Safe and Secure
A Message from Chief Jeff McCracken, Director of Public Safety
| The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Safe and secure--At the UNC Department of Public Safety, we remain dedicated to the creation and maintenance of an environment where students, employees, and visitors to our campus can feel safe as they enjoy our progressive and vital community. Though our philosophy of Community Oriented Policing (C.O.P.), we strive to employ professionalism, problem solving, and innovative strategies to remain one of the premier public safety agencies in the nation. MORE}
By the numbers--The tables below show crime, arrest, and disciplinary referral statistics for 2005-2007. These statistics were compiled from information reported to campus police, UNC Hospitals police, the Department of Housing and Residential Education, The Dean of Students Office, and law enforcement agencies in the jurisdictions where the University owns or controls property used for programs involving its own students, including the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro.{MORE}
Forewarned is forearmed--Alert Carolina signals commitment to campus safety{MORE}
Reporting Crime -- Where and How--The UNC-Chapel Hill Department of Public Safety has full law enforcement agency status and powers on all University property and streets running through, or adjacent to, campus. On request the department also cooperates with law enforcement agencies investigating criminal activity on the premises of recognized, off-campus student organizations. {MORE}
Pedestrian
Safety Committee Makes Strides
Alcohol, drugs & you--A Message from Chancellor Holden Thorp. {MORE}
You need to know--Illegal drugs and alcohol not only pose serious health risks to those who use them, but state and federal criminal penalties for possession, sale, trafficking and illegal interstate transportation also are severe. University disciplinary sanctions for possession and sale of illegal drugs and alcohol can result in disruption or termination of University education or employment. {MORE}
'No' means 'No'. Period.--The Office of the Dean of Students (DOS) and Counseling and Wellness Services, along with various departments and organizations across campus, offer community education programs for students about sexual assault and related issues. {MORE}
Where to turn--Employee, student discipline systems offer avenues for victims of violence. {MORE}
Get defensive: Training offered by many University departments--When it comes to self-defense training, members of the University community have a number of options. {MORE}
Safety is a two-way street--University police services center on one primary concern: to protect and serve all who come to campus. {MORE}
Rabies: Don't get bitten by ignorance--Rabies, which can infect and be transmitted by any mammal, has moved rapidly into the area's wild animal population in the last 15 years. {MORE}
Sex Offender Registry Available Online--In accordance with the “Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act” of 2000, which amends the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act, the Jeanne Clery Act and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is providing a link to the North Carolina Department of Justice sex offender registry. {MORE}
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Beginning of Articles:
A Message from Chief Jeff McCracken, Director of Public Safety
At the UNC Department of Public Safety, we remain committed to the creation and maintenance of an environment where students, employees, and visitors to our campus can feel safe as they enjoy our progressive, vital community. Through our philosophy of Community Oriented Policing (C.O.P.), we strive to employ professionalism, problem solving, and innovative strategies to remain one of the premier public safety agencies in the nation.
Evidence of this ongoing commitment is reflected in such distinctions as our accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. Previously accredited in 1995, 2000, 2003, and 2006, the department on each occasion has had to meet hundreds of rigorously-documented law enforcement standards to earn the recognition.
We are not resting on our laurels, however. New programs and innovative strategies reflect our emphasis on decreasing campus crimes. Our police officers continue to meet the challenges of the vital and rapidly-changing university environment through adherence to Community Oriented Policing. We need your help in achieving our high standards of excellence. Please familiarize yourself with the following security provisions and partner with us at the Department of Public Safety to help create a safe environment at UNC-Chapel Hill:
This is not a technique or program, and it goes much further than specialized units and bike patrols. C.O.P. is an organization-wide belief and management approach that promotes greater visibility, the forging of partnerships between UNC-Chapel Hill Public Safety and members of the University community, proactive problem-solving and community engagement to address the causes of crime, fear of crime, and other issues of concern to our customers.
As such, new initiatives by the UNC Department of Public Safety over the past few years have included an emphasis on bike patrols and the implementation of a Community Response Unit, comprised of our successful Larceny Reduction Unit, our dedicated Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Unit, and our specialized K9 Unit. “Buddy,” a black Labrador Retriever, joined DPS last fall as our new K9 officer. Trained in explosives odor detection and tracking, Buddy helps with sweeps of large-scale athletic events and other high-profile events on the campus of UNC. These teams are highly-visible as a constant presence out in the university community, whether on patrols, teaching self-defense classes, presenting personal security tips at campus recreation fairs, or merely interacting with students and employees.
Also, a new fleet of squad cars, new P2P Express buses, and a new Mobile Command Center have now been added to our fleet of vehicles. The Mobile Command Center, a 32-foot customized bus, is used by Police and University officials in emergency and non-emergency situations, including those which necessitate the deployment of DPS personnel for extended periods of time, i.e., aircraft crashes, chemical spills, natural gas leaks, public disturbances, natural and manmade disasters, or major crimes.
While we are constantly looking to improve our services to the campus community, we’re also depending on you to take measures like those that follow to become an active participant in the effort to reduce and eliminate crime on campus:
We also find ourselves striving to stay ahead of a university which is constantly evolving and progressing – availing ourselves of the latest technologies and programs to serve you better. In the past few years, communications improvements have brought about such pioneering programs as the online "Silent Witness" feature, through which you can confidentially provide information to UNC-Chapel Hill Public Safety in the interest of your own safety and the security of the campus community at large.
In the interest of agency interoperability, the UNC Department of Public Safety has aligned itself with other area agencies through mutual aid agreements and such tangible tools as an 800-megaherz communication system. The system allows for a more cohesive communications strategy with other Orange County emergency and law enforcement agencies.
We have also worked with the campus Emergency Warning Committee to create new avenues for communicating emergency information. Through the Alert Carolina initiative launched this year, we’re helping to educate the campus about what to do in an emergency and where to find safety-related resources. In addition to our well-established means of communication, emergency sirens and text messaging are new tools for ensuring that everyone is aware and alert to campus emergencies such as an armed and dangerous person on campus, a major chemical spill or hazard, or a tornado sighting. Everyone is encouraged to visit the website, http://alertcarolina.unc.edu a go-to place for information about campus safety for before, during, and after an emergency. I also encourage students to sign up for text messaging by registering their cell phones through links on the Alert Carolina website.
This brand of innovation and progressive thinking has also earned us recognition for our commitment to sustainability. UNC recently received an "A" grade in the area of "Transportation" from the College Sustainability Report Card, the only comparative evaluation of campus and endowment sustainability activities at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. Our involvement in the 2007 Bike-to-Work Week Campaign was recognized as the Transportation Demand Management “Activity of the Year” by the Regional Transportation Alliance.
Registration for our Commuter Alternatives Program (C.A.P.) reflects a continued commitment to a sustainable campus environment. An increase in the number of occasional-use campus parking permits (from nine to 12) earmarked for CAP participants occurred in 2007 / 2008. Also, the Zipcar program was made available to eligible students aged 18 and older, giving them and other registrants access to the entire fleet of vehicles.
Our Police officers strive to be models of professionalism. I currently serve as President of the North Carolina Association of Campus Law Enforcement Agencies (NCACLEA), and I am serving on the Executive Committee of the North Carolina Association of Police Executives. Captain Rodney Carter served as President of the North Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association (NCLEOA) for the 2006 / 2007 term. Lieutenant Colonel George Hare was sworn in as the new Deputy Director of DPS in June, 2008. A 1974 UNC-Chapel Hill graduate, Lieutenant Colonel Hare began work in Durham immediately after graduation. In 2003, after 30 years of service with the Durham Police Department, he retired as that Department’s Deputy Chief. Following two years with the Department of Justice in the Criminal Justice Standards Division, he joined DPS as Captain of Patrols.
Looking toward the future, DPS is already preparing for reaccreditation in 2009 by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. The department will have to meet nearly 500 law enforcement standards to earn the recognition. Still, our first commitment is to you, the University community. We hope that the information contained herein helps you to understand a bit more about our goals, the philosophy of Community Oriented Policing, and how you can partner with us in our own mission…
...Protecting North Carolina's future!
