The Best Public Safety Alert Ever

After three years at Princeton, I've come to associate Campus Safety Alerts with two things: toy guns (Three, yes, three times) and campus creepers. I've never really been happy to see Donald P. Reichling's name pop up in my inbox, you know? Which I know might seem too much to ask from Public Safety, but sometimes don't you just want to be surprised, and not in a trench coat on the tow path way?I mean, I guess that was what Vivienne was getting at last month, when she compared Public Safety's crime prevention tips to a list of Mountain Lion Safety Tips. Too much public indecency, not enough mountain lions.Today, Public Safety surprised me. No, Public Safety delighted me. I opened Donald P. Reichling's email as I always do, with a sad sigh and a sideways glance at the drawer where I stuffed the pepper spray my parents bought me before freshman year (Yeah, it's pink, get it? Because I'm a girl.) And then I smiled.Because, Vivienne, it happened. Roaming the streets of Princeton is a black bear.From this morning's Public Safety alert:

The Department of Public Safety is alerting community members about a reported sighting of a black bear in Princeton Township. A Princeton University staff member saw the black bear around 5:30 a.m. today.The black bear was reported last seen in the area of the Hun School in Princeton at about 8 a.m. The bear did not come in contact with any person, nor did it present any threat.Princeton Borough Police, Princeton Township Police, Animal Control and the Division of Wildlife Fish and Game were alerted to this report.If you see a bear, do not approach or attempt to feed it, but please contact the Princeton Borough Police, Princeton Township Police, or Public Safety, or just dial 911 and give the exact location of the animal. Leave the area calmly and slowly.

In the interest of public service, we've compiled some black bear safety tips from the Internet, which is the first place to go for not only medical advice, but also bear advice! (ed. note: No.)

If You Encounter a Bear…

• Remain calm and avoid sudden movements.
• Give the bear plenty of room, allowing it to continue its activities undisturbed. If it changes its behavior, you're too close so back away.
• If you see a bear but the bear doesn't see you, detour quickly and quietly.
• Remember that a standing bear is not always a sign of aggression. Many times, bears will stand to get a better view.
• Never feed or throw food to a bear.
• If you have pepper spray, be sure that you have trained with it before using it during an attack.

Note that these tips will also apply to our more frequent campus visitors.