ANNUAL SECURITY REPORT

 

A statement of current campus policies regarding procedures for students and others to report criminal actions or other emergencies occurring on campus.

Students and others who wish to report criminal actions may do so in a number of ways. There are telephones in all the dormitory rooms, as well as in most offices throughout campus. There are also 117 security phones strategically located around campus, providing a direct line to Security & Campus Safety - no dialing is required. When the call comes in to Security & Campus Safety, the digital receiver indicates where the call came from, and if there is no response on the phone, a security officer automatically responds to the location of the call.

Persons may call Security & Campus Safety to report a crime, or they may call the local law enforcement authorities directly. If Security & Campus Safety is called, security officers take a criminal incident report and notify the local police who also come to campus (in most cases) and take a report of their own.

There are also security officers and watch officers who patrol the campus and are equipped with portable radios. A person could report a crime by contacting one of these officers while on patrol and giving information directly to him/her or having the desired authorities respond to the scene. Persons desiring more confidentiality may also come to the security building at any time of the day or night to report a crime, or they could go directly to the police to make their report at police headquarters.

Persons may report criminal activity to local law enforcement officials, campus security or to college administrators who may then forward the information or the individual to Security & Campus Safety or to law enforcement officers for further action.

When a crime is reported to Security & Campus Safety or other appropriate officials of the College, it will normally be investigated by Security & Campus Safety and/or the police. In addition, if the suspect is a student, there may be an inquiry through the Student Conduct Committee, or if the suspect is an employee of the College, an inquiry may be conducted by the Office of Human Resources and/or other appropriate College officials. It is the policy of the College to take every report of criminal activity seriously and to take appropriate action, consistent with applicable law, public safety and campus safety.

Criminal activity reports are made available to the campus community on a biweekly basis through a published crime statistics and crime prevention report issued by Security & Campus Safety. In addition, if a serious crime is reported, the perpetrator or circumstances of which pose a significant threat to the campus community, a security alert bulletin will be distributed and posted throughout the campus within 24 hours after the report of the crime, specifying (1) what crime has been committed, (2) pertinent information about the suspect, if any, and (3) appropriate warnings, if applicable.

The annual disclosure of crime statistics is prepared by Security and Campus Safety from information on crimes and other incidents reported by members of the campus community, and is also done in conjunction with information from the Lewiston Police Department and Maine State Liquor Enforcement, as well as other pertinent law enforcement agencies.

Students and employees should report all criminal offenses to Security and Campus Safety officers as soon as possible after the offense.

The Confidential Sexual Assault Report Form allows students to report a sexual assault confidentually through the Health Center. These are reported as numbers only through the security office.

A statement of current policies concerning security of and access to campus facilities, including campus residences, and security considerations used in the maintenance of campus facilities.

Campus buildings other than campus residences are locked and unlocked at specified times during the day or night depending on the schedule of operation of the building. The buildings are secured by key-locks at the present time, and are patrolled by officers from Security & Campus Safety, both inside and out. The grounds and exteriors of buildings are also patrolled by student employees of Security & Campus Safety who provide escorts to persons requesting escort assistance during the evening hours of the academic year. Student security personnel report suspicious circumstances via portable radio to Security & Campus Safety during their patrols and escorts.

Campus residences are locked at night at a time determined by the residents of the building. At the beginning of each academic year, the students vote to determine the time the building will be locked while College is in session. During breaks when students are away, the residence halls are normally locked at all times.

Grounds of the campus are patrolled by motor vehicle, bicycles and on foot by uniformed members of the Security & Campus Safety department 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All present security officers receive continuous professional training in the latest security procedures and techniques. Security officers give students escorts on campus upon request after dark.

The Office of Security & Campus Safety is located at 245 College Street at the corner of Campus Avenue, and is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The department's communications officers maintain contact with security officers via portable radio and security phones located throughout the campus area. The Security & Campus Safety building and security phones are each identified by a blue light, which is plainly visible at night.

