Public Safety Policies

Timely Warning

In an effort to provide timely notice to the Maryville community, and in event of a crime which may pose a serious on-going threat to our community, the Public Safety Department will issue “timely warning” crime bulletins to notify members of the community about serious crimes against people that occur on campus. Crime Alerts are usually distributed for the following Uniformed Crime Reporting Program (UCR)/National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) classifications: arson, criminal homicide, and robbery. Cases of aggravated assault and sex offenses are considered on a case-by-case basis, depending on the facts of the case and the information known by the Public Safety Department. For example, if an assault occurs between two students who have a disagreement, there may be no on-going threat to other MU community members and a Crime Bulletin would not be distributed.  Crime bulletins are distributed for the above listed crimes if they occur on Maryville designated property (on campus, non-campus, public property) and the incident constitutes an ongoing serious or continuing threat to community members.  The Public Safety Department works to collect this information by requesting all Campus Security Authorities and local law enforcement agencies to report the above mentioned crimes in a timely fashion so a warning can be issued.

The Maryville Public Safety Department and/or Office of Marketing and Community Relations will draft the crime Bulletin.  They will review and revise the text as needed then transmit the email containing the Crime Bulletin to the University Community as a blast email. Updates to the Maryville community about any particular case resulting in a crime bulletin may also be distributed electronically via blast email or posted on the Maryville University web site at (www.maryville.edu).

The Public Safety Department may also use additional methods to distribute the Crime Bulletin, including using the Saints Alert system (the University’s emergency TXT message system), postings in residential halls, and/or requesting the telecommunications department to leave a voice mail on the University’s phone system (see chart below for specific information about who develops the content of the messages and who initiates them for each of these systems).  It should be noted that an institution is not required to provide a timely warning with respect to crimes reported to a pastoral or professional counselor.

Emergency (Immediate) Notification

The University’s Campus Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan includes information about Management of Emergency Response and Operations, Emergency Operations Center (EOC), and Communication Responsibilities. University departments are responsible for developing contingency plans and continuity of operations plans for their staff and areas of responsibility. The University conducts announced and/or unannounced emergency response drills and exercises each year, such as table top exercises, functional exercises, and tests of the emergency notification systems on campus. These tests are designed to assess and evaluate the emergency plans and capabilities of the institution.

Several public safety officers, supervisors and administrators have received training in Incident Command and Responding to Critical Incidents on Campus. When a serious incident occurs that causes an immediate threat to the campus, the first responders to the scene are usually the Maryville Public Safety Officers and the Town & Country Police and/or the West County Fire & EMS agencies, when their assistance is necessary. These agencies typically respond and work together to manage the incident. Depending on the nature of the incident, other Maryville University departments and other local or federal agencies could also be involved in responding to the incident.

The institution has general evacuation guidelines, in the event that a segment of the campus needs to be evacuated. The plan would be affected by a myriad of factors, including the type of threat, the occupancy of the other buildings and areas of the campus at the time of the incident, etc. Therefore, specific information about a multi-building or area evacuation cannot be shared with the campus community in advance. Maryville University expects members of the community to follow the instructions of first responders on the scene, as this type of evacuation would be coordinated on-site. In some emergencies, you may be instructed to “shelter-in-place”. If an incident occurs and the buildings or areas around you become unstable, or if the air outdoors becomes dangerous due to toxic or irritating substances, it is usually safer to stay indoors, because leaving the area may expose you to that danger. Thus, to “shelter-in-place” means to make a shelter of the building that you are in, and with a few adjustments this location can be made even safer and more comfortable until it is safe to go outside. This means that if an incident occurs and the building you are in is not damaged; stay inside in an interior room until you are told it is safe to come out. If your building is damaged, take your personal belongings (purse, wallet, access cards, etc.) and follow the evacuation procedures for your building (close your door, proceed to the nearest exit, and use the stairs instead of the elevators). Once you have evacuated, seek shelter at the nearest University building quickly. If police or fire department personnel are on the scene, follow their directions.

Additional information about the emergency response/evacuation procedures and updates to the plans for the University is available on the Portal under Public Safety.

