The UTPD and Knoxville Police Department continued their monthly Safety Blitz on Monday evening at the Crowne at Campus Pointe apartments in Fort Sanders.
The Blitz started last year to reach out to students in the Fort Sanders area and on campus to make them aware of safety precautions.
UTPD Sgt. Donnie Ross, along with Dean of Students Maxine Davis and KPD officer Gerlach, who did not want his first name published, knocked on various doors at the apartments and gave tips such as keeping doors locked, hiding valuables out of sight in vehicles and avoiding walking alone at night.
"Over the years there has been a perception that (the Fort is) a scary place to live or a scary place to be," Ross said, "and we're just going around trying to reassure everybody and give personal safety tips as well."
The trio also warned students about opening their apartments to large numbers of people.
"You never know who's coming in," Ross explained. "If you have a party or a group get-together you never know who's coming in just to look around for potential items to come back and steal."
Mary Frances Csernak, senior in psychology, said she feels safer living at Crowne than on the other side of the Fort.
"I just see people (around my apartment) — really homeless men walking around looking for cans for the most part," Csemack said. "But when I used to live on the other side of the Fort, I used to see people shooting and what not."
She added, "I think it's kind of a double-edged sword. There are a lot of interesting people who come to this town and I'm not really sure why they're here, but they just seem to squat. And then I guess you kind of have the college student crime."
Though Csernak was initially apprehensive when she opened the door and saw a police officer outside, she was glad that safety tips were being given to students.
"I like it. I believe people should be more educated because I feel (like) people just kind of float through life like nothing is ever going to happen to them. But (crime) happens everywhere," Csernak said.