Chief Jeff McCracken,
Director of Public Safety
The tables below show crime, arrest, and disciplinary referral statistics for 2005-2007. These statistics were compiled from information reported to campus police, UNC Hospitals police, the Department of Housing and Residential Education, The Dean of Students Office, and law enforcement agencies in the jurisdictions where the University owns or controls property used for programs involving its own students, including the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
The federal Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act requires that statistics be reported by calendar year. More recent information is available on request from the named law enforcement agencies. University crime statistics for previous years may be found in UCR data published by the North Carolina and U.S. departments of justice.
The statute requires crimes to be reported by geographical categories as explained below.
In the tables below, "Campus" includes (1) all property on the central campus (including Granville Towers, residence halls, UNC Hospitals, and other campus buildings); (2) all University owned or controlled property within a three mile radius of South Building that is used in direct support of, or related to, its educational purposes; and (3) Chapel Hill North and the parts of University Lake, the Horace Williams Property and Mason Farm that fall outside the three-mile circle.
The University leases property throughout the state that is used for various programs involving its own students. Statistics for this property, the University's Marine Sciences Facility in Morehead City, and other non-contiguous University owned or controlled property that is used in similar ways, are reported under "Non-Campus Buildings or Property." This category also includes the premises of all off-campus fraternities and sororities except the unrecognized dental fraternity on Highway 54.
The tables also show crime statistics for UNC-Chapel Hill residence halls (including Granville Towers) and "Public Property," which includes public streets on the central campus and public streets, alleys, sidewalks, other thoroughfares and parking lots immediately adjacent to, and accessible from, University owned or controlled facilities listed in the definition of "Campus" above. The University must obtain much of the "Public Property" data from Chapel Hill and Carrboro Police. Their information retrieval systems are address-based and do not separate crimes occurring inside buildings from those occurring outside. Consequently the statistics in this table include Department of Public Safety statistics for "Public Property" on the central campus and statistics representing the best efforts of Chapel Hill and Carrboro Police to retrieve the requested information for adjacent "Public Property."
As noted earlier, some of the areas defined above are not within the Department of Public Safety's jurisdiction. Statistics for crimes and arrests in those areas have been obtained from local police agencies for inclusion here.
Please note: because the statute requires reporting by geographical categories and a single incident may be reported in more than one category, attempting to total the statistics from all areas will not yield an accurate picture of total crime.
To provide a full picture of area crime, statistics are also included for the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
UNC-Chapel Hill Crime Statistics [1] |
||||||||||
LOCATION |
YEAR |
MURDER & NONNEGLIGENT MANSLAUGHTER |
NEGLIGENT MANSLAUGHTER |
SEX OFFENSE, FORCIBLE [2] |
INCEST & STATUTORY RAPE [3] |
ROBBERY [7] |
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT |
BURGLARY B&E [5] |
MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT |
ARSON |
CAMPUS |
2007 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
12 |
7 |
1 |
CAMPUS |
2006 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
0 |
2 |
16 |
29 |
2 |
1 |
CAMPUS |
2005 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
41 |
4 |
0 |
NONCAMPUS |
2007 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
13 |
2 |
0 |
NONCAMPUS [4] |
2006 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
23 |
3 |
0 |
NONCAMPUS |
2005 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
25 |
5 |
0 |
RES. HALLS |
2007 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
RES. HALLS |
2006 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
RES. HALLS |
2005 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
PUBLIC PROP. [6] |
2007 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
PUBLIC PROP. [6] |
2006 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
PUBLIC PROP. [6] |
2005 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
6 |
10 |
4 |
0 |
UNC-Chapel Hill Arrest/Disciplinary Referral Statistics |
|||||||
LOCATION |
YEAR |
LIQUOR LAW ARRESTS |
DRUG- RELATED ARRESTS [8] |
WEAPONS ARRESTS |
LIQUOR LAW DISC. REFS. |
DRUG- RELATED DISC. REFS. |
WEAPONS DISC. REFS. |
CAMPUS |
2007 |
33 |
20 |
0 |
202 |
1 |
0 |
CAMPUS |
2006 |
52 |
83 |
9 |
216 |
0 |
0 |
CAMPUS |
2005 |
43 |
73 |
6 |
270 |
8 |
1 |
NONCAMPUS |
2007 |
3 |
10 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
NONCAMPUS |
2006 |
17 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
NONCAMPUS |
2005 |
2 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
RES. HALLS |
2007 |
17 |
9 |
0 |
199 |
1 |
0 |
RES. HALLS |
2006 |
16 |
18 |
2 |
216 |
0 |
0 |
RES. HALLS |
2005 |
12 |
22 |
3 |
270 |
8 |
1 |
PUBLIC PROP. [6] |
2007 |
18 |
13 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
PUBLIC PROP. [6] |
2006 |
2 |
24 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
PUBLIC PROP. [6] |
2005 |
42 |
29 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Chapel Hill Crime Statistics [9] |
|||||||||
YEAR |
MURDER & NONNEGLIGENT MANSLAUGHTER |
NEGLIGENT MANSLAUGHTER |
SEX OFFENSE, FORCIBLE |
INCEST & STATUTORY RAPE |
ROBBERY |
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT |
BURGLARY B&E |
MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT |
ARSON |
2007 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
2 |
59 |
112 |
593 |
96 |
16 |
2006 |
2 |
0 |
24 |
32 |
80 |
149 |
531 |
77 |
13 |
2005 |
2 |
0 |
30 |
6 |
59 |
140 |
435 |
83 |
4 |
Chapel Hill Arrest Statistics |
|||
YEAR |
LIQUOR LAW VIOLATIONS |
DRUG- RELATED VIOLATIONS |
WEAPONS VIOLATIONS |
2007 |
297 |
513 |
18 |
2006 |
214 |
511 |
92 |
2005 |
202 |
373 |
64 |
Carrboro Crime Statistics |
|||||||||
YEAR |
MURDER & NONNEGLIGENT MANSLAUGHTER |
NEGLIGENT MANSLAUGHTER |
SEX OFFENSE, FORCIBLE |
INCEST & STATUTORY RAPE |
ROBBERY |
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT |
BURGLARY B&E |
MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT |
ARSON |
2007 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
13 |
42 |
210 |
29 |
2 |
2006 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
26 |
43 |
214 |
32 |
1 |
2005 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
27 |
23 |
107 |
26 |
3 |
Carrboro Arrest Statistics |
|||
YEAR |
LIQUOR LAW VIOLATIONS |
DRUG- RELATED VIOLATIONS |
WEAPONS VIOLATIONS |
2007 |
7 |
74 |
7 |
2006 |
146 [10] |
87 |
7 |
2005 |
95 |
77 |
12 |
____________________
[1] In 2007 there were no hate crimes reported by University Police. In 2006 there were 10 hate crimes reported by University police. All were aggravated assaults based on religious prejudice and stemmed from an incident where a car was driven into a crowd on campus. In 2005 there was one hate crime reported to Chapel Hill Police as having occurred on public property—the nature of the crime was not specified, but it was based on sexual orientation prejudice.
[2] This includes 6 in 2007, 9 in 2006, and 8 in 2005 that were reported to the Division of Student Affairs but not to the Department of Public Safety or other applicable police agency.
[3] This encompasses the National Incident-Based Reporting System definition of “sex offense, nonforcible.” In 2008 UNC Hospitals Police corrected their report for 2005 to reflect that, instead of 1 incest-statutory rape offense, there were none.
[4] Manteo Police did not provide data for 2006. In 2006, Asheville Police corrected 2005 liquor law arrest information.
[5] This includes 1 burglary at a study-abroad site (non-campus) in 2006.
[6] Chapel Hill and Carrboro police computer systems retrieve crime statistics by property address, and incidents occurring inside buildings cannot be separated from those occurring on public property outside buildings. Figures include University Police statistics for public property on the central campus and Chapel Hill and Carrboro Police statistics for addresses where the University owns or controls at least part of a building in the area designated as “campus” for purposes of this report.
