SPSU Police Department
Physical Address: Norton Residence Hall Ground Floor (Building R2)
Mailing Address: 1100 South Marietta Pkwy, Marietta, GA 30060
Phone: (678) 915-5555
Fax: (678) 915-4965
Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act Report
1.Background
2.Reporting Crime
3.Confidential Reporting of Crime
4.Response To Crime
5.Timely Warnings
6.Preparing Annual Disclosure Report
7.Notification and Availability of the Report
8.Fire Safety Report and Fire Log
9.Enforcement and Arrest Authority of University Police
10.Working Relationship between University, State, and Local Police Agencies
11.Access to Campus Facilities and Residence Halls
12.Security Considerations Used in Maintenance
13.Sex Offense Procedures
14.Crime Prevention Programs
15.Drug and Alcohol Abuse Education Programs
16.Possession, Use, and Sale of Alcohol Beverages and Illegal Drugs
17.Sex Offender Information
18.Monitoring of Criminal Activity by Students Off Campus
19.Emergency Notification and Response Procedures
20.Missing Residential Student Notification Policy and Procedures
The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (hereafter the Act) requires post-secondary educational institutions that receive federal funding to publish a disclosure report (hereafter the report) annually. Southern Polytechnic State University is committed to the safety of the university community and to compliance with the Act. The following procedures are established to help promote the safety of our community and to ensure proper disclosure of statistics and polices required by the Act. This Act also meets the HEA Institutional Disclosure Requirements.
1. Crimes and other emergencies should be reported accurately and promptly to the University Police by telephoning 678-915-5555, by appearing in person at department headquarters located on the ground floor of Norton Dormitory Building R2, or by stopping an officer on patrol and making a report.
2. University counselors shall, when they deem it appropriate, notify patients who
have been the victims of crime how to report crime.
3. If other university personnel are made aware of crimes occurring on campus, they
shall promptly report it to the University Police.
4. No person shall dissuade a crime victim from reporting a crime to the proper authorities.
Confidential Reporting of Crime
1. Georgia is an open records state, and all reports are generally open to public
inspection after the completion of the investigation pursuant to O.C.G.A 50-18-70.
2. The university will respect confidentiality in accordance with the exceptions to
the open records law but has no special provisions for confidential reporting of crimes.
3. This policy does not prohibit university counselors from maintaining confidentiality in accordance with the ethical discharge of their responsibility.
1. The University Police shall promptly investigate all crime reports. Persons found in violation of the law are subject to arrest and prosecution.
2. The University Police shall assist all persons in prosecuting crimes committed against them where sufficient evidence exists and shall apprise all victims of the appropriate prosecutorial processes available to them.
3. A daily log of crime reports shall be maintained at police headquarters in accordance with the provisions of the Act. The log shall be open for public inspection during normal business hours.
4. Minor offenses against public order may, at the discretion of the University Police, be referred to the campus judicial program in lieu of criminal prosecution where the offense lacks a particular victim or the victim declines prosecution.
1. When a serious offense is reported which may pose a general threat to persons on campus, the University Police shall notify Public Relations.
2. Upon notification that a serious offense has been reported, Public Relations shall provide timely warning to the university community by posting flyers about the campus or by some other reasonably effective means.
Preparing the Annual Disclosure Report
1. The University Police Chief shall be responsible for preparing the annual disclosure report in accordance with university policy and procedure 411.0.
2. The report shall contain the policy statements required by the Act.
3. The report shall contain the crime statistics and disciplinary referral statistics required by the Act.
4. The crime statistics shall be compiled by the University Police Chief in accordance with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
5. The disciplinary referral statistics shall be reported annually by campus security authorities (defined below) to the University Police Chief.
6. The following definitions are adopted for the purpose of complying with the Act:
a. A crime is reported when a victim or witness brings it to the attention of the University Police or a campus security authority.
b. Campus security authorities are university officials who have significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including, but not limited to, student housing, student discipline, and campus judicial proceedings. These include but are not limited to the Dean of Students, Director of Residence Life, Director of Student Activities, and Athletic Coaches.
c. On campus means any building or property owned or controlled by Southern Polytechnic State University within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area used by the institution in direct support or in a manner related to the institutions educational purposes.
d. Applicable non-campus buildings or property does not apply to Southern Polytechnic State University because there are not any non-campus buildings or property.
e. Applicable Public Property means the street and sidewalks of the 1100 block of South Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA.
Notification and Availability of the Report
1. The report and statement of policies regarding this Act shall be published electronically on the University Police website http://police.spsu.edu on or before the date specified by the Act.
2. Current and prospective students shall be notified of the report by including the notification statement in the student handbook and semester registration booklet. The Director of Records shall also notify current students by e-mailing the notification statement to them prior to the date specified by the Act.
3. The Director of Human Resources shall notify current employees of the report by including the notification statement with all payroll checks and advices prior to the date specified by the Act.
4. The Director of Human Resources shall notify all prospective employees of the report by including the notification statement with all out going employment applications.