Maintenance of campus facilities is an ongoing process. Security considerations are taken very seriously, and problems such as doors that don't close properly or locks that become broken are quickly rectified upon notification of the problem. Grounds maintenance includes the trimming of trees and shrubs that might be a hazard to the safety of students and others walking on campus, especially at night.

Lighting has been increased and improved throughout campus, and lights are well maintained. Defective or inoperable lighting is noted by security patrols at night and is repaired quickly by the Department of Physical Plant. Security phones are checked daily by security officers and watch officers, and any problems are corrected immediately.

A statement of current policies concerning campus law enforcement.

Security & Campus Safety personnel have the authority to enforce College policy and rules, but are not sworn law enforcement officers and have authority to arrest consistent with that enjoyed by an ordinary citizen. However, the working relationship between Security & Campus Safety officials and state and local police is excellent, and provides the campus a timely response to requests for law enforcement action, criminal investigation and crime-prevention programs.

It is the policy of Bates College to encourage all victims of crimes to report crimes promptly and accurately to Security & Campus Safety and law enforcement officials. This is done through student orientations, parent orientations, crime-prevention programs and crime-prevention bulletins.

A description of the type and frequency of programs designed to inform students and employees about campus security procedures and practices and to encourage students and employees to be responsible for their own security and the security of others.

At the beginning of each school year a security display is scheduled where all of Security & Campus Safety's crime-prevention and security programs are displayed or explained. These displays include presentations by security officers, local law enforcement officers and other safety officials, as available.

Students can register their bicycles, view crime-prevention video tapes, check out a scriber to engrave their valuables and receive a free whistle as well as other crime-prevention information and brochures.

Students are informed during orientation sessions about Security & Campus Safety procedures and practices at the beginning of each academic year. There is also an orientation program for resident assistants that includes crime-prevention and security information.

The program offered generally describes the security resources available, including a description of the security personnel, their equipment, crime-reporting procedures and use of the security phones. Also described are typical types of crime situations that might arise on campus, and how to avoid them through crime-prevention measures, including personal safety tips. Throughout all security programs a common theme is stressed: each person is responsible for his/her own security and the security of others. Individuals are encouraged to report any unusual or suspicious person or circumstance promptly to Security & Campus Safety or law-enforcement officers. These programs are offered in residence halls as well as other locations on campus.

One successful program that employs students to help keep the campus safe is called Safewalks. Safewalks participants are hired to provide escorts and patrols on campus after dark. They are equipped with security portable radios, flashlights, whistles and identifying vests. They work in pairs and act as extra eyes and ears for Security & Campus Safety officers during escorts and patrol activities.

A description of programs designed to inform students and employees about the prevention of crimes.

The Security & Campus Safety department provides a number of crime-prevention programs to the campus community. There are several commercial campus crime- prevention video tapes that are available to be viewed or used in conjunction with a crime-prevention presentation by a security officer or a local law- enforcement official. These videos are general in nature and cover a broad range of crime prevention techniques appropriate for campus situations. There are also self-defense classes available that are taught by trained professionals to provide basic information on avoiding and escaping from an attack.

Bates College offers specialized programs such as our Whistle Alert program that provides a high-quality brass whistle at no cost to each student or employee who requests one. Instructions are given to blow the whistle when an individual feels threatened or is attacked. Others who hear the whistle blown are to blow their whistles and run in the direction of the original whistle, to provide aid and scare off the attacker. They are also instructed to go to the nearest security phone and notify Security & Campus Safety of the problem. This is a popular program, and non-college residents in the area are informed about the program so that if they hear a whistle being blown they will know how to respond. Persons blowing the whistle under any other conditions than those specified above are fined $75.

