Silent Witness
What Should You Report?
What is suspicious?
What makes someone suspicious?
How do you know if something “funny” took place?
The answer to all these questions is largely subjective. Sometimes an individual will look perfectly normal in one area of the campus, while this same individuals presence would be highly irregular in another part of campus. The best way to articulate suspicion is: If something, or someone's presence makes you feel that all is not right, you need to articulate this information to the police.
If something out of the ordinary takes place in your office/classroom or college, you need to articulate it so that the dispatcher knows what has taken place. You know your office/classroom or college better than anyone. If something is not right, then you need to articulate it. An example: Every day you lock your desk, file cabinet, and turn off the computer, then, on a Monday, you discover the office open, the computer on and your desk rummaged through; this is suspicious. If you work in an isolated area where students never, or rarely, frequent and a person who looks like a student is just hanging around for a long time, this may be suspicious.
When you talk to the dispatcher, articulate these things. Somebody that is ‘very suspicious’ isn't going to report his or herself to the police.
How to Describe a Suspicious Person
The first thing to do is plan now how to do it, so that the description is of use to a police officer looking for them. Do not be shy; do not think your description might be offensive.
After you have tried to articulate these identifiers, go one step further. Ask yourself, if I were going to draw a caricature of this person, what features would draw your attention? Stress and articulate the obvious.
Suspects SEX
Suspects RACE
Suspects CLOTHING
Suspects HEIGHT/BUILD
Suspects HAIR LENGTH/COLOR
Suspects EYE COLOR
Suspects ACCESSORIES
Suspects SHOES
Did the suspect have a weapon?
Silent Witness Form
This is only used at this time to assist the Marshall University Police in solving a crime that occurred on property owned, leased, or rented by the University.
Please complete as many lines of this report as you possibly can. Any information obtained will be held in strict confidence as provided by under state law.
If you see crime occurring on campus and you would like to report it, please fill out the form below.