Campus Police Annual Report

In many ways, going to college is much like moving into a new community: you need to know where everything is located, especially the best restaurants and pizza places, and you'd like to know what's available as a community resource.

You want to know where to find a barber or beautician, which store has the best prices, and who accepts out-of-town checks.

Youll also want to know that your community is secure and safe. What are the crime statistics? Can you walk alone at night without fear? Who is there to help you? Many parents, as well as students and employees, are concerned about the safety of the college campus. Marietta College strives at all times to create an environment as free as possible from any threats to safety or well-being.

Crime is a national problem. Fortunately, Marietta College has not experienced a significant number of sexual assaults, assaults, burglary, and acts of criminal trespass. To help prevent such incidents, a competent residence life staff, a professionally trained Campus Police force, and the students and employees are responsible for a number of measures to ensure that they and their possessions are protected as completely as possible.

About Marietta College

The College employs many people to keep the campus safe and secure. The departments of Campus Police, Physical Plant, Dean of Students, and Residence Life are responsible for security and safety policies governing the campus, including residence halls, fraternities, and sororities as well as teaching about security and crime prevention.

Marietta College offers safety and security education and awareness programs throughout the year. Information on college crime, safety policies and procedures, and drug and alcohol issues is distributed to the College community through flyers, bulletins, crime alerts, posters, brochures, the student news media, and employee newsletters. Programs include sexual assault awareness, alcohol abuse, personal safety, vehicle safety, fire safety, and preventing crime on campus.

Campus Police

Campus law enforcement is primarily the responsibility of Marietta College Campus Police. Campus Police officers provide 24 hour-a-day patrol protection to the campus, parking lots, residence halls, and on-campus fraternity, sorority, and theme houses. In addition, they promote fire safety and awareness by means of demonstrations, programming, and constant inspections.

The Department of Campus Police is made up of sworn campus police and non-sworn security assistants. Campus Police Officers are commissioned as peace officers under 1713.50 of the Ohio Revised Code and have full authority within the campus community. All incidents of criminal activity are investigated by competent trained officers. If necessary, assistance may be requested from the Marietta Police Department or the Washington County Sheriffs Department Investigations Unit.

The Campus Police Office is located next to The Gathering Place 7th and Butler Streets and is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Over 35 students are employed to supplement the full-time staff. Their responsibilities include office and administrative support, campus patrolling, traffic and parking control, and special events. The office handles all matters relating to the safety and security of the campus community, and offers a variety of services, including late night escorts across campus. The Campus Police Office also is responsible for issuing identification cards to students, faculty and staff, and operates a lost and found service.

The Department of Campus Police provides a daily incident log highlighting the nature, date, time, and general location of each incident reported. It is up to the individual person to request this information. The log is available Monday through Friday by noon. Weekend logs are available at noon on Mondays.

Potential criminal actions and other emergencies on campus may be reported directly by any student, faculty member, or employee to Campus Police by dialing Ext. 3333. If calling off campus, dial 376-3333.

Timely Notification

Incidents affecting the safety and security of the entire campus community must be reported in a timely manner. When appropriate, the Dean of Students Office will make a timely report to the campus community regarding the occurrence of crimes that are considered by the institution a threat to students and employees. The Dean of Students will decide when the issue is critical and will utilize the voice-mail, e-mail, or flyers by mail to deliver the information.

Department of Physical Plant

The Department of Physical Plant maintains the campus with a concern for safety and security. It regularly inspects campus facilities, promptly makes repairs affecting the safety and security of others, responds immediately to reports of potential safety hazards, and as soon as possible, to broken windows and locks and other door problems.

The campus is well lit. Further lighting improvements are planned to support parking lot expansion. Marietta College has available campus phones situated throughout the campus for the convenience of the College community.

Emergency direct-line phones are strategically located throughout the main campus grounds. Also, there are phones in each students room.

The Physical Plant is responsible for OSHA, hazardous waste disposal, and Right to Know chemical safety programs.

Residence Life

Marietta College has both single sex and optional co-ed residence halls. There are no curfew hours; but to maintain security, the main doors of the Freshman and Theme Houses are locked at designated times. Entry is gained by computerized card access. All student rooms are equipped with conventional door and window locks. Professional residence hall directors and resident assistants, all members of the residence life staff, live in the residence halls and are on call 24 hours a day. All staff members undergo training in enforcing residence hall security policies and participate in lectures and seminars associated with the safety and security of the campus. Campus Police and Residence Life team up to provide programming to meet the challenge of a Residential campus.

Security Policies and Procedures

Campus Police enforces laws regulating under age drinking, the use of controlled substances, weapons, and all other incidents requiring police assistance. They also are responsible for public safety services such as crime reports, medical emergencies, and traffic accidents.

Marietta College recognizes that alcohol and other drug abuse are national problems, and the College actively pursues a program of education on those issues. Marietta College believes that alcohol abuse and misuse conflict with the goals and purposes of a liberal arts education, and therefore supports a policy of responsible alcohol use. Illegal use of drugs is incompatible with the basic purposes of an institution of higher learning. Those who indulge in such activity or encourage others to do so are jeopardizing both the mission of Marietta College and their own right to participate in it.

