8.1.3 Crime Prevention and Community Relations

Policy Statement

It is the policy of the Department of Public Safety to promote a positive and mutually beneficial relationship with the public. The department will address current concerns and potential problems that may impact both law enforcement and members of the College of Charleston community. The Crime Prevention Coordinator will report directly to the Deputy Director and will coordinate the crime awareness and community relations functions of the department thru the Lieutenant/Area Managers; however, the responsibility for community relations is shared by all department personnel. The overall coordination of crime prevention activities will be the responsibility of the Crime Prevention Coordinator.

Policy Manager and Responsible Department or Office

Public Safety

Departments/Offices Affected by the Policy

N/A

Purpose of policy

The Department of Public Safety embraces a community policing culture that includes crime prevention and community involvement as an integral part of day-to-day operations. The goal is to educate the campus community in detecting and responding to situations that could result in criminal activity or decreased quality of campus life. The department strives to prevent crime and disorder, rather than simply reacting to reports of crimes after they have occurred. Crime prevention programs complement the overall department focus on “ensuring that CofC remains a safe and secure community,” with an emphasis on positive and professional relationships with students, faculty and staff and visitors. While development and administration of the Crime Prevention programs through the department’s community policing efforts are specific responsibilities of the community police officer assigned to that specific area, all members are responsible for advancing the department’s community policing/crime prevention agenda in this regard, and may be assigned to participate in specific initiatives/practices in accordance with the needs of the organization.

Procedures Related to the Policy

Crime Prevention (CP) Program

“The basic mission for which the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder. The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it.” -Sir Robert Peel

Targeting Prevention Activities by crime type and location (CALEA 45.1.1 a)

Community interaction provides the framework for the department’s establishment of action priorities. The department, in concert with key stakeholders within the campus community, shall decide which crime types present the greatest problem; where the problems are most severe or where prevention activities could be most effective; and what types of response would be most effective.

The following have been identified as “areas of concern” by members of the campus community and officers in the field:

  • A high incidence of underage consumption of alcoholic beverages (by students and guests) in the new residence complexes;
  • Increases in alcohol-related violence and other criminal misbehavior in those areas; and
  • Related traffic-safety issues resulting from the population density and the average age of the new residents.
  • The number of larcenies that occur on or around the campus. Correspondingly, current department crime prevention initiatives may include, but are not limited to:
  • A cooperative effort with The City of Charleston’s Vice Unit and the State Highway Patrol to combat underage drinking, including a high visibility public education campaign during CofC’s Alcohol/Drug Awareness Week and “zero tolerance” enforcement of laws relating to underage consumption of alcoholic beverages in the residence areas (and all other Campus locations);
  • Department sponsored/led Rape Aggression Defense (RAD); and
  • Participation in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) “Click It or Ticket” program and heavy enforcement of traffic rules ad regulations on Campus and surrounding surface streets.

Targeting Crime Prevention activities based upon community perceptions or misperceptions about campus crime, the following practices have been specifically implemented to address community perceptions or misperceptions about campus crime and quality of life issues: (CALEA 45.1.1 b)

  • Quarterly community policing meeting with residence hall and other campus housed students
  • Coordination of special events within assigned areas for students, faculty or staff by community police officer Conducting a documented evaluation of crime prevention programs, at least once every three years. (CALEA 45.1.1 c)

Crime Prevention Program Evaluation

The Deputy Director shall conduct an evaluation the Department’s Crime Prevention program at least once every three years, to ensure that:

  • The concerns addressed by the Program remain valid and compelling
  • That the initiatives and practices utilized within the context of the Program remain effective at bringing about desired outcomes.

Liaison with concerned campus constituencies

Through the focused efforts of the community oriented policing officers, the department shall maintain a close liaison with various campus constituencies and assist, when requested, with the organization and training of groups aimed at increasing the effectiveness of campus COP efforts. Such groups may include, but shall not be limited to: (CALEA 45.1.2)

  • Student Government Association (and affiliated committees)
  • Athletics
  • Fraternities and Sororities
  • Faculty/Staff Senate (and affiliated committees)
  • The Honor board
  • Residence hall Directors (RHD’s), Desk Assistants (DA’s), Resident Advisors (RA’s)
  • Other campus or local community groups, as appropriate

Input Concerning Crime Prevention/COP/Physical Safety and Security

When provided the opportunity, the department will offer recommendations regarding physical safety and security issues to building architects and other campus planners involved in developing or updating building designs (inc. parking facilities), physical security and fire safety systems, and facilities use policies. This will be accomplished utilizing input from campus “stakeholders” and drawing upon the special expertise of its members. (CALEA 45.1.3)

Community Involvement (CALEA 45.2.1)

“Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.” -Sir Robert Peel

Without "grass roots" community support, successful enforcement of many laws would be difficult, if not impossible. A well-organized community Involvement (outreach) function is an effective means of eliciting public support, can serve to identify problems in the making, and may foster cooperative efforts in resolving community issues. The department’s community involvement shall consist, at a minimum, of the following elements:

  1. Liaison with concerned campus constituencies
    Through the focused efforts of the Community Oriented Policing Officer, the department shall maintain a close liaison with various campus constituencies in order to ensure that department policies and priorities accurately reflect the needs of the community. Such groups may include, but shall not be limited to: (CALEA 45.2.1a)
    • Student Government Association (and affiliated committees);
    • Faculty/Staff Senate (and affiliated committees);
    • Student Judiciary;
    • Office of Student Life - Resident Advisors (RAs); and
    • Other Campus or local community groups, as appropriate.
  2. Involvement of all department components required
    All members are responsible for achieving the department’s community involvement objectives and may be assigned to participate in specific initiatives/practices including, but not limited to: (CALEA 45.2.1b)
    • Speaking at orientation seminars for newly assigned Hall Assistant (DA’s, RA’s, RHD’s);
    • Periodically accompanying RAs, DA’s, RHD’s on “patrols” of student residence complexes;
    • Assisting with Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) training for students, faculty and staff;
    • Addressing safety and security concerns at quarterly student briefings.
    • Coordinating and instituting programs for the campus community.

