t ignore that persistent “Update” notification!
• Use strong and unique passwords for all accounts (Good: jelly22fi$h; not so good: drexel).
• Use multi-factor authentication whenever possible.
• Shop only secure websites; look for the "https" in web addresses and the padlock icon; avoid shopping on unsecured and public Wi-Fi in places like coffee shops, malls or restaurants.

Get to Know Us: Operations Team 

Get introduced to some of the great members of Public Safety’s Operations Team. By now you’ve probably heard about Drexel’s Communications Center, the DrexelALERT system, the Drexel Guardian App, and other safety mechanisms at Drexel. The Operations unit are the folks behind these systems, employing various technologies and modes of communication to both connect with and protect the Drexel community.

Erik Levitsky, Operations technician, has been with Drexel since 2011. His role is to service and manage every type of technology Public Safety uses, including hardware, software, CCTV, fire alarm monitoring, card access and radio systems. Erik provides 24/7 support for the Drexel Communications Center. His favorite part of the job is building and repairing computer software. Fun fact about Erik: He’s a guitarist, who produces heavy metal albums in his spare time!

Associate Director of Security Technology John Shields started working at Drexel in 2018 and just earned a master of science degree from Drexel last August. He develops security plans and oversees all new security technology installations for all Drexel locations, and he maintains software and/or hardware for over 1,200 doors, over 200 security panels, 800 Video Management System cameras, and over 200 campus emergency call boxes! Outside of work, he enjoys snowboarding all over the northeast, and spending time with his wife, Dana, and yellow lab, Romeo. “In my tenure at Drexel, I’ve had the pleasure to work with people at Drexel Public Safety that work tirelessly to keep Drexel and the surrounding communities safe,” said John. “We focus our efforts on safety 24/7 so that students, faculty, staff and members of the community can enjoy all that Drexel campuses have to offer.”

Associate Director of Operations Moe DeLisi has been at Drexel since 2008. He primarily oversees compliance for the Clery Act and PA’s Uniform Crime Reporting requirements, Crime Analysis (reporting and mapping), and the University’s mass notification systems, DrexelALERT and Drexel Guardian. He was born in Italy and enjoys visiting family there. He also loves to cook and try out new recipes. “Your safety is our No. 1 priority. If you haven’t yet done so, please download the DrexelGuardian app today!” said Moe. “Stay connected with Public Safety; help is one click away. Request a virtual or walking escort, submit a crime tip, communicate with Public Safety via chat, and receive emergency notifications directly from the app.”

Did you know? There are currently 2,947 downloads of the Drexel Guardian app. That’s only 10 percent of the community. Let’s increase this number together. Just search “Rave Guardian” in the Apple app store for iPhones, or Google Play store for Androids, and then register using your Drexel email.

Community Commitments

Stop by the HQ for Some Cocoa 

Come say “hi” to the Public Safety folks over some delicious hot chocolate! From now through March, Drexel Police is hosting monthly meet-and-greets, so that students, faculty, and professional staff can warm up and say hello. Stop by the SE corner of 33rd and Arch (near the entrance to Buckley Field). Upcoming 2022 dates are: Jan. 12 from 2-3:30 p.m.; Feb. 16 from 2-3:30 p.m.; and March 9 from 5-6:30 p.m.

Stay Prepared With Drexel Public Safety

Get tips straight from the experts on how to be prepared, not scared, in dangerous or unfamiliar situations. The next “Your Safety Is Our Goal” interactive presentations, focused on Public Safety’s engaging community trainings on situational preparedness, are happening December 16 at noon and 6 p.m. on Zoom. Sign up for one of these scheduled events, or if you have a community or group you would like us to present to, or would like to propose an alternate presentation time, please contact Officer Tom Cirone at tjc94@drexel.edu or Officer Kim McClay at kam556@drexel.edu.

Visit Us at a Dragons Basketball Game 

Drexel Police will be at select men’s and women’s basketball games this season, near the student section. Please stop by to say hello; they’d love to meet you, offer resources, help you register your property, or answer any other questions!

Important Reminders

We’re Here for You When You Need Us

Please call 215.895.2222 immediately if you experience or witness a crime. The Communications Center is staffed 24/7 to serve you, whether you choose to remain anonymous when making a report. It is vital that crimes are reported promptly to Drexel Police so that they can be investigated, and so that Public Safety can connect the victim(s) with proper resources.

See Something, Say Something: One of the most important things you can do is add 215.895.2222 (Drexel Public Safety) to your mobile phone contacts list. This number will connect you to the Drexel Public Safety Communications Center, staffed 24 hours per day, seven days per week with trained dispatchers who will answer and send help your way. Please report any suspicious activity or concerns immediately using this number (you may also call 911 during any emergency).

Emergency Numbers

215.895.2222 or 911

TTY: 215.571.4141

Walking Escorts

215.895.2222

To learn more about Drexel Public Safety, visit drexel.edu/publicsafety.