After spending my first year as a UC Berkeley student attending class remotely from Seoul, South Korea, I was beyond excited to finally be on campus this fall. However, on my second night at Berkeley, my family and I came back from dinner to find our car windows smashed in. My sister’s suitcase and my purse, which contained my wallet and new apartment keys, had been stolen. It was quite a rude awakening to the harsh reality of living in the East Bay.
What was even more shocking was the degree to which this type of crime has been normalized. Every local with whom I spoke about this terrifying experience expressed empathy, but was unsurprised and even seemed to have their own similar experiences. For fellow newcomers to the area, I thought I’d share a few safety tips and resources I’ve learned from this experience.
- Stay Calm No Matter What
In times of crisis, the least helpful thing is to panic. You don’t want your emotions to cloud your judgment and ability to assess the situation because the first and most important step is to make sure you aren’t in an actively unsafe situation. In other words, you need to be able to ascertain whether or not you are in imminent danger and act accordingly. To do so, as hard as it might be, you must try your best to remain calm and attentive.
- Contact Law Enforcement
If you’re at an active crime scene and the threat level is high, you should definitely call 911. If not, contacting your local police is the next step. You will be expected to describe where you are and what has happened. Make sure to contact the appropriate law enforcement that has jurisdiction in your vicinity. For example, if you’re within the Berkeley city limits, students should be able to contact the University of California Police Department (UCPD) at their 24-hour phone line: (510) 642-6760.
- Have Your Phone Ready
You should always have your phone charged and ready so you can let others know where you are and what has happened. Additionally, you should also use your phone for documentation purposes. Take pictures of the concluded crime and your surroundings. This will be extremely useful for filing a police report and insurance claims.
- Be Proactive
This is more of a preventative tip, but in order to not become a target, you should never leave your valuable items in plain sight. Especially to avoid situations like the one I experienced, it’s best to not leave anything in your car at all. It’s also important to know your neighborhoods so that you avoid certain areas altogether or determine what to bring (i.e. pepper spray) as well as what not to bring (ie. car, purse, etc.).
- Better Together
You’re much safer when walking with a friend or in a group as opposed to going home alone, especially at night. Yet even when you’re not alone, it’s best to avoid deserted streets because crimes are less likely to occur when there are many potential bystanders around. Additionally, UC Berkeley offers free Night Safety Services to help keep you safe when walking around late at night. These services can be accessed via bearwalk.berkeley.edu. Dial 2-Walk (2-9255) from a campus phone for both BearWALK or Owl Service.