WEEKLY LUPD ACTIVITY SUMMARY
October 18, 2026 – October 25, 2026
During the week of October 18 through October 25, 2026, the Lehigh University Police Department logged 164 calls for service. Campus activity remained steady and routine, consisting predominantly of residential access requests, property checks, and regional agency support.
SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS & CRIMES
Crimes Against Property/Person:
- Retail Theft: Two retail thefts were reported at the Clutch and Go inside the University Center. One investigation remains open; the second resulted in student suspects identified with charges pending.
- Fleeing and Eluding: A student bicyclist operating after dark without required lights willfully fled from an officer on Webster Street.
- Fire Equipment Tampering: Life Safety reported tampering with fire safety equipment at House 097. Photographs were taken, and the investigation is pending.
- Disorderly Conduct: A DeSales student was observed overturning Adirondack chairs on Memorial Walkway. Police identified the individual, referred them to their home institution, and issued a trespass and citation warning.
- Bias & Discriminatory Incidents: No incidents of bias or discrimination were reported this week.
Fraud/Drugs/Liquor:
- Medical Amnesty & Safe Harbor: Medical amnesty under the Timothy Piazza Anti-Hazing and Safe Harbor Act applied during severe intoxication incidents, prioritizing emergency medical care over disciplinary action. At Singleton House, an incapacitated underage student was transported to St. Luke's Bethlehem by Bethlehem EMS, and an accompanying student was released to a responsible party. At Taylor House, an intoxicated student found in a bathroom was transported by Bethlehem EMS to the hospital, and a confiscated fraudulent ID was referred administratively. Intoxicated students evaluated by Lehigh EMS at Dravo House, Hitch House, Drinker House, and 5th and Fillmore Streets were referred to the Dean of Students.
- Fraud & Fake IDs: Fraudulent driver's licenses were confiscated following alcohol-related incidents at Singleton House and Taylor House. An underage male who initially fled an officer near Packer Avenue and Webster Street was evaluated by LUEMS, cited, and released to a sober party.
- Drug Violations: University Center staff recovered an unattended backpack containing marijuana, paraphernalia, and cash; items were impounded for destruction. Two unaffiliated individuals found smoking marijuana on Lookout Drive were directed to leave campus.
Facilities & Hazards:
- Fire Department Responses: Bethlehem Fire Department investigated an unfounded gas odor report at Cultural Greek Council House and cleared false alarms caused by shower mist at a Greek house and an unconfirmed activation at Rathbone Dining Hall.
- Infrastructure & Utilities: Utility lines pulled down by a delivery truck on Ryan Street were referred to service providers for repair. A dry trash trouble alarm on the fire panel at Maida House is awaiting replacement parts.
SECURITY ALARMS & UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS
Suspicious Activity:
- Unattended Vehicle: An unoccupied vehicle registered to an unaffiliated individual was found running unattended for two hours outside McClintic-Marshall House; officers shut off the engine.
- Regional K9 Sweeps: LUPD K9 units assisted the Allentown Police Department with three bomb threat sweeps at William Allen High School and assisted Bethlehem Police with an event security sweep at Northampton Community College on East 3rd Street.
- Noise Report: A HawkWatch report of suspected gunshots was investigated and confirmed to be fireworks.
Security Breaches:
- Perimeter Access: Officers discovered and secured an open exterior storage shed at Rust Family Pavilion and an unlatched gate at the Ulrich Fields Complex.
- Emergency Exit Check: A forced emergency exit door alarm at McClintic-Marshall House was inspected and confirmed secure.
Alarms:
- Door Prop/Held Alarms: Officers responded to 16 door prop or held alarms campus-wide, heavily concentrated at Zoellner Arts Center (6) and Cundey Varsity House (3). All doors were secured, and a maintenance work order was submitted for Zoellner Arts Center.
- Burglary Alarms: One accidental alarm activation occurred at Zoellner Arts Center and was reset.
- Trouble Alarms: Handled three trouble alarms, including a panel fault at Cundey Varsity House, an elevator alarm at Rauch Business Center, and an exterior door tensioner issue at Fritz Laboratory for which a work order was placed.
TRAFFIC STOPS & ENFORCEMENT
Traffic Stops:
- Officers conducted 8 traffic stops, all resulting in educational verbal warnings: stop sign violations (3), operating without headlights after dark (2), and traveling the wrong direction on one-way roadways (3).
SERVICE & LOGISTICS
Lockouts:
- LUPD completed 42 room, residence hall, and campus building lockouts across student housing and administrative offices (Chandler Ullmann, Coxe Hall, and Packard Lab), alongside 1 vehicle lockout.
Welfare Checks:
- Officers conducted 3 welfare checks, confirming the safety of a student who overslept with a dead phone battery, an off-campus student on Taylor Street, and coordinating an out-of-jurisdiction welfare check with another police agency for a person in distress.
Assistance & Medical:
- Motorist Assists: Completed 5 vehicle jump-start calls (4 successful; 1 unable to be completed at due to a malfunctioning hood latch).
- Medical Transports: Bethlehem EMS provided emergency hospital transports for syncope at Southside Commons, chest pain at Taylor Gym, an off-campus student head injury, and severe alcohol cases.
- Special Assists: Executed a secure funds escort from Stabler Arena, assisted a staff member freed from a stalled elevator at Rathbone Dining Hall, and provided campus courtesy transports.
TRENDS & LESSONS LEARNED
- Exterior Door Security: Repeated door-prop alarms at Zoellner Arts Center and Cundey Varsity House undermine perimeter security. Occupants must ensure exterior doors are never propped open and report latching issues promptly.
- Safe Harbor Protections: Under the Timothy Piazza Anti-Hazing and Safe Harbor Act, students seeking emergency medical help for themselves or an impaired peer during alcohol or drug emergencies receive medical amnesty from disciplinary prosecution.