The Medical Campus Security Department, in partnership with the Coral Gables campus-based University of Miami Police Department, has scheduled two national women’s self-defense classes on the Miller School of Medicine campus in December.

S.A.F.E. (Self-Defense Awareness and Familiarization Exchange) is a two-and-a-half-hour introduction to self-defense that provides women with risk awareness, risk reduction, and personal safety information, in addition to a few basic physical defense techniques. S.A.F.E. is an excellent introduction to the Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) program.

Date: Wednesday, December 8 from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Fees: $10 for faculty, staff, and students; $15 for Jackson employees and the public.
Registration: Advanced online registration is required due to limited class size. Register at www.miami.edu/selfdefense.

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From left to right: Cheryle Lundy-Matos (Sec. Supervisor), William Heffernan, UM Chief of Police David Rivero, George Ayash, Khaled Taha, and Barbara Reed (Sec. Manager).

Up until early 1990s, the University of Miami employed security officers under the purview of the University of Miami Police. Due to the increased volume of requests for services, contract security eventually replaced UM Security at the Coral Gables campus. Recently, however, issues concerning rising costs and decreasing quality of service have prompted the University of Miami Police (UMPD) to search for alternative options to better serve the University Community.

In a project launched over the summer, 13 security officer positions were created, with the first of these new hires (Khaled Taha, George Ayash, and William Heffernan) being sworn in recently during a ceremony at UMPD headquarters.

These security officers will augment the existing patrol on campus and are cross-trained to assist police officers in directing traffic and working special events. The new UMPD Security Division has also redesigned its uniforms, providing a more professional appearance in line with department goals.

If you are interested in finding out more about the UMPD Security Division, please contact 305-284-6666. Employment applications are currently available at www.miami.edu/careers.

The Miller School of Medicine Department of Security, in partnership with the Coral Gables campus-based University of Miami Police Department, will be piloting two national women’s self-defense programs known as S.A.F.E. and R.A.D. on the Miller School campus. UMPD is currently offering both programs on the Coral Gables campus. If the Miller School campus pilot programs are successful in attracting a reasonable number of women, they will be scheduled on a regular basis. Please take a moment to complete this brief online survey.

Classes will be open to all female University students, faculty, staff, contractors, and, if space permits, the general public. Program policies and fees for classes on the Miller School campus will be identical to those on the Coral Gables campus, with the 2.5-hour S.A.F.E. program costing $10 ($15 for the public) and the 12-hour R.A.D. program costing $35 ($45 for the public). More information on the S.A.F.E. and R.A.D. programs is available at www.miami.edu/selfdefense.

Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) is an in-depth nationally recognized women’s self-defense program that teaches the basic principles of safety awareness, risk reduction, and practical physical defense techniques. The University of Miami Police Department is a designated R.A.D. program partner with several certified instructors. The philosophy and methods taught in this program were designed specifically for women, with the most common types of assault against women in mind. The Basic Physical Defense Program consists of 12 hours of instruction, divided into three evening sessions lasting four hours each. Classes consist of lecture, demonstration, drills, and final simulation exercises. The techniques are physically demanding but not beyond the abilities of any dedicated woman.  Space is limited; registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Class Dates
Monday, September 27 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. (Class 1 of 3)
Wednesday, September 29 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. (Class 2 of 3)
Monday, October 4 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. (Class 3 of 3)

This is a three-session program in which content builds upon itself. By registering, you are committing to attend all three classes. If you miss a class, you may not attend any subsequent classes within this course.

Location
Coral Gables campus; exact location given when registered.

Fees
$35 for female students, faculty, and staff
$45 for non-UM affiliated females (public)
Payment is due via Credit Card when registering for the course online.

Sign-Up
Advanced online registration is required due to limited class size.
This is course No. 101027R.

Registration
Please only register if you are sure you will be attending. Register online by completing a R.A.D. Self-Defense Course Registration and Payment Form accessible through www.miami.edu/police/selfdefense. Be sure to enter the correct course number on the form. This is course No. 101027R.

Within three business days of submitting an online registration and payment form, you will receive a confirmation e-mail advising you of your successful registration for the class, along with the location and other pertinent information. You will additionally receive an e-mail payment receipt immediately after submitting an online registration. All correspondence will be via e-mail, so be sure to put a valid e-mail address on your registration form.

Additional up-to-date information on this and other self-defense classes is always available through the UMPD self-defense website: www.miami.edu/police/selfdefense. Call the UMPD Crime Prevention Office at 305-284-1105 if you have additional questions.

Copper thefts are a common form of theft, as thieves look to cash in on the metal. But authorities say other more precious metals are even easier to steal because they can be found in every car—in your vehicle’s catalytic converter.

Catalytic converters are devices that reduce pollution-causing emissions. Beginning with the 1975 model year, all vehicles made in the United States were required to have a catalytic converter as part of the exhaust system. The precious metals inside (platinum and rhodium ) act as catalysts, which through chemical reaction take the toxic gases of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons and render them into less harmful exhaust emissions.

Stolen catalytic converters are sold to scrap yards for approximately $100 to $150. Rhodium sells for roughly $9,500 an ounce, while platinum sells at about $2,000. Platinum and rhodium are a vital component of catalytic converters, and thieves armed with little more than a portable blade are finding them much easier and profitable to steal than an entire vehicle. The crime is committed in just a few minutes, and junk yards are eager for the metals inside the converter.

