Public Safety Policy
Public Safety Policy
Purpose
The Department of Public Safety is the law enforcement agency responsible for the enforcement of laws and university regulations on University of Dayton property and public and private properties within the defined Mutual Aid Area. This policy complies with the required policy statements set forth in the U.S. Department of Education Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting.
Scope
Faculty, staff, and students.
Policy History
Effective Date: December 17, 2015
Approval: December 17, 2015
Policy History:
- Approved in its original form: December 17, 2015
Maintenance of Policy: Department of Public Safety
Policy
The Department of Public Safety operates under the authority granted by the University of Dayton Board of Trustees and in accordance with Ohio Revised Code section 1713.50. Sworn personnel are commissioned as police officers (with arrest authority) in the State of Ohio and must meet or exceed the basic training requirements of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission. Police officers have jurisdictional authority on University of Dayton owned or controlled properties and on public and private properties within the campus boundaries defined in the Mutual Aid Agreement with the City of Dayton (see Appendix C, University Boundaries Map), and have the same legal authority as any other police officer in Ohio. Police officers will maintain a 24-hour patrol of the campus every day. Additional staff members who do not have arrest authority work in Communications, Parking Services, and other support positions in the department.
The Department of Public Safety is charged with enforcement of university regulations. The department works closely with and forwards citations for violations of these regulations to the Office of Community Standards and Civility (within Student Development) for adjudication.
The Department of Public Safety maintains a close working relationship with the City of Dayton Police Department and other local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. This includes a Mutual Aid Agreement with the City of Dayton Police Department authorizing University of Dayton police officers to enforce laws at all times within the defined mutual aid area and elsewhere within the City of Dayton when their assistance is requested. The Department of Public Safety cooperates and assists with investigations involving university community members that are brought to its attention by other agencies, including offenses that occur outside the university boundaries.
Reference Documents
- U.S. Department of Education Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting
- Ohio Revised Code, Chapter 1713.50
- University of Dayton Student Handbook
- Appendix A: Reporting Crimes
- Appendix B: Enforcement of Alcohol and Drug Laws and Regulations
- Appendix C: University Boundaries Map
Appendix A
Reporting Crimes
The Department of Public Safety encourages the community to report all criminal violations of federal, state or local laws to the University of Dayton Department of Public Safety dispatcher at (937) 229-2121 or 911 (from campus telephones) in the case of an emergency.
The use of cellular telephones to call 911 will connect the caller to the Montgomery County Regional Dispatch Center. If this occurs, it is important to tell the call taker the incident is on the University of Dayton campus to effect an appropriate response.
The University of Dayton does not encourage anonymous reporting of crime. All incidents should be reported in a timely manner.
Information on where to report crimes or obtain services is also published in university rules and regulations including the Student Handbook.
Campus Security Authorities
Campus Security Authorities are designated based on their role in student life. They are individuals most likely to have ongoing close contact with students and whom students might contact for advice in the event a crime is committed.
Some are Campus Security Authorities by default due to their position within the University of Dayton. These include athletics staff (coaches), police officers, and Student Development staff with significant student interaction, to name a few.
Others are designated Campus Security Authorities due to some special relationship with students. For the most part, this includes student organization advisors, owing to the typically close relationship that develops between the advisor and organization members. Campus Security Authorities are identified each academic year and provided training regarding their responsibilities.
Campus pastoral counselors and professional counselors, when acting as such, are not considered to be campus security authorities and are not required to report crimes for inclusion in the annual disclosure of crime statistics. As a matter of policy they are encouraged, if and when they deem it appropriate, to inform persons being counseled of the procedures to report crimes on a voluntary basis for inclusion in the annual crime statistics.
For purposes of Campus Security Authority responsibilities, pastoral counselors and professional counselors are defined as:
Pastoral Counselor
An employee of an institution who is associated with a religious order or denomination, recognized by that religious order or denomination as someone who provides confidential counseling and who is functioning within the scope of that recognition as a pastoral counselor.
Professional Counselor
An employee of an institution whose official responsibilities include providing psychological counseling to members of the institution’s community and who is functioning within the scope of his or her license or certification for such counseling.
Campus Security Authorities are required to report any crime reported to them to the Department of Public Safety. Crimes reported to Campus Safety Authorities and forwarded to the Department of Public Safety are included in the crime statistics for the Campus Security and Fire Safety Report. This policy is necessary so the university can comply with federal regulations regarding disclosure of campus crimes. Confidential reports that provide sufficient detailed information for classification of the offense, whether or not they include personally identifying information, will be included in the crime statistics and in timely notifications to the community.
The Department of Public Safety will maintain the current list of Campus Security Authorities and ensure a training document is forwarded to each Campus Security Authority once each academic year. Campus Security Authorities are responsible for reviewing the training document, returning the receipt verifying they have read and understand the training document, and complying with the requirements of a Campus Security Authority.
Appendix B
Enforcement of Alcohol and Drug Laws and Regulations
The University of Dayton has developed programs to prevent the illicit use of drugs and the abuse of alcohol by students and employees. Information materials, counseling services, education programs, and disciplinary actions are all elements of these programs and are available through Student Development (Residence Life, Counseling Center, Health Center, Community Wellness, and Community Standards and Civility) and Human Resources.
Federal and State of Ohio laws prohibit the illegal manufacture, sale, distribution, use, or possession of any controlled substance.
State of Ohio law prohibits individuals less than 21 years of age from possessing or consuming alcoholic beverages, and prohibits others from distributing or selling alcoholic beverages to individuals less than 21 years of age. Additionally, City of Dayton ordinances and University of Dayton regulations govern consumption of alcohol in public places and on university property.
University policy prohibits the illegal use or distribution of alcohol or drugs in or on any property owned or controlled by the university.
These laws and regulations are enforced by the Department of Public Safety and university officials. Violators are subject to criminal prosecution and/or administrative sanctions or disciplinary action.
Appendix C
University Boundaries Map
