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The Weekly Snapshot
Your source for the latest tips, information, and current campus safety resources from the NCCPS.
Click above to download the report (PDF) on the 1st summit.

Promising Practices for Implementing the Clery Act and Title IX

 

We are back from the 2015 International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) Annual Conference and Exposition where we had the opportunity to meet many practitioners from the field.  Several of you who stopped by our table in the exhibit hall expressed interest in the two summit reports we had displayed:

Interest in these reports was also apparent in the crowded room where Associate Vice Chancellor Sue Riseling, Chief of Police at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, provided an overview of the findings and recommendations in her presentation, Promising Practices for Implementing the Clery Act and Title IX in Sex Crime Investigations. 

Click above to download the report (PDF) on the 2nd summit.

These reports are the result of two summits moderated by Chief Riseling and sponsored in partnership by IACLEA, the National Center for Campus Public Safety, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police University and College Police Section. More than 40 campus police chiefs and public safety directors attended the sessions, as well as Title IX administrators and other campus officials. The first summit was held in August 2014 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a follow-up summit took place in January 2015 at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Centering on the challenges and emerging and promising practices for the implementation of the Clery Act and Title IX with regard to sex crime investigations, the reports cover topics to include: reporting sexual violence, increasing reporting to police, timely warnings, training (sexual assault, Title IX, Clery), victim/survivor services, investigations (Title IX and police), the role of the prosecutor, and on-campus hearings.

 

The first report notes that summit attendees made it clear Title IX is not only the law; it is the right thing to do. The promising practices identified are not meant to be final solutions, rather they can serve as starting points to form a core Title IX public safety compliance system. The next steps section of the second summit report states, "even with the considerable work done in both summits, there is no doubt much work remains. What needs to be done in an early stage by colleges and universities is the development of Title IX policies and procedures." Policies and procedures are the foundation upon which comprehensive and effective systems are built. This good faith effort will increase the likelihood that victims feel supported throughout the process.

 

We encourage you to download and share these resources. Please feel free to contact us with any questions.

Click image above to read more about the VCUPD noise suppression vehicle.
Managing External Relations and Off-Campus Conduct

 

Creating a safe community at your college or university involves managing external relations and off-campus conduct. Off-campus community issues such as loud parties and noise complaints, alcohol and drug abuse, and disorderly or violent student conduct cannot be reduced or resolved with a reactive approach alone. It is vital for campus public safety, local law enforcement, administrators, and other campus safety stakeholders to identify issues and work synergistically on a problem-oriented and proactive approach.

 

Last week, staff members of the Virginia Commonwealth University Police Department (VCUPD) presented at the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) Conference on this subject. According to VCUPD's Performance Management Coordinator, Shana Mell, VCUPD has worked strategically with campus partners such as neighboring community and student groups, property-owners, local police, and city stakeholders to address the following underlying issues: "an inconsistent approach to police calls for service; little to no record-keeping for analysis; lack of consistency with community groups and members; no internal coordination at VCU as an institution; no accountability for property owners; and not holding those that were creating issues accountable." In 2010, a multi-disciplinary VCU Neighborhood Team was formed with members from campus police, student affairs, residential life, and judicial affairs "as the first step to address problems in a non-traditional way." While the team hoped the existing issues would be resolved, Shana said that "it turned out to be only one of many prongs" in their problem-solving approach.

 

To help with their efforts, VCU Police created an External Relations Officer position. Shana advised the external relations officer is "a sworn officer dedicated to all off-campus conduct issues who is the face of VCUPD in the community attending all community meetings, communicating with landlords, following up on all related calls for service, and partnering with community officers at Richmond Police Department on all student-related issues." Letters to property owners (PDF) were also developed and used to urge more responsibility with tenants, as well as evict students who were problem tenants. The use of technology including the free LiveSafe safety mobile application, the prtysmrt party scheduling system, a highly visible VCUPD noise suppression vehicle (the vehicle's sound meters measure decibel levels), and a campus surveillance video system also helped VCUPD curtail off-campus issues. As a result of these community efforts: 

  • Noise complaints were reduced; communication and response improved immensely
  • Relationships between police and property owners improved
  • Video cameras proved to be an effective crime deterrent and helped VCUPD track, locate, arrest and convict suspects
  • Calls for service and police visibility increased

If you have questions or would like more information on VCUPD's external relations and off-campus conduct efforts, you may contact Shana Mell by phone, 804-828-5932 or email, or VCUPD's External Relations Officer Greg Felton by phone, 804-828-1209 or email.

Click image above to view our online calendar of events.
Professional Development Opportunities

 

Title: Campus Crime Prevention Training

Supported by: National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC)

Fee: Registration Fee

Information and Registration

  • July 28-30, 2015 in Rochester, NY (Register by July 12)
  • August 4-6, 2015 in Kennesaw, GA (Register by July 24)
  • August 18-20, 2015 in Huntsville, TX (Register by Aug. 17)
  • September 15-17, 2015 in Des Moines, WA (Register by Aug. 14)

Title: Jeanne Clery Act Training Seminar - University of the Pacific

Host: Clery Center for Security on Campus

Dates: August 03-04, 2015

Location: Sacramento, CA

Fee: Registration Fee

Information and Registration

 

Title: Social Host Laws: Why is One Approach More Effective than Another in Addressing Underage Drinking? (Webinar)

Host: Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center (UDETC)

Date: August 04, 2015 at 3:00PM EST

Location: Online

Fee: Free 

Information and Registration 

This project was supported by Grant No. 2013-MU-BX-K011 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the US Department of Justice.
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