[7] Based on updated information from Asheville Police, the number for 2005 has been changed to reflect one more robbery.
[8] This includes 1 arrest in 2007, 30 arrests in 2006 and 25 arrests in 2005 made by UNC Hospitals police for drug violations.
[9] In 2007, Chapel Hill Police reported no hate crimes; in 2006, no hate crimes; in 2005, 6 hate crimes.
[10] This figure as reported by Carrboro Police includes an unspecified number of DWI arrests, which are not considered “liquor law violations” for purposes of this report.
[11] This figure was corrected to 0 in 2008 because the aggravated assaults actually occurred on "campus," not on "public property."
At Carolina, we are committed to providing the safest campus environment that we can for our students and the campus community.
Alert Carolina, a safety awareness campaign, represents part of that commitment. Launched in spring 2008, the campaign aims to educate the campus about what to do in an emergency and where to find safety-related resources. A key goal is to urge students, faculty and staff with cell phones that have text-message capability to sign up for emergency alerts.
The University will inform the campus as quickly as possible when an emergency happens or we learn of a threat. Alert Carolina is better preparing everyone to know what to do, who to contact for help and where to find information and resources. Emergency sirens and text messaging are new capabilities the University has added to share information quickly about a life-threatening situation. The sirens are designed primarily to be heard by people outside on campus, not in buildings or cars. A new way the University is reaching people inside buildings is by text messaging. And a new Web site, http://alertcarolina.unc.edu is the go-to place for information about campus safety or before, during and after an emergency.
The sirens will only sound during a life-threatening emergency or a test. Scenarios for siren activation are 1) armed and dangerous person on or near campus, 2) a major chemical spill or hazard, or 3) a tornado sighting. Be prepared to go inside immediately in an emergency. The sirens also will broadcast brief public address announcements with similar instructions.
In an emergency, the University will also send a text message alert to students, faculty and staff who have registered the numbers of cell phones with text message capability in the campus directory. Providing the number does not mean it will become public - unless the owner marks the entry public and has it displayed in the online campus directory. The University will only send text messages to test the system and in an emergency - not for advertising or other spam.
For text messaging to be effective, we need students who are interested to sign up by registering their cell phone numbers. It's easy to do, and we hope people who use this form of communication will respond to our appeal. It could make a difference in an actual emergency. To register for the alerts, go to http://alertcarolina.unc.edu and click on "Register Your Cell Phone."
The University will also continue to use a combination of other means to share emergency information including campus broadcast voice mail, campus e-mail, the Adverse Weather and Emergency Phone Line, 843-1234, for recorded information, the University Access Channel (Chapel Hill Time Warner Cable Channel 4), and campus or local media.
When the University community faces a threat to public safety or welfare that does not involve activation of the sirens and text messages, the Emergency Warning Committee quickly assesses the situation and, when appropriate, activates the University's Emergency Warning and Communication Plan to inform the campus community.
The University places a high priority on quickly sharing facts. Members of the campus community may receive warnings about criminal activity, information about campus security procedures, and safety tips or instructions to avoid risks. That information may be shared in ways including updates on campus Web pages, campus-wide e-mail or voice mail, posters and flyers, face-to-face notification in residence halls, on-campus apartments, or workplace settings, as well as through campus and Triangle area news media. Several campus offices and departments work closely together to communicate to students, faculty and staff. They include the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Housing and Residential Education, the Office of Human Resources and University Relations.
The level of communications about any single event is decided on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the privacy of the individuals involved, the likelihood that the criminal activity or some other public safety threat will occur again, and the need not to hinder an ongoing police investigation.
The Emergency Warning Plan also may be activated when a non-criminal campus emergency occurs—a possible threat to safety due to severe weather, for example (a hurricane or severe winter weather)--that will significantly affect students and employees. In that situation, the plan provides for wide dissemination of relevant information about the emergency.
The Department of Public Safety Web site – http://www.dps.unc.edu – includes a space reserved for emergency information, and the message on the University's Emergency and Adverse Weather Phone Line (919 843-1234) will contain relevant information and warnings in an emergency situation. Those with radios can also tune in to the Traveler's Information Service broadcasts at 1610 AM.
To complement the Emergency Warning and Communication Plan, the University has established procedures for emergency notification of Student Affairs personnel in the event of a serious crime or other emergency involving a student or student group.
These procedures make it possible for Student Affairs to warn students on campus and alert other University officials. The University's Department of Public Safety, Chapel Hill and Carrboro Police, and the Orange County Sheriff's Department all have been informed about the emergency notification procedures.
The Office of the Dean of Students has a staff member on call 24 hours a day to assist with any emergencies involving students. This staff member may be accessed by calling 966-4042 during business hours or by contacting Public Safety at 962-8100 after hours and weekends.
The Department of Housing and Residential Education has a live-in professional staff member on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist with emergencies in residence halls. The best way to contact the professional staff on-call is to contact Public Safety at 962-8100. Provide your name and contact information so the live-in professional staff on-call can respond accordingly.
It is important for Carolina's students, faculty and staff to know that our campus is well prepared to respond to emergency situations regardless of whether those incidents are natural or manmade.
In the event of an emergency there are response and communication plans in place that will be activated. These plans are coordinated with other Orange County emergency response agencies and have been tested in joint training drills that included UNC Hospitals, which is one of the state's six regional sites designated to respond to any terrorist incident. The University also constantly receives the most up-to-date information available on risks as well as threats, and prepares accordingly.
University staff are trained and equipped to respond first to hazardous materials emergencies on campus. In an emergency, campus Housing and Residential Education staff and other University professionals also are prepared to provide support to students, faculty, and staff. In addition, the University has an Emergency Operations Center to assure centralized and coordinated management of an emergency. The center will be immediately activated if any threat occurs on or near campus; if the United States is at war or experiences a terrorist attack; or if the government ever elevates the Homeland Security Advisory System to its highest risk level of red, meaning "severe."
If a campus emergency involves the release of hazardous materials, the University community should expect to be directed via numerous forms of communication to remain inside or to take shelter indoors on campus in the closest building where toxic vapors are reduced or eliminated. Doing so will help eliminate any uncertainty outside.
Similarly, the University will be directed to “shelter in place” if a tornado is spotted in the vicinity of campus, or if there is an active shooter / gunman who is a current threat to the campus.
To "shelter in place" - or stay in a safe place protected from the hazard - close doors and windows. Move to an interior room away from as many windows as possible. It may take time for local authorities or University officials to advise about what is happening. Remain in shelter until University officials notify you that it is safe to leave. Until then, do not try to contact parents or friends to come to campus to pick you up. Tell your family now that you expect to seek shelter on campus during a hazardous materials or other emergency.
Make plans now for your own emergency communications. Familiarize yourself with the Alert Carolina website (http://alertcarolina.unc.edu). Discuss those plans with co-workers, classmates, roommates, parents and friends. If necessary, arrange for back up care of family members who would need special assistance. If such an emergency occurs when you are home, do not come to campus until officials announce that it is safe to do so.
When an emergency happens, students should follow these same procedures while in residence halls, campus apartments or off-campus accommodations. Housing and Residential Education staff, on call 24 hours daily, seven days a week, will implement "shelter in place," provide directions and share information updates as they are available from University officials.
Watch for strangers or anyone who seems to be acting suspiciously. If you see anything raising your concern - including unattended bags, backpacks, cars or vehicles - call the Department of Public Safety at 911. Keep building doors and windows locked when the building is closed and not open for business. If you see an unsecured building, report it to Public Safety by calling 962-8100.
For a portable source of helpful safety and security tips, download the brochure “Safety at Carolina, A Shared Responsibility” from the Alert Carolina website at http://alertcarolina.unc.edu/clients/1395/99687.pdf .
The UNC-Chapel Hill Department of Public Safety has full law enforcement agency status and powers on all University property and streets running through, or adjacent to, campus. On request the department also cooperates with law enforcement agencies investigating criminal activity on the premises of recognized, off-campus student organizations.
