Chicago cop parcels out crime advice

In between jokes and stories, J.J. Bittenbinder taught his audience hw to avoid crime. Most students would think Chief of Police Operations Maureen Rush would be the last person to have her purse stolen. But during an event billed as an opportunity for students to learn street smarts last night, Rush and other students performed the role of victim so famous Chicago homicide detective J.J. Bittenbinder could teach street smarts to the large crowd who filled Irvine Auditorium. The 23-year Chicago Police Department veteran -- who has a national reputation for his crime prevention tips -- mixed practical advice with humor to instruct audience members on how to be tough targets. In response to student concerns about safety, the University arranged in early October for Bittenbinder to come to campus. While introducing him to the audience, Chief of Police Operations Maureen Rush acknowledged that the year has been a "challenging one for students and residents of West Philadelphia." Bittenbinder stressed that students can prevent becoming victims of the crime that has plagued the campus area by learning not to appear vulnerable to criminals. "It's not about how tough you are," Bittenbinder said. "It's about how tough they think you are -- tough targets don't get picked." While he admitted that there are no absolute answers, Bittenbinder said some tactics work better than others. The key to dealing with a crime situation is to have a plan, he advised. "I'm not trying to scare anyone -- this is actually a nice place to live," he said. "I just want you to have this information if you need it." From his lecture and the question and answer session that followed, audience members learned about a wide variety of topics -- from the importance of body language to the benefits of pepper spray -- and most importantly, how to react when cornered in a situation. When confronted by a criminal, Bittenbinder advised, give the person whatever he wants with as little contact as possible. "Nothing you have in your purse or wallet is worth dying for," he warned. The audience alternated between laughter at Bittenbinder's antics and sobered silence in reaction to his stories of the homicide and rape cases he has handled. "He was definitely entertaining," College sophomore Nikki Joseph said. He told students to use their brains as weapons against criminals. Though assailants may be bigger or stronger, he said, members of his audience are usually smarter. "I've been throwing around these guys for 23 years and I've never found a Mensa card in their pocket," he told the crowd, referring to the organization of people with high IQs. One practical piece of advice he offered was to keep a money clip with a small amount of money in it all the time. In a mugging, immediately throw the money one way and run the other, he urged. College sophomore Silvia Mestre said she and her friend were going to go buy pepper spray and money clips as soon as possible. Mestre added that Bittenbinder's advice was very practical and informative and made her conscious about how to react in certain situations. Following the event, Rush said Bittenbinder had made a real impact on people. "Hopefully, it will keep them thinking of a plan to not be a target for crime," Rush said. For those who missed the speech last night, Rush said UTV-13 will air the event 12 p.m. tomorrow and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Rush also talked of plans for future showings of the speech at various times around the University.