Police officials advised students to follow normal safety
measures Wednesday after the murder of a 21-year-old University of Wisconsin
student.
Brittany Zimmermann, a junior from Marshfield, Wis., was
found dead in her home at 517 W. Doty St. around 1 p.m. Wednesday.
At a news conference Wednesday evening, Mayor Dave
Cieslewicz and the heads of the UW and Madison police departments assured
residents they still live in a safe environment.
“We are a very strong community; we are a safe community,”
Cieslewicz said. “Violent crime is down in our city, and this neighborhood
remains safe.”
Still, in immediate steps toward extra surveillance, UWPD
increased patrols in the Doty Street area at 4 p.m. Wednesday, and the
university increased its SAFEwalk staff for Wednesday evening.
UWPD Chief Susan Riseling said extra patrols would continue
“as long as necessary.”
As part of her standard message regarding campus safety,
Riseling reminded students to avoid talking on cell phones and listening to
iPods as they walk down the streets.
Riseling recommended students utilize the SAFEwalk program
and avoid walking alone.
But the chief also said students should try to maintain
their daily routines and simply use caution.
“We say this over and over again, but it bears repeating:
It’s best not to walk alone at night,” Riseling said.
Mary Anne Thurber, a Madison police officer in the crime
prevention office, said students should use Zimmermann’s tragic death as a motivator
to try to be as safe as possible.
“We want people to take the opportunity to learn from this
heartbreaking event to trim up the edges of their personal existence,” Thurber
said.
Thurber said students need to be aware of all their
surroundings.
“Lights, locks and landscape are three fundamentals,” she
said.
In particular, Thurber said students need to deadbolt their
doors when they are both inside and outside their homes. And with the warm
weather hitting the area, MPD says students should still not open their windows
past four inches to prevent intruders from entering through them.
Additionally, officials recommend students not include their
names on cell phone voicemail greetings and leave only their last names on
mailboxes.
For one-on-one counseling, both Thurber and UW Dean of
Students Lori Berquam recommend University Health Services’ counseling
services. Thurber said students should also feel free to talk to police
officers they see patrolling their neighborhoods.
Despite all the precautions officials recommend, Thurber
said students should still go about their everyday business.
“People are going to have extra awareness,” Thurber said.
“But people cannot live in a hyper-vigilant zone.”
City Council President Mike Verveer, whose district includes where the homicide occurred, is
taking such an approach.
“I’m not afraid, but I certainly am going to be watching my
back and my surroundings more than I normally do,” he said.
Madison Police Chief Noble Wray encouraged anyone who
noticed any even remotely suspicious behavior in the Doty Street area in the
last couple days should step forward with the information.
Thurber said even the “smallest thing can make the biggest
difference.”
Anyone with any information that could help officials is
urged to call CrimeStoppers at 608-266-6014.
Verveer and officers will hold a community meeting Saturday
afternoon to discuss safety in the neighborhood. Details on the meeting will be
set Thursday.