UNC Public Safety is one of only 41 college and university public safety agencies in the country that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. and is one of only four universities currently accredited in the State of North Carolina.
Public Safety has mutual aid agreements with the Chapel Hill and Carrboro police departments and the Orange County Sheriff's Department. Officers from all of these agencies often participate when there is a major special event at the University. Public Safety also has a close working relationship with the Chapel Hill Police Detective Division, the State Bureau of Investigation and N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement.
Crimes occurring on campus should be reported to the Department of Public Safety
Ways to report crimes:
• In an emergency, dial 911. Public Safety responds to every campus 911 call, even if the caller hangs up without saying anything. (If you accidentally dial 911, stay on the line and tell the telecommunicator it was an error. This will save the police an unnecessary trip.)
• If you're outside, use one of the many tall black emergency call boxes located on campus. At night you can locate them by the blue light on top. Call boxes have direct lines to the Department of Public Safety. Just push the button to be directly connected to Public Safety and speak into the speaker.
• For routine calls, telephone 962-8100.
• To report crimes confidentially by computer, use the Silent Witness program discussed in sections titled “Safe and Secure” and “Netting Criminals” in this report.
Crimes occurring off-campus within the city limits should be reported to the town police. In an emergency, dial 911. For routine calls telephone Chapel Hill Police at 968-2760 and Carrboro Police at 918-7397.
Crimes occurring outside the city limits should be reported to the county sheriff's department. In Orange County, call 911 for an emergency. For routine calls telephone the Orange County Sheriff's Department at 942-6300.
http://www.maps.unc.edu/CampusMaps/PdfMaps/CallBoxMap.pdf
Thanks to direct-line call boxes, maintained by the Department of Public Safety, Electric Systems and the Telecommunications Office; assistance is convenient and always easy to find. Standing tall and prominently, these nine-foot fixtures reflect the commitment of the departments and the University to a greater level of personal security for all students and employees.
These "blue-light" fixtures require only the push of a button to contact the Department of Public Safety through a speakerphone. A bright strobe light on the top of the call box is set off when the button is pushed, helping police quickly locate the caller. If you are unable to speak or need to seek safer shelter, there are indicators in place to let police dispatchers know which call box has been activated. Police officers will respond quickly any time a call box is activated, whether you speak into the speaker or not. A quick call can make the difference in solving or even preventing a crime.
For information on exact locations of public safety call boxes, consult the map contained in this report.
There are 100 call boxes located across the campus and 100 in University parking decks. Electric Systems and the University's Telecommunications Department provide installation and regular spot-check maintenance of the call boxes. As the campus changes and grows, the number of call boxes will continue to increase. Public Safety and Telecommunications are open to suggestions for possible future sites.
Call boxes are designed as an additional resource for the University community to use to contact the Department of Public Safety. They represent one facet of a comprehensive commitment to campus safety, which includes the upgrading of lighting in specified corridors, emphasis on after-dark campus transportation, increasing police visibility and the establishment of the philosophy of Community Oriented Policing. All of these will assist officers in becoming better acquainted with the community.
The goal of the Department of Public Safety is to become a partner with the University community to cooperatively address crime, fear of crime and quality of life issues. Call boxes are one way for us to stay in touch with University students, staff and visitors.
For more information or to arrange a call box demonstration, call the Crime Prevention Officer at 966-3230. To report any kind of problem relative to the operation or appearance of a University Call Box, call Electric Systems at 962-8394.
Thanks to the Silent Witness program, Internet users can send confidential reports about campus crimes to the Department of Public Safety.
The web-based report form can be accessed via Public Safety's homepage at http://www.dps.unc.edu . Before a report can be submitted, the user must provide three pieces of information: the type of crime involved; the general location of the crime (campus building, parking lot, etc.); and a more specific location for the crime. The form also has spaces for date, time and description of the crime as well as the suspect's name, address and nicknames, if known. Pull-down menus allow the user to construct a description of the suspect by clicking on choices from lists of characteristics. There is also an area provided for more details, such as scars and clothing.
After filling in as much information as possible, the user clicks on "Submit Information to UNC-CH Police" and the report is e-mailed to Public Safety's Investigations Division, identified only by a unique, randomly generated number. The same number is displayed for the sender, who can print it from the web browser. If the sender wants to contact Public Safety again about the same crime, he or she can reference the number of the previous report so the Investigations Division can add the new information to the file.
The police follow up each Silent Witness report as appropriate, based upon the information received, to determine if a reported incident represents an on-going threat to the campus community. If the investigating officer determines that the reported incident occurred and that it has not previously been reported, the officer will complete an incident report, and the crime will be included in both UNC-CH police crime statistics and, if applicable, the crime statistics recorded in the University's annual campus security report.
Students who are victims of a sexual assault that occurs on campus, and who do not wish an investigation of the assault to be conducted, may file a “blind report” (for statistical purposes and potential later follow-up) with the Dean of Students Office, Academic Advising, Campus Health Services, Carolina Women’s Center, or the LGBTQ Center.
At present the University neither encourages nor discourages pastoral or professional counselors' informing the persons they counsel of the availability of the Silent Witness program as a crime-reporting option.
Maintaining building security is always a major safety concern for individuals living on campus and for those who live elsewhere but come to campus to use University facilities.
University instructional and administrative facilities are generally open to the public during regular (normal) business hours all year, but they are locked at other times. Individuals who need access to locked facilities should call the Department of Public Safety. Requests for access without prior arrangement require proof of identity and authorization from the person or department that controls the facility or area.
Housekeepers, who usually work when buildings are closed, check out keys to their buildings each day and re-lock building doors after entering. Many housekeepers who work from midnight to 8 a.m. and 3:50 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. and those working in remote buildings carry radios so they can call for assistance in emergencies. Housekeeping Services employs two security guards through Police Services to patrol on foot, check buildings, and respond to housekeepers' calls for assistance.
All residence halls have electronic key systems where residents can open the outside door by using a proxy key to activate the reader. Exterior doors to residence halls are locked at all times. Exceptions are made when students move in each semester. Signs posted at the entrance to each residence hall provide notice of restrictions on entry.
If a student changes residence halls or moves off campus, access may be changed by updating the student's profile in the computer system without the issuance of a new key. All such changes are made online and are effective immediately. The Facilities Services Housing Support Division deactivates lost keys in the same way. Residents should report lost exterior door keys immediately to the Community Office.
Each resident has a key to his or her residence hall room or apartment. In suite-style residence halls, the room key also opens the suite door. Residents are advised to keep doors locked at all times. Room locks are changed when keys are lost and residents should immediately report lost room keys to the Community Office.
Residents may have invited guests visit in the student room and residence hall; however, some halls have restrictions related to when guests may visit, commonly referred to as visitation. Standard visitation allows guests to visit from 9am-1am Sunday-Thursday, and 9am-2am Friday and Saturday. Open visitation allows guests to visit anytime with the permission of the roommate.
Both visitation options require roommate consent. Students complete roommate agreements early in the academic year to establish guidelines when guests are invited into the student room. In addition, students living in the residence hall are responsible for maintaining the visitation standards as members of a common community. The Resident Advisor is available to mediate when roommate or community agreements are not upheld. Each residence hall has a telephone located at the entrance. Invited guests gain access to the residence hall by calling their host and asking to be escorted while visiting. Students are held responsible for the behavior of their guests.
Only authorized personnel are provided access to keys that open multiple residence hall doors. These include Public Safety personnel, maintenance personnel and residence hall staff. Live-in professional staff control residence hall room key access. The Facilities Services Housing Support Division controls master key access.
Any facility-related security concern or other emergency is given highest priority for response by Housing Support personnel. Typical security calls are for locks not functioning and broken windows. If the request for attention is made during normal working hours, an attempt is made to respond during that day.
If the request is made after normal working hours, the Public Safety Telecommunications Center alerts the appropriate personnel on call. Emergency and security maintenance requests are handled as soon as the person on call can arrive on campus
Adequate lighting on campus is an important component of safety and security as it reduces or eliminates places where criminals can hide.
