(09/06/01) Door Propping and Crimes of Opportunity

To the Residents of all Haverford College Dormitories,
Apartments and Houses

Over the past several years, the Haverford College community has been faced with the problem of students propping open exterior and stairway doors to their residence halls. Door propping has led, on occasion, to entry by suspicious individuals and theft. The Safety and Security Department (and some concerned students) remove door props only to find them propped open again later on.

Crime is very low on campus and the area around campus - students are generally not too concerned about safety. That's good - it is an indication of a safe environment. The downside is the fact that it is often difficult to raise awareness and increase personal responsibility without sounding alarmist.

Unfortunately, there are professional thieves who sometimes view Haverford College as a 'target rich environment'. In the past, it has always taken a publicized burglary or theft before students help us to ensure that doors stay locked (for a short while, at least). The message we want to convey to you is this - let's not wait for an incident before we address this issue.

In addition to allowing thefts and entry by suspicious individuals, if there is a fire - propping stairway doors facilitates the spread of smoke and fire through the building. A closed stairway door will prevent smoke and fire from entering the stairways and hallways allowing the residents to safely evacuate the building.

We are working towards the implementation of a card access system in the future that will allow entry by use of an access card. Card Access should virtually eliminate door propping - all outer doors will be wired - notifying Security when a door is left open and sounding a loud, audible alarm.

Until then, we ask for your help by not propping doors. In addition, if you see a propped door, please take the time to close it. Properly secured doors will help to keep you and your fellow students safe. If you have any questions about building security, please contact the Safety and Security Office at (610) 896-1111.