Suspicious Behavior

Suspicious behavior or activity can be any action that is out of place and does not fit into the usual day-to-day activity of our campus community. For example, someone looks into multiple vehicles or homes or tests to see if they are unlocked. Or perhaps you are worried about how your roommate has been acting differently or concerned about the behavior of a co-worker.

Don’t hesitate. Even if you are unsure of what is happening, the best thing to do is to let officers investigate. You may help prevent violence or theft. When the police catch someone breaking into a home or stealing something, it is not unusual for that person to be responsible for multiple other crimes. You shouldn’t worry about using up an officer’s time. The additional information will give police and security essential data to identify trends and decide when and where to deploy patrols.

Suspicious activities or behaviors may include, but are not limited to:

• Someone wandering around campus areas, attempting to open multiple doors
• A person seems nervous and is looking over their shoulder.
• A person enters restricted areas when not authorized or follows immediately behind others into card-access areas while the door is open.
• Someone claims to represent a utility company but is not wearing a uniform, does not produce identification upon request, and does not have a company logo on the vehicle.
• They carry property at an unusual hour or location, especially if they attempt to hide the item.
• Someone uses binoculars or other devices to peer into apartment and home windows.
• A person is driving a vehicle slowly and aimlessly around campus.
• Sitting in a vehicle for extended periods or conducting transactions from a vehicle
• Someone abruptly changes their behavior when they are seen.
• A person is dressed inappropriately for the weather or occasion (e.g., wearing a coat when the temperature is warm).
• Someone is leaving packages, bags or other items behind.
• Someone is exhibiting unusual mental or physical symptoms.
• A person makes unusual noises like screaming, yelling, gunshots or glass breaking.
• Individuals in a heated argument, yelling or cursing at each other.

If you witness concerning or suspicious behavior:

• Call 911 or contact DPSS at (734) 763-1131 with the following information:
  • Your name and location
  • What you see
  • A description of person(s) involved
  • The location of person(s) involved
• Keep a safe distance from the person until law enforcement arrives. Check on the person only if it is secure.
• If personal safety allows, get a good description of the suspicious person. Note their height, weight, sex, complexion, approximate age, clothing, method and direction of travel, and name if known. Doing so provides vital information to investigating police officers.
• If the person attempts to leave the scene in a vehicle, bicycle, etc., do not attempt to detain them—but try to make note of the vehicle’s make and model, license number, color and any outstanding characteristics.

Behaviors do not have to violate the law or U-M policy to be of concern.

Examples of concerning behavior:

• A preoccupation with high-profile, violent incidents
• Responding disproportionately to a given situation
• Lacking concern for the safety or well-being of others
• Having a romantic obsession, usually unrequited
• Having an obsessive fondness or fascination with firearms
• Refusing to accept personal responsibility for one’s actions, generally blaming others for one’s own mistakes
• Holding grudges
• A sharp decline in job or academic performance, including frequent absences.
• Personality, mood or behavior changes
• Cutting social ties
• Crying excessively with little cause
• Allowing personal grooming habits to decline
• Feeling severely stressed (academic, job, financial, family or relationship problems)
• Abuse of drugs or alcohol

Examples of escalating behavior:

• Failing to recognize appropriate boundaries in the classroom or at work
• Intimidating, belligerent or defiant behavior
• Confrontational, angry, unpredictable or agitated behavior
• Reckless, antisocial or violent behavior, including towards people or animals
• Making direct or indirect threats about harming or killing oneself or others
• Stalking

If you know someone exhibiting a pattern of concerning behavior, call 911 or DPSS at (734) 763-1131 or report your concern online.

The Michigan State Police – Homeland Security has identified seven signs of terrorism:

1. Surveillance: Someone recording or monitoring activities. Examples include using cameras (still or video), note taking, drawing diagrams, annotating on maps, or using binoculars or other vision-enhancing devices.
2. Elicitation: People or organizations attempting to gain information about security operations, capabilities or people. Elicitation attempts may be made by mail, fax, telephone or in person.
3. Tests of security: Any attempt to measure reaction times to security breaches or to penetrate physical security barriers or procedures to assess strengths and weaknesses.
4. Acquiring supplies includes purchasing or stealing explosives, weapons, ammunition, etc. It also includes acquiring military, police or security uniforms, decals, flight manuals, maps or badges (or the equipment to manufacture such items) or other controlled items.
5. Suspicious persons out of place: People who don’t seem to belong in the workplace, neighborhood, business establishment, campus or anywhere else.
6. Dry run/Trial run: Putting people into position and moving them around according to their plan without committing the terrorist act. This is especially true when planning a kidnapping, but it can also pertain to bombings. An element of this activity could also include mapping out routes and determining the timing of traffic lights and the flow of traffic.
7. Deploying assets: People and supplies are getting into position to commit the act. Once this begins, this is a person’s last chance to alert authorities before the terrorist act occurs.