At night, campus lighting corridors provide increased lighting for walkways and parking lots that are used frequently after dark by students, staff, faculty and other campus visitors. While it is too expensive to provide such lighting across the entire campus, additional illumination along these corridors is both necessary and beneficial to campus safety and security.
Lighting corridors now exist from East Franklin Street at the north end of campus to Rams Village residence halls on south campus. Older lights on north campus have been replaced with higher intensity, improved-color lights that nearly double the amount of light in that area. East-west corridors follow Cameron Avenue and South Road.
To review lighting needs, the Electric Distribution Systems work group within Energy Services has been conducting lighting tours of the campus twice a year for more than a decade. Normally, tours are held in April and October. These walking tours allow students and staff to point out where lighting needs improvement, to see where it has changed (because of construction or tree and shrubbery growth, for example) and to see the impact of changes that have been made to improve lighting. Since the lighting corridors were created, several lighting tours have demonstrated the benefits to all who walk in these areas, and positive comments from students on the tour show that the higher level of light provides a strong deterrent to potential dangers.
Usually participating in the tours are representatives from the student body, Graduate and Professional Student Federation, Department of Public Safety, University Housing, Facilities Planning, Building Services, and Grounds Services. The tour leader historically is the manager of Electric Distribution Systems and/or a member of his or her staff.
The tours are open to any interested person. Advance notices of tour dates are sent to the above-mentioned representatives and to the Daily Tar Heel and the University Gazette.
Anyone with a concern about lighting is encouraged to call Electric Distribution Systems at 962-8394 at any time, day or night. If you are interested in participating in the walking tour, call Electric Distribution Systems at the number just mentioned or watch for the announcements in the Daily Tar Heel and University Gazette.
Finally, increased illumination does not eliminate the need to be cautious when walking at night. Pedestrians should walk with a friend, take the P2P Express, or call Point-to-Point at 962-7867 (962-P-TO-P). (For more information on transportation options see the article “Getting Around” in this report.) Use one of the campus call boxes if you feel threatened at any time of day or night.
The Point-to-Point (P2P) Express serves designated stops around campus on a fixed route between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m. seven days a week during fall and spring semesters. This service is available to all faculty, staff, and students. P2P does not provide service when the residence halls are closed. P2P pick-up times are posted at key P2P Express stops on the route.
P2P also provides transportation services to students and employees with disabilities 24 hours a day. Advance reservations may be made for this service. A doctor’s certificate is required to be kept on file at the P2P Dispatch Office. The service is free to students and employees with University identification cards. Service schedules are subject to change during special events. No service is available on officially designated University holidays during which residence halls are closed.
Students and employees may telephone the Point-to-Point Shuttle between dusk and dawn for transportation between campus locations and remote on-campus parking lots that are not served by the P2P Express route. Call 962-PTOP (962-7867). The hearing impaired may call the text telephone (TDD) at 962-7142. P2P dispatchers and drivers are knowledgeable about campus and may be able to provide you some helpful information.
Many campus parking lots offer one-touch direct-line phones to the P2P dispatcher for student use. Just drive up to the dark blue P2P box and push the red button to be connected to a P2P dispatcher. You may stay in your car near the box until the shuttle arrives, then park and board the shuttle.
Rides to the Student Health Center are also available to students 24 hours a day from any campus location.
P2P also works with the Commuter Alternative Program (C.A.P.) to provide emergency ride back service (call 843-“SOS1”) to members of C.A.P. who have a verifiable emergency and need transportation to their cars parked in off-campus park and ride lots. For C.A.P. participants commuting from outside Chapel Hill and Carrboro, we suggest joining Triangle Transit’s Emergency Ride Home program. To do so, visit http://www.gotriangle.org/ERH . You do not have to be in C.A.P. or live outside the local area to join Triangle Transit’s program, either. You may participate even if you walk to campus each day.
If your car is stranded, the Department of Public Safety's Motorist Assistance Program (M.A.P.) offers lock-out key retrievals and jump-starts to motorists on campus. Employees or students may access M.A.P. through the department's Security Enforcement Division at 962-8006 on weekdays from 7 a.m. to midnight or through UNC-Chapel Hill Police Services at 962-8100 during other times.
For information on parking permits, special event and visitor parking, P2P shuttle service, the Commuter Alternatives Program and the Zipcar program, check the Department of Public Safety's website, http://www.dps.unc.edu. You can find links to transportation websites there too. The most straightforward access to this information exists on the websites of our partners designed specifically for this purpose. Visit http://www.GoTriangle.org or http://www.RedefineTravel.org (for students). There you can do single trip planning, join the regional ridesharing database and access bus maps and schedules for bus routes serving locally and throughout the region.
The sixteen-member Pedestrian Safety Committee, formed in the spring of 2000, met monthly throughout the academic year, focused its attention on various pedestrian safety issues and worked toward finding solutions to this serious problem.
A subcommittee of the Pedestrian Safety Committee formed four years ago, the Pedestrian Safety Technical Committee, continued to study and provide information regarding new construction projects and how they will affect pedestrian safety in their respective areas. Plans were implemented to address pedestrian areas impacted by construction such as: the changing of the right turn lane from South Columbia Street onto South Road; the impact of the temporary lane change at Manning Drive and Hibbard Drive; the movement of the Student Union crosswalk after the Student Store renovation; and future changes for the South Road pedestrian area.
The Department of Public Safety’s Traffic and Pedestrian Safety (TAPS) Unit was renamed the Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Team and now falls under the newly formed Community Response Unit. The Team is comprised of three full-time police officers and founded through a partnership between the University and the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program. The Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Team has continued to focus its efforts toward creating a safer pedestrian environment at UNC-Chapel Hill. These officers devote attention to addressing pedestrian safety matters as well as various traffic safety issues. In addition to simply enforcing pedestrian safety and speed limit laws, these officers work with the Highway Safety Research Center in developing, implementing, and promoting programs about pedestrian safety education and awareness through various initiatives throughout campus. One of the many initiatives include two “Yield 2 Heels” Pedestrian Awareness and Safety events per year (March 26, 2008 and one scheduled for October 17, 2008). Since January 18, 2006, the Team has continued its focus on Pedestrian Violation Enforcement. The campaign consisted of police officers monitoring high pedestrian traffic areas and violations committed by pedestrians. Over the past year, the Team conducted 15 such safety programs, made 142 new liaison contacts regarding pedestrian safety throughout the University community, and issued more than 193 speed related citations to campus drivers.
The newest tool in the effort to enhance pedestrian safety on the UNC campus is the Speedsentry radar system which is used to help monitor motorists’ different rates of speed on campus. The mobile, pole-mounted device helps the Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Team gather information regarding traffic flow on different campus roadways. The equipment shows passing motorists’ speeds with up to an 18-inch high display while collecting volume and speed data.
In 2007, Team officers began using new Lidar guns to monitor individual vehicles’ speeds isolated from within a stream of traffic. Unlike RADAR which relies on Doppler shifts to directly measure speed, police Lidar relies on laser technology to identify violators and calculate speed. It reflects the latest advancement in police speed enforcement.
To report a problem related to Pedestrian Safety, contact the University’s Pedestrian Safety Hotline at 843-PEDS or the TAPS Team supervisor, Sgt. R. Holland, at Rahsheem_Holland@unc.edu
Illegal or abusive use of drugs or alcohol by members of the University community can adversely affect the educational environment and interfere with maximum achievement of personal, social and educational goals. I am writing to provide you with information about University policies in this area and because I want to be sure you are aware of the many resources available if you, or a friend or family member, need help for a substance abuse problem. The University has had a Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program for faculty, staff and students since 1987. It addresses the problem of substance abuse through education and, where appropriate, through referral and/or disciplinary action. Since then the Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988, the Drug Free Schools and Communities Amendments of 1989 and the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 have established certain federal reporting and information-distribution requirements designed to combat drug and alcohol abuse.
