ORGANIZING YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT. Improved Effectiveness in Threat Assessment and Management

Transcription

1 ORGANIZING YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT Improved Effectiveness in Threat Assessment and Management

2 IN HIGHER EDUCATION, RESOURCES ARE ALWAYS LIMITED Why spend a lot of money for Public Safety? How does Public Safety impact overall college safety? What is your real incidence of crime: your exposure to crime? What is your community s perception of crime (and fear)? Are you able to detect and deter potential violence? Are the right staff and programs in place? Is your effort serious? Or is it a token effort? Does your community have confidence in the Public Safety Department?

3 IN SOME WAYS, PUBLIC SAFETY IN HIGHER EDUCATION IS MORE COMPLEX THAN TRADITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT Public Police Colleges and Universities

4 CCBC has is the no largest dormitories community or off-campus college in housing Maryland, with 70,000 full and part-time students (over 20,000 FTE) Like most community colleges, CCBC has classes CCBC has and three activities main around campuses the and clock with three 500,000 large extension visitors centers a year in the County (Baltimore City is excluded)

5 Sworn Police Officers Special Police Security Guards Night Watchmen Observe and Report MARYLAND Full Police Powers Anytime and Anywhere COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY Community Armed Officers Colleges PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS Police Powers on College Premises Armed or Unarmed Citizen Powers to Protect People and Property Protect Property 2 of 16 Maryland 4 of 16 Maryland Community Colleges 10 of 16 Maryland Community Colleges

6 CCBC IN 2008 Campus Based Departments United as a college department in name only No consistent uniform, duties, policies or procedures 22 full time security officers and about 100 part time security officers No emergency systems or plan Department was always in conflict with Student Affairs No confidence in departmental personnel and their judgments

7 CCBC IN 2013 Low incidence of reported crime One College-wide Department Consistent rank structure, uniform, duties, policies and procedures Rotating assignments on all sites MOU with County Police 32 full time Special Police Officers and about 60 part-time non-certified (security) officers Strict Hiring Criteria, Background Checks and Fitness Requirements Significant Training Requirements Centralized Dispatch Center Robust Emergency Communication Systems Regular and constructive contact with Student Affairs

8 Spring, 2007 IACLEA Assessment Spring, 2010 First Academy Class TIMELINE OF CHANGE AT CCBC General Orders Issued; Collegewide Radio Communication Winter, 2010 Organizational Structure Implemented Spring, 2011 MOU with Baltimore County Police Department Steve Drummond Director, DPS Spring, 2012 Dispatch Center Created with 300+ cameras and Computer Aided Dispatch Software Assistant Director CCBC Essex Assistant Director CCBC Catonsville Assistant Director CCBC Dundalk 12 F/T Police Officers and 30 P/T Security Officers 11 F/T Police Officers and 18 P/T Security Officers 7 F/T Police Officers and 13 P/T Security Officers Central Dispatch 2 F/T and 9 P/T dispatchers Contract Officers at 3 Extension Centers

9 HOW SHOULD A DEPARTMENT BE ORGANIZED? A clear and concise mission: all activities must add to a safe educational environment Officers need to be screened and trained Clear rules and expectations must be published and accepted Training must be constant and ongoing Officers must have a career path, opportunity for off-campus training and personal growth, and resources to do the job. This is provided in a clear rank structure.

