Institutional Security Policies and Annual Report on Crime Statistics

Introduction

Chesapeake College is a comprehensive, public, two-year, regional community college serving the education, economic development and cultural needs of the residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's and Talbot counties on Maryland's Upper Eastern Shore.   The College's mission is to provide a learner-centered environment where students can maximize their potential for intellectual and personal growth at a reasonable cost.

The College is a non-residential facility that welcomes over 2600 credit students each semester and a host of students in its continuing education and workforce training programs.   Additionally, the college serves as a regional center where outside groups frequently hold education, economic development and cultural events.   As such, the College hosts over 14,000 visitors to its campus annually.

Reporting Emergencies and/or Criminal Actions

The Chesapeake College Emergency Procedures Guide is distributed annually to all employees.    It is intended for the use of faculty, staff, and students of Chesapeake College specifically to provide information on how to respond to possible emergency conditions on campus.   It covers such areas as bomb threats, chemical spills, crime, fire, serious injury or illness and fire.

Recipients of this Manual are requested to become familiar with its contents.   In the event of an emergency, it serves as a quick reference for effective action.   The College encourages employees to keep the Manual in an easily accessible location at all times, preferably beside the telephone.   New employees are made familiar with it as part of their orientation program.   All employees are able to assist students and guests with emergency procedures.  

Additionally, the Chesapeake College Student Handbook and Academic Calendar, provided free-of-charge to all students, includes information on reporting of crimes and emergency contact phone numbers.

These emergency contact numbers are as follows:
Emergencies during normal working hours -- Dial 410-758-7275 or "0" for college operator
Emergencies nights, weekends, and holidays
College Security Office cell phone  -- 410-758-7275
OR dial directly to Emergency Services  9-911

Additional Information for Non-Emergencies
Queen Anne's County Fire Board    410-758-0223
Maryland State Police (Centreville Barracks)   410-758-1101

Sheriff's Department
Caroline County   410-479-2515
Dorchester County   410-228-4141
Kent County    410-778-2277
Queen Anne's County   410-758-0770
Talbot County   410-822-1020

Maryland Poison Control  1-800-492-2414

All emergency incidents are required to be reported as soon as possible to the Director of Public Safety (Security Office, 410-827-5889) using the College's Incident Report Form.   A paper copy of the form also may be obtained from the Security or Administrative Offices.   Assistance with completion of the form is also available from these offices.   Information regarding persons reporting emergency incidents remains confidential.

Emergencies indicating a possible safety danger to persons or property are reported immediately via email to all campus offices.   They are reported to faculty and students in Wye Mills classrooms through the Security Department, in Cambridge Center classrooms through the Office of the Director, and at the Allied Health Center in Easton through security at that facility.  Additionally, warnings of potential danger to general visitors to our campus are posted in prominent areas throughout the campus.   To date, no such incidents have occurred.

Reports on crime statistics are prepared annually through the Director of Public Safety and are posted on the College web site. They are available in print form upon request from the Security Office or Institutional Research Office and are shown at the end of this Report.

Access to Facilities

All buildings are generally open from 7:00 am to 9:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 7:00 am to 4:30 pm on Fridays.   Certain academic buildings are also open for weekend classes and special events.   When the College is closed, all buildings are locked and secured by security officers as appropriate for scheduled activities.   Security officers responding to requests for access to buildings ensure that such access is appropriate.  

The campus has no residence facilities.

Security Personnel

From 8:00 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday, the Director of Public Safety services the College's security needs.   Uniformed security staff is on duty each evening from 4:00 pm to 8:00 am and provide 24-hour coverage on weekends and holidays.   When alerted to a crime or suspicion of crime, the Security Office works closely with local law enforcement.   Local law enforcement authorities act as investigating and/or arresting officers.

Each security staff member is trained in CPR. A security escort service to and from the parking lots is available by request.

The Director of Public Safety has police powers granted through a special police commission authorized by the State of Maryland. The Director has the authority to make arrests, detain guests and carry a weapon.