The Board of Trustees' Policy on Illegal Drugs is part of the University's Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program, and every student, faculty member, administrator and other employee of the University is responsible for being familiar with and complying with the terms of this policy. Under the policy, students, faculty members, administrators and all other employees of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are held responsible as citizens for knowing and complying with state laws that make it a crime to possess, sell, deliver or manufacture drugs designated collectively as "controlled substances" in Article 5 of Chapter 90 of the North Carolina General Statutes. These substances include cocaine, amphetamines, anabolic steroids, marijuana and other drugs. Any member of the University community who violates those laws may be subject both to prosecution and punishment by the civil authorities and to disciplinary proceedings by the University. Copies of the full text of the policy are available in the office of any dean, director or department chair, at the Office of Student Affairs, the Office of Human Resources and the Benefits Office and on the web at http://www.unc.edu/policies/idp.pdf .
The University's Policy on Student Possession and Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages sets out rules on student alcohol use and possession, additional rules for recognized student groups and University enforcement responses for violations of those rules. Copies are available at the Office of Student Affairs and on the web at http://www.unc.edu/campus/policies/studentalcohol.html .
The University's Guidelines for Serving Alcohol at University-Sponsored Events provide comprehensive information about applicable laws and University rules to the whole campus. A copy may be found on the web at http://www.unc.edu/policies/alcohol.pdf .
Alcohol service at private functions held at certain University facilities (listed in the Guidelines) is governed by the rules of those facilities.
Federal legislation also requires, as a condition of employment, that any faculty or staff member or student assistant engaged in the performance of a federal grant or contract must abide by the University's drug policy and, if he or she is convicted of a violation of any criminal drug statute in the workplace, must give written notice of that conviction to his or her dean, director or department chair within five days thereafter. The dean, director or chair should forward any such reports to the University’s General Counsel.
Disciplinary proceedings against a student, faculty member, administrator or other employee will be initiated under the University's Policy on Illegal Drugs when the alleged conduct is deemed to affect the interests of the University. Penalties will be imposed for violation of the policy only in accordance with the University's existing procedural safeguards that are applicable to all disciplinary actions against students, faculty members, administrators and other employees.
Possible penalties for violations of the Policy on Illegal Drugs range from written warnings with probationary status to expulsion from enrollment and discharge from employment. On-the-job drug or alcohol impairment or any possession or use of alcohol on campus other than that authorized by the policies noted above are not consistent with these policies and will be addressed appropriately through established disciplinary procedures.
Information about the health hazards associated with drug and alcohol abuse is available from Campus Health Services’ Counseling and Wellness Services. As the federal Drug Free Schools and Communities Amendments of 1989 require, the article in this report entitled "You Need to Know" contains a description of the health risks associated with the use of illicit drugs and abuse of alcohol; a summary of applicable legal sanctions for the unlawful possession or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol; and a summary of the University's minimum sanctions for unlawful possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol by students or employees on University property or as a part of any University activity.
There is help available for those who seek it. Counseling and Wellness Services (966-3658) provides counseling, support groups and referrals for students seeking help with substance abuse problems. Campus Health Services is a state-approved provider of assessment and treatment services for DWI offenders referred by the court system. The University's Employee Assistance Program (929-2362) provides assessment and referrals for employees and their family members. Local community mental health agencies and personal physicians can identify treatment resources, and information and assistance also are available from local chapters of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. If you, your friends or family members are experiencing problems with substance abuse, I urge you to get in touch with these University and community resources for assistance.
Illegal drugs and alcohol not only pose serious health risks to those who use them, but state and federal criminal penalties for possession, sale, trafficking and illegal interstate transportation also are severe. University disciplinary sanctions for possession and sale of illegal drugs and alcohol can result in disruption or termination of University education or employment. More detailed information, for a selected list of substances, follows:
Under North Carolina law, drug possession and sale carry the following maximum sentences:
• Possession of amphetamines (including methamphetamine), cocaine, GHB, heroin, LSD, MDMA, opium, oxycodone, or psilocybin first offense: suspension from enrollment or employment for at least one semester. (Because the Policy on Illegal Drugs requires, at a minimum, a longer suspension without pay than State Personnel Commission regulations allow, the penalty for a first offense for SPA employees is discharge.) Second offense: sanctions up to expulsion for students and discharge for employees.
Sale of these drugs: student expulsion and employee discharge.
There has been widespread publicity about the “date-rape” drugs Rohypnol and GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate). However, these are not the only drugs people should be on guard against. Ketamine, Ecstasy, and other drugs are all sometimes used to make people more vulnerable to sexual assault. And it is important to know that alcohol by itself is currently the most common date-rape drug.
Using alcohol, or any other substance, to make someone vulnerable to sexual assault is a felony offense. If a person is not capable of giving consent to sex, having sex with that person is legally considered sexual assault.
In addition to alcohol, Rohypnol, GHB, Ketamine, and Ecstasy can all be used to intoxicate people to the point of incapacitation. These substances are “black market” drugs, often made in “basement laboratories” increasing the risk for contamination, overdose and other physical dangers. They are most commonly mixed into an alcoholic beverage, but they can be mixed into any drink. Victims unknowingly consume the beverage and become helpless and unable to defend themselves. Victims may also be left unable to remember anything that happened near the time of consumption.
The federal government has strictly prohibited the medical or other use of Rohypnol. Dispensing the drug, including putting it into someone's drink or food without that person's knowledge, is a federal crime, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Simple possession of the drug is punishable by up to three years in prison.
Persons who use GHB, Ketamine, or Ecstasy to victimize others can be charged with serious felonies. These drugs are widely available, and their use has been linked to deaths and serious illnesses in incidents across the country. Drugs and alcohol make you more vulnerable to robbery, sexual assault and other crimes.
Campus Health Services provides medical attention, education and counseling regarding various substances. Survivors of sexual assault can elect to have evidence collected which may include urine and blood samples for drug testing. Different drugs are detectable for different time periods so it is important to get these tests collected as soon as possible after suspected exposure. If drug screening is part of a report with law enforcement and if the District Attorney after the review of the evidence determines that drug testing is indicated to build a legal case, then those tests are free. As an alternative, Campus Health Service can provide, on a fee-for-service basis, confidential drug testing as long as the ordered tests are within the acceptable time frame.
If you find that you are more intoxicated than you should be, given the amount of alcohol you have consumed, or if you experience symptoms that are not normally associated with alcohol, contact Campus Health Services (966-2281), or 911.
If you have questions about your or a friend’s potential exposure to a date rape substance, feel free to contact Women’s Health Clinic at Campus Health Services (966-3650), Counseling and Wellness Services (966-3658), or Office of the Dean of Students (966-4042). For more information about services offered at Campus Health Services, check out the Campus Health Services website http://campushealth.unc.edu Information about what to do in the case of an immediate concern is available by clicking on “sexual assault response” on the menu under medical services.
The Campus Health Services, Counseling and Wellness Services, Office of the Dean of Students and Campus Police all provide ongoing training and outreach education on this topic. These offices have regularly updated paper and electronic resources on prevention and response.
'No'
means 'No'. Period.
The Office of the Dean of Students (DOS) and Counseling and Wellness Services, along with various departments and organizations across campus, offer community education programs for students about sexual assault and related issues. Students also may report incidents of sexual assault to DOS, Academic Advising, the LGBTQ Center or to the Carolina Women’s Center. The Office of the Dean of Students also publishes a sexual assault brochure and a resource card that are made available to all students.
Visit the Office of the Dean of Students, located in Suite 1106 of the Student Academic Services Building, or check the web site at http://deanofstudents.unc.edu for more information.
Counseling and Wellness Services, within Campus Health Services, offers regularly updated programs on developing life skills for student success. These include prevention-focused programs addressing violence, date and acquaintance rape, male/female communications and other wellness topics. Alcohol and other drug education programs also offer complementary program content to address the issues of violence and rape.