The legal drinking age in Ohio is 21. The possession or use of any alcoholic beverages in violation of the statutes of the State of Ohio on Marietta College property is forbidden. The violator is subject to disciplinary action by the College as well as the State. The College will not interfere with strict enforcement of the laws regarding drugs and their abuse or with the imposition of penalties upon those who may break the law. In addition, the College reserves the right to act upon cases of drug abuse through its own judicial procedures. It is the responsibility of resident directors, resident assistants, sorority supervisors, campus police personnel, and the staff of the Dean of Students Office to enforce the College policies. It is the responsibility of every member of College Community to comply with these policies:
Sexual Assault
Campus Security Disclosures
Educational Programming

Marietta College has developed a comprehensive program of assault prevention education. The program includes both curricular and co-curricular dimensions, and includes components for faculty and staff as well as students. Each fall semester, all first-year students at Marietta College must attend a two-hour session on date rape. Attendance at the program is a requirement of the College Experience Seminar class, which is part of the Colleges General Education Plan. In addition, the College sponsors an annual Sexual Assault Awareness Week during the fall semester of each year. Past Sexual Assault Awareness Weeks have included programs on such topics as acquaintance assault, self-defense, abusive relationships, and communication skills. This week of intensive programming supplements the on-going efforts sponsored jointly by the Offices of Residence Life and Campus Police. Programs for faculty and staff include annual training programs for resident assistants and resident directors, regular campus-wide forums on topics related to sexual violence, and frequent educational programs related to the Colleges policy on sexual harassment and other forms of assault. Focus groups such as Club A.W.A.R.E. (Actively Working for prevention and Rape Education), S.A.I.N. (Sexual Assault Intervention Network) and the Ohio Coalition on Sexual Assault Network interact with students, faculty and staff to provide additional education to the campus. Campus Police and the Office of Student Life actively participate within these organizations to provide alternatives.

Procedures for Reporting a Sexual Assault

The College strongly urges all members of the community to immediately report any incident of sexual assault to the Campus Police Department. Upon notification, there will be a professional campus police officer assigned to the incident for full investigation. At all times during the process, the victims rights and courtesy will be highly maintained. It is extremely important to preserve any and all evidence from an incident for proof of an offense. If you are a victim follow these procedures:
Do not shower, bathe or wash (douche);
Contact the Campus Police Department immediately;
If you change, do not discard any items of clothing;
Do not disturb anything in the area where the incident occurred;
If at all possible, secure the area;
You have the right to notify local law enforcement officials.

All efforts will be made to assist the victim with support and counseling efforts through contact with the Health Center and the Counseling Center. If reasonably available, Marietta College will make every effort to change a victims academic and living arrangement after an assault. Options include:
Change of housing assignment
Change of Class section

Procedure for On-Campus Disciplinary Action

In all cases of an alleged sex offense that are handled within the campus creed, both the accuser and the accused are entitled to have witnesses to support their position and an advisor as outlined in the Campus Creed. Both the accuser and the accused shall be informed of the outcome and any sanctions that are imposed against the accused. These procedures apply only to a student accused. For specifics on procedures, please see the Campus Creed. Please refer to the student conduct portion of the Campus Creed. Please refer to the Faculty/Staff, Employee Handbook for additional procedures, or page 39, "Discriminatory Harassment Policy and Procedures/Sexual Harassment Policy and Procedures" of the Student Handbook for more information.

Campus Police Sexual Assault Response Commitment

Sexual assaults, including date/acquaintance rape, are a very serious concern of the College. If you feel you are the victim of a sexual assault on campus, your Marietta College Campus Police Department is committed to the following:
1. We will meet with you privately, at a place of your choice in this area, to take a complaint report.
2. We will not release your name to the public or press.
3. Our officers will not prejudge you, and you will not be blamed for what occurred.
4. We will treat you and your particular case with courtesy, sensitivity, dignity, understanding and professionalism.
5. If you feel more comfortable talking with a female or male officer, we will do our best to accommodate your request. An advocate from the Dean of Students Office is available to assist you through the process.
6. We will assist you in arranging for any hospital treatment or other medical needs.
7. We will assist you by privately contacting the Counseling Center and other available support resources.
8. We will fully investigate your case, and will help you to achieve the best outcome. This may involve the arrest and full prosecution of the suspect responsible. You will be kept up-to-date on the progress of the investigation and/or prosecution.
9. We will continue to be available for you, to answer your questions, to explain the systems and processes involved (prosecutor, court, etc.) and to be a listening ear if you wish.
10. We will consider your case seriously regardless of your gender or sexual orientation, and regardless of the gender or sexual orientation of the suspect.
If you feel you are a sexual assault victim, call the Marietta College Police Department at Ext. 3333 and say you want to make a sexual assault complaint. You may call any time day or night. The Campus Police officers want to help you make the MC campus safe for students, faculty, staff and visitors.

Sex Offender Registration

A list of registered sex offenders is available from Washington County Sheriff's Web site.

Crime Statistics and Crime Rates

In accordance with The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1998, Marietta College provides information relating to crime statistics and security measures to prospective and current students and employees. The College's Campus Police submits a monthly Uniform Crime Report to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The crime stats are on the following web page:
http://www.marietta.edu/~mcps/stats.html