University of Colorado at Boulder police and CU safety officials are reminding members of the CU community to remain vigilant and follow prescribed safety protocols as the semester draws to a close this week.
On Wednesday, Boulder Police reported a possible attempted abduction of a CU student that occurred Tuesday night. The student, a Williams Village resident, was approached at around 7:30 p.m. as she was walking to the area of 30th Street and Baseline Road from the Williams Village complex and offered a ride by a man she described as a blond Caucasian male in his mid-20s, about 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, with a goatee and scruffy face, wearing a black winter jacket and black hoodie. The man tried to grab her by the arm, but she broke free and ran to Williams Village, where she called police.
Boulder Police are investigating the incident and do not have any reason to believe at this time that it is related to six other reported assaults on women that have occurred off campus since Halloween.
In light of these incidents, CU police and campus safety officials advise CU students, faculty and staff leaving for the semester or remaining in Boulder during winter break to remain personally aware at all times and take extra precautions in packing and traveling for the holidays. Authorities offer the following advice to community members:
o Avoid packing and loading cars late at night;
o Do not load your car alone. Ask trusted friends or neighbors, or, if you live on campus, CU housing personnel, for assistance;
o Never prop open a residence hall or off-campus dwelling door to facilitate car loading, as it can permit intruders to enter your building;
o Call friends and family and share itineraries and expected departure and arrival times with them;
o Take your cell phone with you at all times;
o While traversing campus or the city, stay in well-lit areas and common thoroughfares. Call a taxi or use CU Night Ride, which operates until 2 a.m. during finals
o Report all suspicious activity and persons in on-campus locations to campus police by calling 9-1-1 in emergencies or 303-492-6666 in non-emergencies.
o Remember that alcohol impairs judgment and the ability to recognize dangerous situations.
o Don't be a passive bystander. If you see a crime in progress, quickly call 9-1-1.
CU Police and Housing officials have increased patrols on campus, and CU Police have increased the frequency of patrols in areas adjacent to campus. CU Housing staff are conducting exterior door-checks during finals (residence halls are locked with a single front door entrance being the only public access to buildings), and residence hall advisers have been trained to be extra alert to intruders and other dangers. The residence halls close on Friday at 10 a.m.
CU officials will be messaging to students, parents and the larger campus community regarding safety issues throughout the winter break, so the community is advised to monitor e-mail, the CU Web site at and the CUConnect student Web portal at / for announcements.