Peer-mentoring programs have been developed to address issues such as education and decision-making skills regarding the use of alcohol and other drugs, dealing with violence and developing primary relationships. DOS and the Carolina Women’s Center sponsor HAVEN training to help faculty, staff, and students become informed allies for those affected by sexual and relationship violence.
Sexual assault victims are strongly urged to seek medical treatment. Most treatment at either Campus Health Services or UNC Hospitals can be paid for by the Victim’s Assistance Fund. If a victim is not sure whether he or she wants to prosecute the assailant, the evidence still can be collected in case the victim later decides to bring criminal charges. If a victim seeks medical assistance, Campus Health Service or hospital personnel can, at the victim's request, call in the police. If a victim first reports the assault to police officials, they can transport the victim to medical assistance. Sexual assault is a crime, and the victim of a sexual assault always has the right to report it to the police. A victim who wishes to report a sexual assault to police should notify the law enforcement agency in whose jurisdiction the assault occurred. In the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area, notify the following agencies if the assault occurs:
If a victim needs assistance in reporting a sexual assault to local law enforcement authorities, various University agencies can help. If a student has been sexually assaulted outside the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area, the University police, on request, will help the victim contact the proper law enforcement agency in order to report the assault.
The University has a Sexual Assault Response Plan to provide a cooperative course of action in the event a student is sexually assaulted.
The response plan identifies specific University agencies (Campus Health Service, Counseling and Wellness Services, University Police Services, Office of the Dean of Students, Department of Housing and Residential Education, academic deans and advisors and others) that can provide support to a student who is sexually assaulted.
In addition to providing service particular to its area of responsibility, a response plan agency makes every effort to inform survivors of other services available at the University and services in the local community, such as the Orange County Rape Crisis Center, that may complement University services. At the student's request, response plan agencies will help the student who has been assaulted contact an agency from which he or she wishes to seek assistance. Training is required for all University agencies that provide services to Carolina students who are sexually assaulted. The training includes general information regarding sexual assault and the provisions of the University Response Plan for Incidents of Sexual Assault Involving UNC-CH Students and is facilitated by the Office of the Dean of Students.
If the victim lives in campus housing and wishes to move to another residence hall or on-campus apartment, the Department of Housing and Residential Education will make every effort to assist if there is a vacancy available. If the victim wishes to move off-campus following the assault, the Department of Housing and Residential Education will release him or her from the housing contract and prorate housing costs accordingly. If the victim lives off-campus (including Granville Towers) and wishes to move on campus, the Department of Housing and Residential Education will make every effort to accommodate requests as space is available.
The Department of Housing and Residential Education also provides several safe spaces in campus housing for temporary use. These spaces are located in residence halls and on-campus apartments and provide the option for a support person to accompany the victim until other arrangements are confirmed. Arrangements for safe space are made by contacting the live-in professional staff member on-call. The best way to contact the live-in professional staff on-call is to contact Public Safety at 962-8100. Provide your name and contact information so the live-in professional staff on-call can respond to you.
Survivors who need academic assistance (extension of time to complete class work; withdrawal from a course; section change, if available; etc.) as the result of a sexual assault may obtain help from academic deans. Staff members in the Office of the Dean of Students are available to assist the victim in contacting the appropriate academic area.
For more information about the response plan, you may contact the Office of the Dean of Students in Suite 1106 of the Student Academic Services Building by calling 966-4042 or through e-mail at dos@unc.edu A copy of the response plan is available on the web at http://deanofstudents.unc.edu/ (Click on Policies, then click on Sexual Assault Response Plan.)
Complementing policies and procedures already in place for students, the University’s Violence in the Workplace Policy provides a mechanism for dealing with violent behavior by employees on the job. The policy prohibits "any form of violence by an employee against another employee, student, vendor, or visitor to the University."
Employees are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, for threats, intimidation, physical attack or intentional property damage they commit on or off campus while engaged in activity related to their University employment. Using or possessing a weapon while engaged in such activity also is a violation of the policy unless the employee's job duties require it.
Any employee who believes that he or she has been the target of workplace violence should report the incident immediately to an appropriate supervisor or manager, or to the Employee & Management Relations Department in Human Resources at 843-3444. In emergencies, employees should call University Police at 911.
Reports of violence will be handled in a confidential manner with information being released only on a need-to-know basis. Management will investigate incidents fully and promptly, take appropriate disciplinary action and follow up with victims and any other staff members affected by the incident. The policy prohibits retaliation and harassment against employees who make good-faith reports about policy violations.
In addition to pursuing criminal charges against an alleged assailant through the N.C. court system, if the alleged assailant is a University student, a complainant of sexual assault also has the option of pursuing formal disciplinary action against him or her under the Honor Code.
Section II.C.1.b. of the Instrument of Student Judicial Governance defines sexual misconduct as:
i. Deliberate touching of another’s sexual parts without consent;
ii. Deliberate sexual invasion of another without consent;
iii. Deliberate constraint or incapacitation of another, without that person’s knowledge or consent, so as to put another at substantially increased risk of sexual injury; or
iv. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that expressly or implicitly imposes conditions upon, threatens, interferes with, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or demeaning environment for an individual’s
(I) academic pursuits,
(II) University employment,
(III) participation in activities sponsored by the University or organizations or groups related to the University, or
(IV) opportunities to benefit from other aspects of University life.
If the victim decides to institute Honor System proceedings against the alleged assailant, the student attorney general conducts a preliminary investigation to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to charge the accused with the offense of sexual misconduct. If a charge is made, a hearing will be held before either a student court or a University Hearings Board (composed of faculty, students and an administrative chair), to determine whether the accused is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the alleged misconduct.
Several special procedures apply during sexual misconduct hearings:
(a) was between the alleged complainant and the accused;
(b) is evidence of specific instances of sexual behavior offered for the purpose of showing that the act or acts charged were not committed by the accused;
(c) is evidence of an occurrence or occurrences of sexual behavior so distinctive and so closely resembling the accused's version of the alleged encounter with the alleged victim as to tend to prove that the alleged victim consented to the act or acts charged; or
(d) is evidence of sexual behavior offered as the basis of expert psychological or psychiatric opinion that the alleged victim fantasized or invented the act or acts charged.
The Office of the Dean of Students notifies both the complainant and the accused of the results of the hearing, including any sanctions imposed by the court in the case of a guilty verdict. In accordance with the N.C. Public Records Act, if the accused is found guilty, the office of the Dean of Students, on request, will make public the name of the accused, the violation committed, and the sanction imposed.
The minimum sanction for a violation of Section II.C.1.b. is indefinite suspension for at least two full academic semesters. If the court believes expulsion is the appropriate sanction, it may recommend that sanction to the Chancellor, but only the Chancellor may impose the sanction of expulsion.
Students are welcome to come discuss the Honor System process with a member of the Dean of Students staff before making a decision as whether to file a complaint with the Honor System.
Although the University takes routine disciplinary action against students under the auspices of the Instrument of Student Judicial Governance, the Emergency Evaluation and Action Committee Policy and Procedures (EEAC) provide a swifter response when the safety of the University community is involved. Students whose cases may require action pursuant to this policy fall into four categories:
(1) An applicant for admission or readmission to the University who has been convicted of a crime involving assault or felonious behavior, who has a record of violent behavior or who has a record of academic dishonesty or disciplinary rule violations elsewhere;
(2) A student whose behavior, on or off campus, is such that his/her presence in the University, in the judgment of the Emergency Evaluation and Action Committee, poses a serious threat of disruption of the academic process or a continuing danger to other members of the University community or University property;
(3) A student who has been arrested and charged with a serious crime of a violent or dangerous nature, or a serious crime that involved placing another person in fear of imminent physical injury or danger, where, in the judgment of the committee, if the student is found guilty, his/her presence in the University would pose a serious threat of disruption of the academic process or a continuing danger to the student, other members of the University community or University property; and
(4) A student charged by the University with a violation of policies concerning illegal drugs, whose continued presence within the University community would, if the charges are true, constitute a clear and immediate danger to the health or welfare of other members of the University community.
