Dear Campus Community,
Yesterday’s horrific incident in Parkland, Florida is a sobering reminder that such incidents continue to happen and often lead to more questions than answers. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School community.
Currently, there are no active threats toward our campus. It is extremely important to remember that, If You See Something, Say Something. If you notice an individual that is behaving in a manner that is unsettling, please call the University of Maryland Police Department (UMPD) right away so an investigation can begin. Furthermore, UMPD remains vigilant all day, every day, to protect our campus from harm.
This campus has a Behavior Evaluation and Threat Assessment (BETA) Team, which immediately evaluates reports about students who appear to be concerning, disruptive, or threatening. For more information, please visit https://studentaffairs.umd.edu/staff-faculty/beta-team .
While UMPD trains for active shooter incidents, our students, faculty and staff must also be prepared. If you find yourself in the middle of an active shooter event, your survival may depend on whether or not you have a plan. The plan doesn't have to be complicated. There are three things you can do that make a difference: RUN. HIDE. FIGHT. To learn more about these three steps, I urge you to you watch Run. Hide. Fight. Surviving An Active Shooter Event video.
Our instructors are available to meet with your division, department, or student group, to talk more about active shooter preparedness. To request a presentation, please contact Captain Ecker at kecker@umpd.umd.edu .
As always, I ask that you register your cell phone with UMD Alerts and download the UMD Guardian Safety App. Simply visit https://www.alert.umd.edu/ to register your cell phone and you will receive text messages from UMPD in the event of an emergency. By downloading the UMD Guardian app, you can text a tip to UMPD and have the ability to include a photo.
Both resources are free and help when seconds count in an emergency.
David B. Mitchell
Chief of Police/ Director of Public Safety
University of Maryland Police Department
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