Maryville community members are encouraged to notify Public Safety of any situation or incident on campus that involves a significant emergency or dangerous situation that may involve an immediate threat to the health and safety of students and/or employees on campus. Public Safety has the responsibility of responding to, and summoning the necessary resources, to mitigate, investigate, and document any situation that may cause a significant emergency or dangerous situation. In addition, Public Safety has a responsibility to respond to such incidents to determine if the situation does in fact, pose a threat to the community, however other departments such as physical plant, student health, etc. may be involved in the confirmation process, depending on the nature of the potential threat. If so, Federal Law requires that the institution notify the campus community or the appropriate segments of the community that may be affected by the situation.

If Public Safety, in conjunction with or other campus officials or local first responders confirm there is an emergency or dangerous situation that poses an immediate threat to the health or safety of some or all members of our community, the Public Safety Director and the Executive Director of Marketing & Community Relations or designees, will collaborate to determine the content of the message and they will initiate some or all of the systems listed below to communicate the threat to the Maryville community or to the appropriate segment of the community, if the threat is limited to a particular building or segment of the population.

System to use Primary Message Creator Backup Message Creator Authority for approving & sending messages Primary Message Sender Backup Message Sender
Primary
Blast Email (all campus) Director of Public Safety Exec. Director  Marketing & Community Relations Both Director of Public Safety Exec. Director  Marketing & Community Relations Director of Public Safety Exec. Director  Marketing & Community Relations
Saints Alert System Director of Public Safety Exec. Director  Marketing & Community Relations Both Director of Public Safety Exec. Director  Marketing & Community Relations Director of Public Safety Exec. Director  Marketing & Community Relations
SECONDARY
Postings in Residence Halls Director of Public Safety Exec. Director  Marketing & Community Relations Both Director of Public Safety Exec. Director  Marketing & Community Relations (Posting) Residential Life Staff Public Safety Staff or Designated Staff
Telecom  Voicemail Director of Public Safety Exec. Director  Marketing & Community Relations Both Director of Public Safety Exec. Director  Marketing & Community Relations Sr. Network Engineer in Telecom Department Classroom Technology and Media Specialist or Other Designee
Website Director of Public Safety Exec. Director  Marketing & Community Relations Both Director of Public Safety Exec. Director  Marketing & Community Relations Web Application Developer Multimedia Interactive Web Developer or Other Designee
Campus Message Boards Director of Public Safety Exec. Director  Marketing & Community Relations Both Director of Public Safety Exec. Director  Marketing & Community Relations Web Application Developer Multimedia Interactive Web Developer or Other Designee

After the initial communication blast, the primary means of providing follow-up information to the community will be on the University’s main web page (www.maryville.edu). The University may also use any of the systems listed above to provide follow-up information, as deemed appropriate. During the emergency, the University’s main web page will be removed and replaced with a basic web page that will have information that strictly deals with the situation and will be constantly updated throughout the emergency. Due to limited characters available with text messaging, the Saints Alert system would only be used to provide limited safety information that is critical such as areas to avoid, shelter in place, all clear, etc. The larger community, including parents, neighbors and other interested persons can obtain information about an emergency on campus via the University webpage or the local or national media.

It should be noted that unlike the Timely Warning requirement, emergency notification isn’t restricted just to Clery reportable crimes. Incidents such as a series gas leak, haz-mat spill, etc., could warrant the use of this protocol. The Public Safety Department and the Marketing & Community Relations will, without delay and taking into account the safety of the community, determine the content of the notification and initiate the notification system, unless issuing a notification will, in the judgment of the first responders (Public Safety, Town & Country Police, West county Fire & EMS, etc.), compromise the efforts to assist a victim or to contain, respond to, or otherwise mitigate the emergency.

Annual Notification & Testing

Maryville University will annually test and publicize their emergency response and evacuation procedures. Throughout the year the Critical Incident Management Team will meet and train on the University’s response to a critical incident through a variety of exercises including a table top exercise or functional exercise. These tests may be announced or unannounced depending on the type of exercise.  Community members are encouraged to review the University’s emergency response plan and evacuation procedures located on the Portal under Public Safety.  If you want a hard copy of the Emergency Flip Chart please contact the director of public safety at 314.529.9564.

Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act

The Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act (CSCPA) of 2000 is a federal law that provides for the tracking of convicted sex offenders enrolled at, or employed by, institutions of higher education.  The CSCPA is an amendment to the Jacob Wetterling Crimes against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Act.

Under the Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act, persons required to register under a state offender registration program must notify the state concerning each post-secondary school at which the offender works or is a student. The State of Missouri has developed a state wide registry list.  I have attached the link below to further assist you in your search.  The Revised Statutes of Missouri, Sections 589.400 to 589.425 and 43.650, RSMo., mandate that the Missouri State Highway Patrol shall maintain a sex offender database and a web site on the Internet that is accessible to the public. The information on the web site refers only to persons who have been convicted of, found guilty of or plead guilty to committing or attempting to commit sexual offenses and may not reflect the entire criminal history of a particular individual. Offenders required to register for crimes of kidnapping, felonious restraint or child abuse may not be listed.

State of Missouri Sex Offender List

http://www.mshp.dps.mo.gov/CJ38/search.jsp

The CSCPA further amends the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) to clarify that nothing in the Act can prohibit an educational institution from disclosing information provided to the institution concerning registered sex offenders.

Missing Students Who Reside in On-Campus Housing

If a member of the University community has reason to believe that a student who resides in on-campus housing is missing, he or she should immediately notify the Public Safety Department at 314.529.9500. All University officials are required to notify public safety immediately upon being notified about a missing student.  Public Safety will generate a missing person report and initiate an investigation.

After investigating the missing person report, should Public Safety determine the student is missing and has been missing for more than 24 hours, Public Safety will notify the Town & Country Police Department and the student’s confidential contact.  Even if the student hasn’t registered a contact person, the University will contact the police department. Contact will be made no later than 24 hours after the student is determined to be missing.  If the missing student is under the age of 18 and is not an emancipated individual, the University will notify the student’s parent or legal guardian immediately after Public Safety has determined that the student has been missing more than 24 hours.

In addition to registering an emergency contact, students residing in on-campus housing have the option to identify confidentially an individual to be contacted by the University in the event the student is determined to be missing more than 24 hours.  Students who wish to identify a confidential contact can do so by contacting the Residential Life office. This information is confidential, accessible by authorized campus officials and law enforcement only, and will not be disclosed outside of a missing person investigation.

Should the investigation determine the student is missing prior to 24 hours, these procedures will be implemented immediately.

Reporting Crimes and Emergencies

To help provide a safe and secure environment, all members of the Maryville community, including campus visitors, are expected, requested, and encouraged to report any criminal activity or emergency they observe.  Reporting may be accomplished by contacting the Public Safety Department directly at 314.529.9500. If there is an actual emergency requiring police, fire or medical response, please call 911 from a campus phone.  In addition, several blue light emergency phones are located on campus.  These phones automatically ring to the Public Safety cell phone.  To contact the Town & Country police department non-emergency line, please dial 314.737.4600. 

Public Safety is available 24 hours a day and will respond immediately to your location. Response time may be affected by various factors, such as the number and location of available personnel and/or their involvement at the time a report is received.  Response to an incident may also involve other personnel i.e. Office of Student Life in an incident of violence, member from the Counseling Center in the case of a sexual assault, and/or an outside police agency or other agencies if an incident requires specialized abilities beyond the capabilities of Public Safety.

Jeanne Clery Campus Security Act

In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Campus Security Act, incidents of crime and other related information are posted on our website. The Annual Security and Fire Report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Maryville University; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to or accessible from, the campus. The report also includes fire safety policies and statistics, emergency notification procedures, and protocols for missing persons. You can obtain a hard copy of this report by contacting the Director of Public Safety at (314) 529-9564, via email lsweigart@maryville.edu, or by visiting the Clery Act page. The Office of Public Safety is located in the Buder Commons building.