The Committee can decide to suspend the student indefinitely, require the student to receive mental health treatment, or impose other conditions on the student.
When it comes to self-defense training, members of the University community have a number of options.
Training & Development offers Essential Self-Defense Skills for Women. Taught by instructors from the University’s Department of Public Safety, the course is open to female faculty, staff and student employees. In keeping with the course's philosophy that "the goal of any type of resistance is to escape," this course teaches verbal skills as well as physical strategies and techniques for self-protection. Participants do not have to be in good physical shape to benefit from the course, which is taught in a supportive, non-threatening environment.
This half-day program has received high marks from many women on campus who have taken it. There is no charge, but class size is limited to 20. The University Gazette publishes Training & Development's program schedule. Employees may refer to Training & Development’s online registration website at www.training.unc.edu for more information on specific dates and locations of the program and to register. For those without internet access, a registration form is also available by calling Training & Development at 962-2550.
The Department of Public Safety offers Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) Training for female students, faculty and staff. RAD training is designed to empower participants by educating them, helping them develop self-reliance and decision-making skills and providing a training environment where they can discover the power of their own strength. Participants learn awareness, prevention, risk-reduction and avoidance techniques, but much of the 12-hour program is spent practicing application of self-defense tactics, including realistic simulation training. Women of average fitness will be able to participate successfully.
RAD training is offered several times a year. Afternoon, evening or weekend classes may be offered as three four-hour blocks or four three-hour blocks. Maximum class size is 25. For information about class schedules, call Lt. Angela Carmon at 966-3230. The Student Activities Funds Office provides funding for course manuals, and participants may keep them after the end of the course. Protective equipment is provided free of charge, including a free mouthpiece. Participants who complete the course may present their signed manuals at any RAD training facility in the United States or Canada to be allowed to practice or participate in refresher training at no charge.
Students in PHYA 228 earn a physical education activity credit while learning how to make themselves safer. Although participants learn physical self-defense techniques such as kicking, blocking and escaping from someone's hold, a major focus of the class is analysis --realizing how one is vulnerable and how to stop being vulnerable.
Classes discuss physical and verbal defense methods. Many classes tour the campus, discovering places that might not be safe and learning how to avoid potential dangers.
Each student submits a "fear scenario," a description of a frightening personal experience or a situation the student is afraid of encountering. Students exchange scenarios, analyzing them to determine what could have been done to avoid the problem and, once the situation has begun to unfold, how one could keep it from escalating. The scenario, with analysis and solutions, is then presented to the class.
PHYA 228 is open to male and female students. Two sections (25-30 slots in each) will be offered in the fall and two in the spring semester. An additional section will be offered during the summer session. Feedback from former students rates this class as one that made a real impact in their lives. Several students have even reported successfully using the methods learned in class in real life situations.
Information is an important component in the continuing effort to increase campus safety by encouraging members of the campus community to be responsible for their own security and the security of others. There are many sources of safety and security information on the Carolina campus.
To stop crime before it takes place, the Department of Public Safety spends a great deal of time on crime prevention programming.
Students, faculty and staff can help make Carolina a safer community by taking steps to protect themselves and by encouraging people to call campus police.
Everyone who has safety concerns or notes suspicious activity is encouraged to call the Department of Public Safety at the emergency phone number 911, or by using any emergency call box.
The commitment to protect and serve all those who come to campus includes the provision of services to the community when crimes do occur, as well as the prevention of crime. One of the goals set forth by the Department of Public Safety is to stop crime before it takes place. To attain this goal, a great deal of attention is given to community oriented policing and crime prevention programming. Its pro-active, community-oriented programs focus on providing crime prevention education for students, faculty and staff. These programs allow the Department to stay in touch with the community's needs.
Programs available by request include, but are not limited to, the following:
Additional information available upon request or on the department’s website includes:
For more information about scheduling a crime prevention program or workshop, contact the Department of Public Safety's Crime Prevention Office at 966-3230 or through the department's website at http://www.dps.unc.edu . Classes can be tailored to meet your individual needs, and new classes are added as the need arises.
The Office of Human Resources, through Training & Development, offers courses in self-defense for female faculty, staff and student employees. Other courses include several different conflict management workshops that focus on recognizing and addressing various conflict situations and a class on the Violence in the Workplace policy. The Violence in the Workplace policy class covers topics including recognizing the warning signs of potential workplace violence and reporting suspicious incidents. Look for information on upcoming classes in the Training & Development Program Guide, published twice each year in the University Gazette, or on the web at http://www.training.unc.edu or call 962-2550.
In addition, Employee Services in Human Resources is introducing a workshop on the Violence in the Workplace policy. Topics to be covered will include recognizing the warning signs of potential workplace violence and reporting suspicious incidents.
The University distributes information about security and safety in a variety of ways:
Rabies, which can infect and be transmitted by any mammal, has moved rapidly into the area's wild animal population in the last 15 years. During the 1990s there was a steady increase of confirmed rabies in the North Carolina wild animal population. In 1990 there were 10 confirmed cases in the state, and the numbers reached a peak in 1997 with 879 confirmed cases. The epidemic has continued, and in 2007 there were 474 confirmed cases of rabies in North Carolina. In Orange County, there were 19 cases (7 in raccoons, 3 in bats, 5 in skunks, 1 in a dog, and 3 in foxes) in 2007.
Students, employees and others on campus need to be aware of the epidemic, take precautions against infection, and know what to do if they see a suspicious animal or come into contact with one. Anyone who sees an animal displaying the symptoms of rabies should call the Department of Public Safety by dialing 911.
Common signs of rabies in animals include the following behaviors:
Rabies is usually transmitted through a bite. It can also be passed by scratches from an infected animal or when infected saliva or brain tissue comes into contact with open wounds or breaks in the skin or mucous membranes.
If an exposed person or animal is not treated quickly, the virus may infect the person or animal and may result in death. Although the annual rabies death rate in the United States is very low, many of those deaths result from bat bites because such bites may not be noticeable.
If you are bitten, scratched or come into contact with an animal you suspect may be rabid, in addition to contacting Public Safety or other emergency personnel, it is important to act quickly to prevent contracting the disease. Wash the wound as soon as possible for at least 10 minutes with soap and warm running water and contact a doctor immediately.
Students should go to Campus Health Services. University employees on duty should go to the University Employee Occupational Health Clinic in the Ambulatory Care Center at the corner of Columbia Street and Mason Farm Road. Except on holidays, the clinic is open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Employees working during shifts when the clinic is closed should follow procedures established by their department.
If exposed while off-duty, employees should call their family doctor or go immediately to the nearest emergency room.
Sex
Offender Registry Available Online
In accordance with the “Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act” of 2000, which amends the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act, the Jeanne Clery Act and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is providing a link to the North Carolina Department of Justice sex offender registry. The Act referred to above requires institutions of higher education to issue a statement advising the campus community where law enforcement information provided by a State concerning registered sex offenders may be obtained.
North Carolina law currently requires sex offenders and individuals adjudged to be sexually violent predators to register with the sheriff of the county where they are living, and the sheriff maintains a registry of this information that is available to the public upon request. Registrants must furnish the following information: name, sex, address, physical description, picture, conviction date, offense for which registration was required, the sentence imposed as a result of the conviction, and registration status. An offender who is a non-resident student or non-resident worker must maintain registration with the Sheriff of the county where the offender works or attends school and must also identify the school he or she is attending or his/her place of employment.
The Orange County Sheriff maintains the registry for individuals who live, work, or attend school in Orange County. The North Carolina Department of Justice Division of Criminal Statistics maintains a searchable website for all registered sex offenders and sexually violent predators at http://ncfindoffender.com/ . To access the registry from that website, click on “Search the Registry.” According to the North Carolina Department of Justice, “This information is made available for purposes of protecting the public, for keeping them informed and for allowing them to take proactive measures to ensure safety in their communities. Use and/or misuse of this information by individuals, groups or entities to commit criminal acts (to include, but not limited to, threats, intimidation, stalking, harassment) against other persons is subject to criminal prosecution.”