Property protection programs include a bicycle registration program, where bicycles are tagged with a sticker and the serial number logged with Security & Campus Safety, and a property identification program (PIP), where students can check out scribers, engrave their property with their social security number or other identifier and keep a list and description of these items in a safe place. Other crime-prevention programs include Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) training for women, the computer identification program and other programs being developed that deal with hate crimes, international students and other specific areas of concern.

A statement of policy concerning the monitoring and recording through local police agencies of criminal activity in which students engaged at off-campus locations of student organizations officially recognized by the institution, including student organizations with off-campus housing facilities.

There are no off-campus student organizations recognized by Bates College.

A statement of policy regarding the possession, use, and sale of alcoholic beverages and enforcement of State underage drinking laws and a statement of policy regarding the possession, use, and sale of illegal drugs and enforcement of Federal and State drug laws and a description of any drug or alcohol-abuse education programs, as required under section 120 (a) through (d) of the HEA.

The Bates College Program to Prevent Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Judicial Procedures

A statement of policy regarding the institution's campus sexual assault programs to prevent sex offenses, and procedures to follow when a sex offense occurs.

SEXUAL ASSAULT RESOURCE GUIDE

The resources below are available to support and assist individuals who have experienced rape or other forms of sexual violence. The resources are:

On Campus The Bates Health Center 786-6199 Office of the Dean of Students 786-6222 Security & Campus Safety 786-6254 Sexual Assault Response Line (Student advisors) 786-6199 or from on campus 7275 Community Relations Council 786-6073 (Student, faculty or staff advisors) College Chaplain 786-6202

Off Campus Lewiston Police Department 784-6421 Sexual Assault Crisis Center 795-2211 (Serving Lewiston & Auburn) Central Maine Medical Center 795-0111

Most of these resources are described in greater detail in the Rape and Sexual Violence pamphlet. Students are encouraged to read this pamphlet. All the resources are prepared to help any member of the Bates community who experiences rape, sexual assault or sexual harassment.

In cases involving rape, the College encourages prompt medical attention for personal protection and the collection of physical evidence, which improves the chances of successful prosecution if that option is pursued.

Further, Bates encourages prompt reporting to the police so that a criminal investigation may be initiated. This reporting may be done directly or through the Sexual Assault Crisis Center, which is particularly experienced in counseling and in helping victims. The Deans can help arrange this reporting, either on or off campus. Such reporting does not preclude counseling, mediation or the pursuit of disciplinary action through the College.

The Office of the Dean of Students informs the campus of officially reported assaults. A report is official when a formal complaint is lodged with the local police or Security & Campus Safety, when the allegation is to be referred to the Student Conduct Committee or when the identity of alleged perpetrator is unknown. Every effort is made to assure that the identity of the victim is protected in these reports.

Students may request assistance in changing academic and living situations after an alleged sexual assault incident if they so desire. Changes will be made if the requested changes are reasonable and if facilities are available. (See Rape and Sexual Violence pamphlet.)

Sex Offender Information

Law enforcement agency information about registered sex offenders can be obtained by contacting the Lewiston Police Department, 171 Park Street, Lewiston, Maine 04240. Officer Daniel Stone is in charge of maintaining such information and answering inquiries. He may be reached at the Lewiston
Police Department or by telephone at 795-9000, extension 224.

Policies for preparing the annual disclosure of crime statistics.

Crime statistics are compiled below in accordance with the procedures as set forth in this law:

Arrests or persons referred for campus disciplinary action for:

Twenty-two (22) of the burglaries on campus were committed by one individual over the course of several days during the summer. The individual was arrested and made restitution.

Arrests or persons referred for campus disciplinary action for:

Arrests or persons referred for campus disciplinary action for:

Arrests or persons referred for campus disciplinary action for:

Security and Campus Safety has taken numerous reports of Hate/Bias crimes and incidents for the reporting years contained in this report. All crimes and incidents were investigated and forwarded to the Attorney General's Office. The statistics listed above, however, reflect Hate/Bias crimes only as described in the current law for the reporting period.