UPD creates tips hotlineUniversity Police created a new anonymous tip line that will give students and Foggy Bottom residents the opportunity to report crimes or concerns, according to a University press release.

GW’s Crime Tips Hotline (994-TIPS) will allow callers to contact UPD Director Dolores Stafford and report incidents that they would feel uncomfortable reporting in person.

Many people have information, but they don’t come forward because they don’t want to go on the record, said Stafford, according to the press release. 994-TIPS will give them a way to report incidents with a promise of strict confidentiality.

Though the calls will be anonymous, Stafford said she would prefer callers left a first name so that she could return their calls, but it is not mandatory.

Stafford said she would be the only person retrieving calls from the crime tips hotline and that she or her staff would investigate the information.

It’s important that I get as much detailed information as possible to help with my investigation, Stafford said. Callers should answer questions like who, what, where, when, why, etc.

Stafford said she hopes the hotline can help bolster UPD’s efforts to solve crimes and resolve complaints.

Everyone at GW and in Foggy Bottom should know that our goal is to increase safety and with their help, we can accomplish this, Stafford said.

Student reports stolen credit cardA male student reported that his credit card was stolen, two days after he invited a non-student back to his Lafayette Hall room, a University Police official said.

UPD Director Dolores Stafford said on Feb. 20, a male and a female student met an unidentified male outside of the Foggy Bottom Metro station. The unidentified male indicated that he was upset that one of his friends had died, Stafford said. Stafford said the unidentified male, who was not a GW student, said he wanted to hang out with the students and that one student ultimately invited him to his residence hall room.

Stafford said on Feb. 22 the suspect came back to the male student’s room and stole his credit card.

Though Stafford said she did not have specifics on the identity of the suspect, the students did provide some details.

They took pictures of the guy, and they will try to develop them so we can investigate, Stafford said.

-Jason Steinhardt