Conveying Information from the department to the campus community Through the Crime Prevention/COP officers, the department shall seek to educate students, faculty and staff with regard to departmental goals and objectives, challenges and successes. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways including through the print medium (newspapers, reports, brochures, E-mail, etc.), live presentations to classes and campus organizations and through one-on-one contacts with members of the campus community. (CALEA
45.2.1c)

The importance of establishing a climate of trust and cooperation with college media outlets cannot be overemphasized. To this end, the Deputy Director shall maintain a close liaison with both the GSO (George Street Observer), the radio station, and the CofC Office of Media Relations.

Conveying Information from the campus community to the department If there is to be an effective dialog between the department and the campus community, communication must be “two-way.” Members shall always do their best to respond to questions/concerns/other input from students, faculty staff and visitors. If the question/concern/other input falls outside the scope of the member’s job knowledge or responsibility, he should never hesitate to say simply “I can’t help you with this, but I’ll put you in contact with someone who can.” In such cases it is critical that the communication be passed “up and down the chain” to an appropriate person for action. Such questions/concerns may involve: (CALEA 45.2.1d)

  • Personal safety;
  • Traffic and parking;
  • Assistance to stranded motorists;
  • Campus crime statistics;
  • Provision of escorts by vehicle and on foot;
  • Victim/Witness Assistance Services;
  • Emergency telephones; and
  • Underage drinking/substance abuse.

Whenever possible, such exchanges shall be documented. Not only does this promote appropriate follow-up to the questions/concerns/other input, but it also provides the department with a mechanism for determining whether or not the two-way communication is occurring, as well as its effectiveness.

Continuous Improvement of Department/Community Interactions Through the Crime

Prevention/COP officers, the department shall continuously seek toimprove the quality (and quantity!) of its interactions with the campus and surrounding communities. These enhancements shall be predicated upon input received from representative constituencies (e.g., SGA, Faculty/Staff Senate, etc.) and individuals and may take the form of: (CALEA 45.2.1e)

  • Personal safety (self-defense) training;
  • Campus Watch;
  • Substance abuse referral;
  • Focused crime interdiction efforts to combat particular problems (i.e., burglaries, damage to property, illegal drugs, etc.);
  • Other topics, as appropriate.

Improved Recognition of Training Needs

As interactions between department and community members increase, it is possible that deficiencies in member training may be identified through interviews with citizen representatives, consultations with those involved in internal investigations, and conferences with supervisors. Should such a situation occur, the department shall take prompt and substantive action to correct such deficiencies. Such actions shall generally be positive/proactive and aimed at reducing the likelihood of similar problems in the future. Develop problem oriented or community policing strategies. (CALEA 45.2.1f)

Establishment of Community Groups

Upon request, the department, through the Crime Prevention/COP officer, shall assist campus organizations in the establishment of groups aimed at enhancing either safety or the quality of life at the College of Charleston. This assistance may take the form of structured training, advisement, or in the development of working partnerships aimed at addressing particular areas of concern.

Community Contact Forms

The department has developed Community Contact Forms (CCF) (see attachment #1) for use by officers in the field to facilitate this “upward flow” of information. Similar in purpose to traditional “community contact sheets” that prompt members to make note of specific pieces of information for transmittal to other members, community contact sheets are intended to provide department members with a quick and simple way of passing community relations issues up the chain. It should be noted that a community contact sheet is not a “suggestion card” to be filled out by a student, faculty or staff member and dropped in a box. It is intended that department members complete the sheets to document community concerns that cannot be adequately addressed in the field. Contact information is necessary. completed community contact sheets should be submitted to the Deputy Director for action through the receiving member’s chain of command. The Deputy Director, in turn, shall summarize the content of these sheets in a report to the Chief/Director of Public Safety.

Survey of Community Attitudes and Opinions (CALEA 45.2.4)

At intervals of not more than three (3) years, the Deputy Director, or his/her designee, shall conduct, or cause to be conducted, a survey of community attitudes and opinions with regard to department operations. The survey shall include, at a minimum, questions relating to:

  • Overall agency performance (CALEA 45.2.4a)
  • Overall competence of agency employees; CALEA 45.2.4b)
  • Citizens' perception of officers' attitudes and behavior;(CALEA 45.2.4c)
  • Community concern over safety and security within the agency' service area; (CALEA 45.2.4d) Citizens' recommendations and suggestions for improvements (CALEA 45.2.4e)

The survey may be conducted by internet and may be combined with questions relating to victimization and other issues. It may be carried out directly by department personnel or by others with department guidance.

The results of the survey, in compliance with CALEA standard 45.2.4, must be compiled and a written summary provided to the Chief/Director of Public Safety. (CALEA 45.2.5)

Related Policies, Documents or Forms

Community Oriented Policing Contact Form

8.1.3 Crime Prevention and Community Relations PDF

Revision Log

Issue Date: 02/8/16

Last Review Date: 10/1/2020

Next Review Date: 10/8/2025

Web Publication Date: 1/27/2026