10 CCBC REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFIED PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS Pass Initial Selection and Interview Pass Physical Agility Test Pass Intensive and Thorough Background Investigation Pass Medical Exam and Drug Screening Pass the CCBC Public Safety Academy Receive Special Police Officer Commission Provide Minimum Return Service Complete Annual In-service Training

11 CCBC S PUBLIC SAFETY ACADEMY Academy Faculty CCBC Faculty and Administrators Baltimore County Police Academy Instructors Maryland Transportation Authority Police Academy Instructors 8 Week Academy 4 days of classes per week 1 day of OJT per week Run by CCBC s School of Business, Criminal Justice and Law Past participants from other Colleges and local Hospitals

12 PUBLIC SAFETY ACADEMY CURRICULUM 13 College Credits are earned during the Academy

13 CCBC INVESTS A LOT IN PUBLIC SAFETY, AND AS A RESULT No other community college in the state has an 8 week public safety academy for SPO s Few community colleges have an MOU with the county police Few community colleges have a General Orders Manual that contains critical policies, procedures and directives Our Public Safety Department is as involved with the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) as practical and possible

14 CCBC S PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM Trained professionals Ongoing in-service training Multiple inbound and outbound communications processes during a crisis (A Clery Act requirement) Community Outreach (Community Service Officers) on each campus Behavioral assessment and threat management Campus-based Crisis Management Teams On-line Student Incident Reports Via Maxient Software

15 RELATIONSHIPS ARE KEY TO SUCCESS Clear roles and responsibility through an MOU with the County Police. Who does what in various circumstances. Daily interaction with the Judicial Affairs office. DPS Incident Reports and on-line Student Incident Report (SIR) go out immediately to multiple staff in Judicial Affairs Outreach to student groups, new students and new employees (by Community Service Officers) Consistent membership and participation in the Behavioral Intervention Team

16 SUMMARIZING CCBC S APPROACH TO STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR: All discipline matters should be administrative and handled with Judicial Affairs processes unless they are significant criminal acts Handle incidents with the goal of helping the student succeed when possible Understand that some students and employees are dangerous and must be dealt with accordingly. The college has an obligation to protect its students and staff. Arrest as a last resort, but don t hesitate when necessary

17 WHEN SOMEONE REALLY CONCERNS US Public Safety and Judicial Affairs are quick to investigate and intervene The person is trespassed quickly to separate him or her from the college community The county police are often involved All aspects of the person s relationship with the college are examined: schedule, instructors, discipline record, disabilities CCBC follows The Handbook for Campus Threat Assessment & Management Teams, and NaBITA (National Threat Assessment Association) Guidelines

18 HOW DOES A TRESPASS ORDER WORK? Trespass Orders require authority the person giving the order has to have the authority to do so. A memo from the College President provides authority. Trespass Orders have to be judiciously issued and carefully monitored by DPS supervisors Location Restriction Notices may be a better tool Judicial Affairs, as the neutral arbiter, makes the final call

19 SEPARATION FROM THE COLLEGE IS NOT PUNITIVE The BIT team works with students to point them towards needed services Judicial Affairs staff monitor the student and the treatment schedule (when agreed upon) Student can t return to class without documentation from the counselor or service provider CCBC does not pay for or manage treatment

20

21 MARGINAL (BUT WORRISOME) CASES ARE ALSO EVALUATED BY BIT How does depression, cutting or substance abuse affect the student and the college? Is separation from the college beneficial, or detrimental, to the student? Are borderline issues, such as inappropriate social interaction by one student with another, a BIT issue?

22 CCBC S BIT EFFORT IS STUDENT-CENTERED Safety for the college community is the first consideration Periodic contact with the student by Judicial Affairs during the separation is standard practice Borderline safety issues are often resolved through monitoring and expressions of support, as well as referral Compliance with CCBC requirements is required for re-admission

23 AS YOUR LEAVE THIS SESSION Does your Public Safety Department have the on-going training and tools needed? Can they quickly end a situation by making an arrest? Do your non-certified officers know their limited powers and limitations? (use of force, citizen s arrest, defense of others) Do your officers know how to manage a student in crisis, AND get that person to the BIT team? Have you given Public Safety the authority to trespass a person, or restrict his or her access to campus? Finally Do you have confidence in your officers? If not, it s time to re-examine their role and capabilities.

24 CONTACT US ANYTIME.. Melissa Hopp, VP of Administrative Services Steve Drummond, Director, Department of Public Safety