5. Printed copies of the report shall be available at police headquarters.
Fire Safety Report and Fire Log
Beginning October 1, 2010 Southern Polytechnic State University will distribute an annual Fire Safety Report and Fire Log containing data from the 2009 calendar year. The report will contain information regarding safety and fires in on-campus student housing facilities. The report will be located on the University Police website http://police.spsu.edu alongside the Clery Crime on Campus Report. A paper copy of the Fire Safety Report and Fire Log are available upon request to the University Police in Norton Dormitory Building R2. On October 1, 2012 the Fire Safety Report and Fire Log will contain data for three years prior.
Enforcement and Arrest Authority of University Police
Official Code of Georgia Annotated 20-3-72:
The campus policemen and other security personnel of the university system who are regular employees of the system shall have the power to make arrests for offenses committed upon any property under the jurisdiction of the board of regents and for offenses committed upon any public or private property within 500 yards of any property under the jurisdiction of the board.
Working Relationship between University, State, and Local Police Agencies
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is a state agency which provides assistance to
law enforcement departments statewide, including investigative and crime scene processing
services. The University Police relies on assistance from the GBI when necessary.
Neither the Marietta City Police nor the Cobb County Police have responsibility for crime on the SPSU campus; however, both agencies have a long history of assisting and cooperating with the university.
County sheriffs in Georgia are state constitutional officers and as such have state wide jurisdiction, including jurisdiction on state campuses. The Cobb County Sheriff’s Department does not generally engage in routine law enforcement activities on the SPSU campus. They do, however, serve court papers, warrants, and other judicial documents to persons on campus when applicable. They also provide assistance to the University Police, including crime scene processing and other services as requested.
Access to Campus Facilities and Residence Halls
1. Facilities
As a public institution, the majority of university buildings and grounds are accessible to the general public during normal business hours. The use of some facilities – The Recreation and Wellness Center, certain areas within the Johnson Library, classrooms, labs, residence halls, athletic facilities and fields, certain areas within the Wilson Student Center – is restricted to SPSU faculty, staff, and students or others who have obtained permission through the office of scheduling and logistics to use the facilities.
O.C.G.A. 16-11-35 provides that persons without legitimate business on campus who act to interfere with the peaceful activities of the campus may be asked to leave. If they refuse to leave, they may be arrested and removed.
2. Residence Halls
The exterior doors to the residence halls are locked. Residents and relevant university personnel are issued keys. University police officers conduct periodic patrols inside the residence halls.
All members of the residence hall community have the responsibility to help secure the community’s welfare by ensuring their visitors comply with university regulations, by keeping the external doors closed and by reporting suspicious persons to the university police or housing staff.
3. Apartments
Each apartment resident is responsible for keeping his or her apartment door locked. The university police conduct patrols of the grounds.
Security Considerations Used in Maintenance
The Department of Facilities Management maintains and operates buildings and grounds
with a concern for safety, security, and crime prevention. Any person may submit a
security related maintenance request to the work order desk at 678-915-5548 or by
using the online work order system. If a security related maintenance problem is detected
after hours, the university police should be notified. Facilities personnel are on
call all hours and will respond when necessary to repair security related problems.
The prompt reporting of sex offenses to the University Police is encouraged. Further assistance can be obtained from the Counseling Office, Campus Nurse, University Housing personnel, or the Dean of Students. Additionally, the Cobb County YWCA operates a 24-hour hotline for information, counseling, and crisis intervention; the phone number is 770-427-3390.
The University Police will vigorously investigate all reports of sex offenses occurring on campus and will help victims of sex offenses occurring off campus contact the appropriate law enforcement authorities.
A complete statement of the university’s sex offense policies is contained in the Student Handbook.
The following information is provided for sex offense victims:
The Importance of Evidence Preservation
Preserving evidence is critical to the proper identification and prosecution of suspects.
Change in Residence and Academic Situations for Victims
After campus sexual assaults have been reported, the victims of such crimes shall have the right to require that campus personnel take the necessary steps or actions reasonably feasible to prevent any unnecessary or unwanted contact or proximity with alleged assailants, including immediate relocation of the victim to safe and secure alternative housing and transfer of classes if requested by the victim.
Student Disciplinary System
Victims of on-campus sexual assault have the same right to legal assistance, or ability
to have others present, in any campus disciplinary proceeding that the institution
permits to the accused; and the right to be notified of the outcome of such proceeding.
Disciplinary sanctions include probation, suspension,
and expulsion.
The University Police conduct crime prevention/awareness programs. The programs are
open to all members of the university community. The programs contain information
about personal safety, rape awareness, vehicle security measures, general crime prevention
advice, university security measures, the hazards of alcohol and drug abuse, and the
most common types of offenses occurring on campus. Special programs are also available
that are designed to educate members of the university community about acquaintance
rape and help them identify ways to reduce the risk of becoming the victim of acquaintance
rape. These programs are available by request almost any time.
Drug and Alcohol Abuse Education Programs
The Department of Recreation Sports and Athletics Coordinator of Health Protection/Wellness sponsors annual programming for drug and alcohol abuse education. The topics vary each year and have employed group discussions, guest lecturers, and demonstrations to raise student awareness.
