Ruthie Braunstein/The Hoya Department of Public Safety Officer Cetrina Smith and MPD Lt. Brian Bray spoke about safety issues Wednesday night. Local law enforcement officials said Wednesday night that there are many steps that Georgetown students can take to ensure their own safety as well as the safety of their property.

Sgt. Charles Florence of the Washington, D.C. Fire Department and Lt. Brian Bray of the Metropolitan Police Department led a dialogue on safety for Georgetown University students Wednesday in the Leavey Center Program Room.

The Junior Class Committee and the Office of Off-Campus Student Affairs sponsored the discussion, and it was geared towards students who live off campus. Investigator Cetrina Smith of the Department of Public Safety was also present to answer questions.

Less than 10 people, including members of the media, attended the event.

The first speaker was Fire Sgt. Charles Florence, who has worked as a fireman for 17 years. He began by recounting the story of a fire that took place Feb. 2 in a student residence off campus. Florence said that, as the first fireman who arrived on the scene, he was able to ascertain that the fire had begun in the basement, because the students had placed a large bag of books between the furnace and the hot water heater. Fortunately for the students who lived there, the firefighters extinguished the flames fairly easily, but Florence said that, “in four to five more minutes we could have lost the house, because fire spreads very quickly.”

He explained that what had shocked him most about the fire was that large signs on both the hot water heater and the furnace said not to store items within three feet of the appliance.

When Florence asked one of the students in residence why they had not paid attention to the signs he said the student replied, “We don’t have to time to read stuff like that.” Florence’s ultimate message was that to prevent fires, students should try to take care of their homes and use common sense.

The second speaker was Bray, MPD’s second district commander.

Bray explained that the Georgetown community has identified as its major concern loud noise and errant behavior on the part of students as a result of the consumption of alcohol.

Bray noted the necessity of taking common-sense precautions to avoid the burglaries. He advised avoiding walking alone late at night in areas that are poorly lit and secluded. He also encouraged females not to wear purses because they indicate to a potential thief that the wearer has money at the same time they can be torn away very easily if they have long straps.

Bray also advised males to carry their wallets in their front, not back pockets, so as to avoid pickpocketing. Bray also pointed out that OC spray, a 10 percent solution pepper spray, is legal in the district and can be purchased at any law enforcement supply store.

In terms of house burglaries, Bray said, “I can’t stress enough, you have to lock your doors!” He explained that all the homes that have been burglarized recently, 75 percent of the victims in the robberies were students and at least one of their doors were left unlocked overnight. In each case, the burglar just walked in. Bray’s other piece of advice was, when possible, to purchase a dog.

He said that if an officer believes a party is too loud and is disturbing the peace, the officer has the right to go into a house to abate the nuisance because a crime has already been committed. The officer does not need a warrant.

Bray said that if the students just turn the music down, and cooperate, and it is the first time the police have been called to the house, the officers are likely to issue a warning. In the case of a repeat violation or a party that is clearly out of control, officers will likely issue a three hundred dollar fine.

Bray said, though, that the officers do have the right, if they feel it is necessary, to arrest students at parties. He also mentioned the recent underage drinking sting operations that have been going on in Georgetown bars and said that the department uses three Intellicheck machines in order to ascertain whether an I.D. is fake or legitimate.

Bray’s ultimate message is that the officers are not just here for the permanent Georgetown residents, “We’re here for everybody.” He says he does not want students to have an antagonistic impression of the police force, because it is there to protect students just as much as any one else.

When talking about overall crime in the area, Bray said Georgetown University, “killed the crime stats of this [area] because of carelessness.” He emphasized the importance of locking things up and not leaving valuable items in tempting places, like the front seats of cars.

Bray also asked that students remember stealing street signs is a safety hazard, because when police or firefighters are attempting to get to an emergency as quickly as possible, missing street signs only make their jobs harder.