Q: I park in West Campus Parking Garage (W26) and several months ago my vehicle was broken into and was primed for theft - the ignition switch was broken and the seat and mirror were adjusted for a taller person. This occurred during the day. After discussing the incident with UW police and with co-workers I discovered that break-ins and thefts occurred in the facility with some frequency. Why hasn’t this problem been publicized? What happened to the UWPD-published bulletin that warned personnel about campus concerns? What can be done to make the garage safer?

A: The UW Police Department is committed to reducing the amount of crime on campus. The police department has officers patrolling campus at all times. Parking enforcement officers also check the various parking areas, including W26, on a daily basis. The parking enforcement officers have radio contact with the police department if they observe a criminal act or suspicious persons.

Officers are provided with information concerning areas on campus where crimes were reported. The police department has had plain clothes officers patrol areas where a high number of crimes have been reported in an effort to apprehend those who are responsible. When possible, officers attempt to locate physical evidence (i.e. fingerprints, etc) that may lead to a suspect.

The police department has done a monthly newsletter in the past and hopes to continue using it to provide information to the community. Also, there is discussion that information might be provided via the Web, although there is no current timeline.

Sgt. Richard Lewis
UW Police Department

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