Possession, Use, and Sale of Alcohol Beverages and Illegal Drugs
The possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages by persons under 21 years of age is illegal and prohibited by university regulations. Furnishing alcoholic beverages to persons under 21 years of age is illegal and prohibited by university regulations. Violators are subject to arrest and referral to the student disciplinary system.
Consumption of alcoholic beverages by persons 21 years of age and older is addressed in university policy and procedure 420.0. Among others provisions, the regulations prohibit consumption of alcohol in all areas of the campus other than private residence rooms, unless such consumption is at an event approved by the Dean of Students. Transportation of alcohol in open containers is also prohibited. Violators are subject to referral to the student disciplinary system.
Violators of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act (the Georgia law related to the possession, sale, manufacture, and consumption of drugs) are subject to arrest and referral to the student disciplinary system.
Law enforcement agency information provided by the State of Georgia concerning registered sex offenders may be obtained by clicking on the Georgia Sex Offender Registry link on the University Police website http://police.spsu.edu or the direct link to the website is http://gbi.georgia.gov/00/channel_modifieddate/0,2096,67862954_87983024,00.html
Monitoring of Criminal Activity by Students Off Campus
The university does not monitor the criminal activity of students off campus.
Emergency Notification and Response Procedures
To promote the safety of the population of the Southern Polytechnic State University an early warning system has been established. Through the use of this multi-faceted Emergency Broadcast System, early warnings will be broadcasted by the University Police concerning life threatening emergencies on or near the campus.
In event of a major emergency, the Police Officer-in Charge will then notify the Chief of Police and the Captain of Police Operations. The Police Chief, Captain of Police Operations, or Police Officer-in-Charge, shall then declare a major emergency. This declaration is not necessary in event that a National Weather Service Warning has been issued. The Police Dispatcher should, without delay, begin message protocol after receiving any NWS broadcasted warning or a weather-related emergency siren alert. In addition, if a campus emergency is declared by the University President, the on-duty Police Officer-in-Charge shall instruct the Police Dispatcher to broadcast an emergency message, also without delay.
The Southern Polytechnic State University Police will, without delay, and taking into account the safety of the community, determine the content of the notification and initiate the notification system, unless the notification will compromise efforts to assist victims, respond to, and mitigate the emergency.
Notifications of emergencies are made to the University Police through telephone calls, burglary or fire alarms, emergency call box notifications, calls from neighboring jurisdictions, etc. The University Police Communications Center (Police Dispatch) will notify the Police Officer-in Charge, without delay, of any emergency call. The Police Officer in charge will initiate an immediate investigation into the legitimacy of the call. A major emergency shall be defined as any emergency situation which poses an imminent danger of injury or loss of life to any member of the campus community. This shall include but not be limited to National Weather Service Severe Weather Warnings (Severe Thunderstorm Warning with a Tornado Watch), National Weather Service Tornado Warnings, a Crime in Progress with potential violence (such as an active shooter, armed robbery, etc.), Fire, Explosion, Major Hazardous Material Spill, Earthquake, or Flooding.
Emergency notification is carried out by University Police emergency personnel as described in above procedures. In addition, the University President and members of the University Public Relations Department may initiate emergency messaging.
In event of a large scale emergency, notifications will be made by police radio and or telephone to all surrounding jurisdictions. This notification will be made to the City of Marietta, Cobb County, and Life University through notification to the Cobb-Marietta 911 Center.
The Southern Polytechnic State University employs five types of campus emergency notification. A Fire Alarm System with all campus housing facilities having smoke detectors and audible alarms, Emergency Public Broadcast System (Spoken or Push-button Pre-recorded Message through the Public Address speakers in all buildings and all Emergency Call Boxes), Hornet Alert / RaveMobile Safety (Telephone, cell-phone and email messages), SPSU campus-wide email and Cobb County Emergency Siren System (activated by Cobb County Emergency Management Agency).
Notification systems are tested at least once annually. The Cobb County Emergency Siren is tested at noon the first Wednesday of each month. Drills and other exercises will be conducted annually with campus notification of said drills made through the University Public Relations Department. Records of exercise dates, an exercise summary and after action evaluations will be kept by the University Police for at least seven years.
In addition, an Emergency Procedures and Safety Information Pamphlet was produced in 2009 and distributed to all faculty and staff and some students. Copies of the Emergency Procedures and Safety Information Pamphlet are also available from the University Police or Housing Office. This pamphlet contains safety information related to Emergency Telephone Numbers of the University Police, Evacuation Procedures, Shelter in Place Procedures, Medical Emergencies, Tornado or Severe Weather Warning, Fire, Explosion, Tornado Strike or other Building Damage, Hazardous Materials, Psychological Crisis or Suicide Threat, Utility Failure, Flooding or Water Damage and Crime Prevention Tips. A copy of the Emergency Procedures and Safety Information Pamphlet has been placed on the University Police Website http://police.spsu.edu
Missing Residential Student Notification Policy and Procedures
Southern Polytechnic State University’s policy regarding missing residential student notification has been placed on the University Police website http://police.spsu.edu