Crimes Reported To GSU Police Department

The following is a response to Title II of the Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act of 1990. It contains an abridged statement of the requirements and addresses our compliance.

A. Institutional policy statement on reporting crimes or other emergencies and response to these reports.

All crimes or other emergencies occurring on the Georgia Southern University campus are reported to the Georgia Southern University Public Safety Division, Police Department. The Georgia Southern University policies and procedures designate Public Safety Division's Police Department as the law enforcement unit for the institution. Students are encouraged to report crimes directly to Public Safety. Campus personnel are informed of this procedure through new employee/student orientation as well as through the Crime Prevention Unit. Written reports are made and followed up by the appropriate personnel in Public Safety (detectives, safety officers, et al.) Georgia Southern University does not currently have a method of "anonymously" reporting crimes to the campus Police Department.

B. Institutional policy statement on security and access to facilities and maintenance of security.

The Public Safety Division provides a walking escort service to faculty, staff, students, and visitors 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In addition, the Public Safety Division's Patrol Bureau provides a dedicated walking escort service staffed by part-time student workers during peak hours, 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., Sundays through Fridays while classes are in session.

There are local phone boxes located near the main entrance of each Residence Hall. These phones can be used to make local phone calls without cost to the caller. Phone boxes may be used to call persons inside the Residence Halls or to contact the Police Department if needed. Emergency call boxes are located at various outdoor locations throughout campus and are available for contacting the Police Department directly.

C. Institutional policy statement on campus law enforcement and the encouragement of accurate and prompt reporting of all crimes.

Georgia Southern University has its own Public Safety Division in which is included a Police Department of some 30 sworn Police Officers with full arrest powers, certified by the Peace Officers Standards and Training Council, whose sole duties are campus law enforcement and safety. The Police Department has original jurisdiction on campus. The reporting of crimes, promptly and accurately, is encouraged through distributed crime prevention material as well as through new employee/student orientation.

D. Descriptions of programs designed to inform students and employees about Campus security procedures and practices.

This is handled through the Crime Prevention Unit which organizes crime prevention sessions with Residence Hall staff, disperses program availability at GSU 1210 classes, and provides program descriptions on the Georgia Southern University Police Web site.

The Crime Prevention Unit also coordinates with Georgia Southern University's Department of Human Resources to provide specific training classes. Human Resources also advises new employees about services available to them through Public Safety.

Public Safety provides a 24 hour a day on campus walking escort service which is advertised with flyers in campus buildings (including the Library) and is advertised on Georgia Southern University message boards which are located on and around campus.

E. Program for the instruction about the prevention of crime.

The Crime Prevention Unit for Public Safety handles this function. Tasks include speaking with personnel on campus on crime prevention topics and distributing crime prevention tapes and brochures upon request. The Crime Prevention Unit also conducts physical security surveys for those requesting them as well as other functions.

F. Statistics detailing the on-campus occurrence of murder/non-negligent manslaughter, negligent manslaughter, sexual assault (forcible and non-forcible), robbery, arson, aggravated assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft for the most current year as well as statistics for the two preceding years.

The Police Department keeps statistical information on these crimes as well as any other misdemeanors and felonies to include traffic violations et al in the Records Section of the Police Department. These statistics are sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation by the process of sending appropriate copies of incident reports. Further, Public Safety complies with sending Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Statistics are distributed to the campus in the form of an annual statistical report published on the Public Safety web site, http://welcome.georgiasouthern.edu/publicsafety/stats.html. Notices regarding the existence and updating of the web site is given to members of the campus community via campus mail and Georgia Southern University e-mail. Timely notices known as "Immediate News Releases" are issued to the Georgia Southern University Marketing and Communications Department for campus disbursement.

G. Institutional policy statement on the monitoring of crimes at off-campus student organizations.

Any monitoring of crime off-campus is done by the agency of jurisdiction where the crime took place; however, we are usually advised by the agency in question or the victim (if a student) of the crime and offer any assistance especially if the crime is of a nature stated in "F." Further, Public safety is in daily contact with the Statesboro Police Department and with the Bulloch County Sheriff's Department via daily bulletins of crimes within their jurisdiction.

H. Statistics on arrests for violations of liquor or drug abuse as well as weapons possession violations.

The Police Department keeps statistical information on these crimes in the Records Section. They are published in the annual "Crime Report."

I. Institutional policy statement on the monitoring of alcohol and drug abuse.

Alcohol is not for sale on Georgia Southern University property. Functions which serve alcohol require Georgia Southern University Police Officers to be present. Any other abuse of alcohol or drugs is subject to enforcement by Georgia Southern University Police through Federal and State laws pertaining to such violations. Students under the age of 21 living on campus are not allowed to have alcohol or alcohol containers in their residence hall rooms; students 21 years of age and older living on campus are allowed to have alcohol in their residence hall room only for personal consumption. Further campus alcohol and drug policies are found in the Georgia Southern University Student Conduct Code Policies and Procedures publication which is available from the Office of Judicial Affairs or on the World Wide Web at http://students.georgiasouthern.edu/sta/guide/

J. Timely reports to the campus community on crimes considered to be a threat to other students.

This function is handled by the Communications Bureau of the Police Department. An "Immediate Press Release" is issued usually the same day of the incident or as soon as possible thereafter. The updates are sent to the Georgia Southern University Marketing and Communications Department for dispersal to the campus community and to local and regional media outlets.

K. Disclosure in an annual report on "A" - "I".

Information is disseminated in the form of a "Crime Report" which is distributed as an annual report.

L. Description of drug or alcohol abuse education programs.

Employees wishing information on drug or alcohol abuse education programs may contact Human Resources or the Counseling Center. Students wishing the same information may contact the Health Educator's Office, Health Services, or the Counseling Center. The Crime Prevention Unit for Public Safety also has material on these subjects.

The Judicial Affairs Office requires first-time alcohol student code violators to complete an alcohol educational interactive computer program. The Judicial Affairs Office requires two-time alcohol student code violators to submit to an alcohol assessment.

M. Sex Offender Registration and Registry.

Any person who is required under the laws of the State of Georgia to register as a sex offender is also required to provide written notice to the Georgia Southern University Police Department that they are enrolled as a student, carry on a vocation, or employed by Georgia Southern University. Furthermore, the student or employee is required to provide written notice of each change in enrollment or employment to the Georgia Southern University Police Department. The Sex Offender Registry for the State of Georgia is located on the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Web Site: http://www.ganet.org/gbi/ .

N. Institutional policy statement on campus sexual assault programs aimed at prevention of sexual offenses and on procedures followed once a sexual offense has occurred.

Georgia Southern University maintains a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) whose purpose is to coordinate sexual assault policy protocol among student services departments and to deliver educational materials and programs to interested student groups and classes. The Crime Prevention Unit offers a Self Defense for Women block of instruction which is available to faculty and staff members (through training classes provided by Human Resources) and to students (through programs set up by Housing personnel and by student organizations.) The Public Safety Division provides a 24 hour a day escort service for all Georgia Southern University students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Students and employees wishing more information on campus sexual assault may contact the Crime Prevention Unit for material. Campus sexual assault policies, definitions, suggestions, and sanctions are found in the Georgia Southern University Student Conduct Code Policies and Procedures publication which is available from the Office of Judicial Affairs or on the World Wide Web at http://students.georgiasouthern.edu/sta/guide/

For more information about the Clery Act, visit the Security on Campus Web site:

http://www.securityoncampus.org/