Security oficers are employees of Chesapeake College and have no relationship to state and local law enforcement agencies.   They have no authority to make arrests, detain guests, or carry weapons.

Personal Counselors

The College does not have professional counselors on staff.   However, all educational counselors and advisors are aware of the procedures for reporting crimes and of the importance of encouraging active communication of such information to the appropriate authorities.

Policy on Alcohol and Drug Use

Chesapeake College does not permit the use, possession, distribution, and/or sale of controlled substances on its campus.   Alcohol is prohibited at student events.   Students are notified of this policy through the Student Code of Conduct, which is distributed free-of-charge to all students within the Chesapeake College Student Handbook and Academic Calendar publication.   Disciplinary actions for violations include immediate dismissal.

Policy on Sexual Harassment and Assault

Chesapeake College is committed to maintaining a working and learning environment in which students and staff can develop intellectually, professionally, personally and socially.   Such an environment must be free of intimidation, fear, coercion and reprisal.   The College prohibits sexual harassment in all forms.   Statements of College policy with regard to sexual harassment are included in the Student Handbook, Catalog, and Student Code of Conduct.   The full text of the sexual harassment policy and grievance procedure is distributed to all employees as part of the Faculty/Staff Manual and is available to students through the Office of Student Services.  

Through the Office of Student Services programs designed towards education and prevention of sex offenses are annually provided to students free-of-charge.   College security policies and procedures are developed and carried out in an effort to prevent all forms of criminal activity including sexual assault.   Notification of any criminal activity, including sexual assault, is immediately turned over to local law enforcement.

College policies provide for a complete grievance procedure including the investigation of any alleged criminal incident or sexual harassment at the request of any student, employee or guest.   By policy, the outcomes of the investigation are made available to the accused and the accuser.    Disciplinary action for violation of the College policy includes immediate dismissal for students and immediate discharge of faculty or staff.  

Sex Offender Registration

In accordance to the "Campus Sex Crime 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 Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, The Campus Security Office is providing a link to the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Sex Offender Registry. This act 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. It also requires sex offenders already required to register in a State to provide notice of each institution of higher education in that State at which the person is employed, carries a vocation, or is a student. Registrants must register with a supervising authority on or before the date that the registrant is released, or within seven days of moving into Maryland, or within 14 days of beginning employment or registering as a student in Maryland.

In addition, Child Sexual Offenders who are Maryland residents must register with the designated local law enforcement unit in the county in which they will reside within seven days of "release" or within seven days of registering with the supervising authority if moving into Maryland. Non-resident Child Sexual Offenders must also register within seven days with the designated local law enforcement unit in the county where they will work or attend school.

Follow the link below to access the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services website: http://www.dpscs.state.md.us/onlineservs/sor/

Off-campus Student Activities

Most student activities take place on the campus.   Off campus student activities are primarily associated with athletic teams.   Teams travel together and are supervised by College personnel.   College personnel are aware of their responsibility to report any incident of student misconduct through the Office of Student Services.   Reports of off-campus misconduct to external agencies and to the Office of Student Services, as appropriate, are the responsibility of the college employee.

Chesapeake College Campus Crime Statistics

Federal regulations call for colleges and universities to report crime statistics to students and employees (and upon request to applicants for enrollment or employment). These requirements stem from the Federal Campus Security Act of 1990 and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Higher Education Act, 1998 Amendments). This information is shown below and covers the federally-prescribed crimes and time periods. 'Public Property' is defined as the area that is within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area of the school, or is adjacent to a facility owned or controlled by the school, and the facility is used by the school in a manner related to the institution's educational purpose, and includes streets, sidewalks and parking facilities. Definitions for criminal offenses can be located at http://ope.ed.gov/security/glossary.asp.

*Non-Campus includes the Cambridge Center and the Allied Health Center in Easton.

Chesapeake College's detailed results are available at the Federal Office of Postsecondary Education's Campus Security Statistics Website.  

The College's Emergency Procedures Guide contains more security-related information, including detailed information about specific emergency situations.

If there is inaccurate information on this page,
please send correction or comments to: njones@chesapeake.edu