With school starting, it’s important to keep in mind certain habits that will keep the NEIU community a safe environment to learn and grow.

The Independent sat down with Campus Police Sgt. John Schulz and he shared tips for incoming students, and even some for existing students:

“Be careful where you leave your things” – At NEIU, we begin to feel very comfortable in our environment and tend to leave devices around when making a short trip to the bathroom or cafe. One of the number one crimes on this campus is stolen or lost property, be sure not to leave your phones/tablets/laptops lying around or have someone look over them.

“Criminals choose their victims” – Always be aware of your surroundings. The key is to be alert, which means keeping headphones out of your ears while walking and keeping your phone in your pocket. Additionally, you should walk through well-lit areas and avoid walking alone. In a case where you don’t feel safe and don’t have anyone to walk you, you may call campus police to escort you to your destination.

“N-Alert is a must have” – If you haven’t signed up for N-Alert, you should do it now. N-Alert provides you with updates in cases of emergencies where an area should be avoided, or in the event that the school is closed due to the season, flooding, power outage, etc. When signed up for N-Alert, these notices may be sent to your phone via text.

“Be aware of your community” – Tragedies, in most cases, are preventable. If you notice a friend, family member, or classmate acting strangely and saying troubling things, speak up. Reporting the behavior to the proper authorities will get that individual the help that they need and could ultimately save lives.

“Always have a good lock” – Bike theft is common around spring and summer times all throughout the city of Chicago. The most important thing to do is research and invest in a lock that will gives criminals a difficult time. Also, you may register your bike at any Chicago Police Department station so in the case it is stolen, you will have a chance of seeing it once again.

“Park towards the center of the campus” – When riding your bike to school, it’s important that you try to place your bike towards the center of the campus rather than the edges. Another note to remember is to use the bike racks rather than trying to lock your bike to a tree or fence. After a warning, your bike will be taken and you will need to pick it up from the police station.

“Enable tracking on your smartphones” – If you phone ever gets lost or stolen, it’s important you have enabled tracking on your phone to be able to locate it and get it back. With this in mind, it’s also important to get the serial numbers for your tablets and laptops to also help in retrieving them in the same case.

In addition to safety tips, there are services that campus police are more than happy to provide to students in need. Besides providing escorts, they have a pump for tires if your car is running low. If you car is out of juice, then they can help jump your battery, and if it’s just low on gas, they could also provide a lift to gas station.