Vehicles that sit higher from the ground such as trucks, pick-ups, and SUVs are particularly vulnerable to catalytic converter theft because thieves can slide underneath without having to lift up the vehicle to gain access to the converter. With just a few cuts of a battery-powered saw, the converter can be removed quickly. Owners of SUVs and trucks can often pay much more for a new converter, sometimes nearly $1,000.

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Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) is an in-depth nationally recognized women’s self-defense program that teaches the basic principles of safety awareness, risk reduction, and practical physical defense techniques. The University of Miami Police Department is a designated R.A.D. program partner with several certified instructors. The philosophy and methods taught in this program were designed specifically for women, with the most common types of assault against women in mind. The Basic Physical Defense Program consists of 12 hours of instruction, divided into three evening sessions lasting four hours each. Classes consist of lecture, demonstration, drills, and final simulation exercises. The techniques are physically demanding, but not beyond the abilities of any dedicated woman. Space is limited; registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Course Dates
Tuesday, September 7 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. (Class 1 of 3)
Thursday, September 9 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. (Class 2 of 3)
Tuesday, September 14 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. (Class 3 of 3)

This is a three-session program where content builds upon itself. By registering, you are committing to attend all three classes. If you miss a class, you may NOT attend any subsequent classes within this course.

Location: Coral Gables campus. Exact location given after registration.

Fees
$35 for female students, faculty, and staff
$45 for non-UM affiliated females (public)
Payment is due via credit card when registering for the course online.

Sign-Up
Advance online registration required due to limited class size.
This is course #100907R.

Registration
Please only register if you are sure you will attend. Register online by completing a RAD Self-Defense Course Registration and Payment Form, accessible at www.miami.edu/police/selfdefense. Be sure to enter the correct course number on the form; this is course #100907R.

Within three business days of submitting an online registration and payment form, you will receive a confirmation e-mail advising you of your successful registration for the class, along with the class location and other pertinent information. You will also receive an e-mail payment receipt immediately after submitting an online registration. All correspondence will be via e-mail, so be sure to include a valid e-mail address on your registration form.

Additional up-to-date information on this and other self-defense classes is always available through the UMPD self-defense website: www.miami.edu/police/selfdefense. Call the UMPD Crime Prevention Office at 305-284-1105 if you have additional questions.

Need to renew, replace, or obtain a Florida driver’s license? Do you need to switch your out-of-state driver’s license for a Florida State one, or do you need to renew your Florida vehicle registration?

The University of Miami Police Department is bringing the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Mini-FLOW (Florida Licensing on Wheels) program to the Coral Gables campus for your convenience during the first week of classes. The Mini-FLOW will be set up in the first-floor lounge of the University Center and will be able to perform all the services listed above (written exams and driving tests will not be offered). No appointment necessary; simply stop by at your convenience:

University Center – First Floor Lounge
Wednesday, August 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Thursday, August 26 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Friday, August 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

More information is available at www.miami.edu/police or through the UM Police Crime Prevention Office at 305-284-1105.

Visit http://www3.hsmv.state.fl.us/intranet/FlowMobile for a complete listing of services offered.

As a result of a recent study conducted by the Miami-Dade County Public Works Department, the Levante Avenue and Sagua Avenue intersection has become an “all-way” stop. Drivers proceeding north on Sagua Avenue used to be able to turn west or east onto Levante Avenue without stopping. Now a stop sign has been installed, and all drivers proceeding north on Sagua Avenue must come to a stop before turning. The decision to change the intersection signage was made in an effort to improve the operational safety of the intersection. Please be mindful of this change if you drive in the area. Further information on this intersection and on driver safety is available at www.miami.edu/police or through the University of Miami Police Department Crime Prevention Office at 305-284-1105.

Some 800 to 1,000 wild American crocodiles live in the southern tip of the Florida peninsula. Occasionally, one or more of these reptiles visit Lake Osceola and other waterways on the University of Miami’s Coral Gables campus.

The University of Miami Police Department, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and other University officials have been closely monitoring the on-campus crocodile situation over the past several years. Barriers and humane trapping-and-release methods have been temporarily utilized in recent years to encourage the crocodiles to stay in more suitable off-campus habitats.

However, South Florida is a natural habitat for crocodiles. As the crocodiles continue to recover from the brink of extinction and humans continue to encroach on their natural habitat, more instances of interaction between humans and crocodiles will occur. Crocodiles are very mobile in South Florida waterways. As a result, the number of crocs moving throughout campus waterways is constantly changing.

The good news is that if you show them respect and keep your distance, there is no need to worry. American crocodiles are rather shy. So long as members of the University community respect the crocodiles’ space and don’t attempt to feed or harass them, there should be no problems.  There is no record of an American crocodile attacking a human in Florida. Crocodiles are a federally protected species. Feeding, harassing, or harming them is a crime. If you see a crocodile on campus, keep your distance and contact UM Police at 305-284-6666.

Further information on the American crocodile is available at www.myfwc.com and through the UMPD Crime Prevention Office at 305-284-1105. To view an informational brochure, click here.