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2006 Safety First Archives
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11-08-06 Campus Security [Implementation] Update
Dear CUA Community Members,
A campus security implementation group was established in fall 2006 and has been responsible for coordinating the implementation of additional security measures and developing an integrated security plan of action to support campus growth. The team reports to me and has been working to provide an overlapping system of security installations and practices as a top institutional priority. Recommendations from the Bratton Group Report of August 2006, feedback generated from the Security Task Force and campus community focus groups convened last spring are guiding the work of the group, which is comprised of directors from the Department of Public Safety; Center for Planning, Information and Technology; Business Services; and Facilities Management and Maintenance. Periodic updates to the campus community are planned.
I am highlighting the progress to date using our working goals:
GOAL: To improve perimeter control of vehicular traffic and to channel pedestrian access
** IMPLEMENTED **
- Increased uniformed patrol presence at main campus entrances during peak activity periods
- Revised campus gate closures during late evening/early morning hours and holidays
- Entrance control gates to restrict campus access along the Harewood Road corridor at Ward Hall, Monday thru Saturday
** IN PROGRESS **
- Survey of all campus entrances to determine the appropriate application of access control gates, manned booths and closed circuit television cameras
- Assessment and design of permanent installations involving a mix of perimeter entrance and fencing treatments, gates, access control, lighting and cameras
- Arrangements for the posting of new restricted traffic signage at the north end of John McCormack Road as a first step towards reducing commercial traffic along the eastern corridor of campus
GOAL: To establish a more visible uniformed police patrol presence on campus
** IMPLEMENTED **
- Use of contract security services for regular manned, fixed-post assignments
- Release of non-police duties from CUA commissioned public safety officers including:
- An enhanced Public Safety Assistant program to supplement building access control systems for monitoring residence hall entrances, the Kane Student Fitness Center and the DuFour Center during the evening hours
- Operational measures to significantly reduce requests for opening buildings and offices, address after-hour maintenance requests in cooperation with building administrators and department managers
- Reassignment of special and athletic event coverage to sponsoring organizations
GOAL: To support a directed patrol strategy and enhance investigative capabilities
** IMPLEMENTED **
- Adjustments in patrol assignments and coverage areas
- Additional training for new and seasoned CUA Public Safety officers focused on crime prevention and effective community-oriented police patrol tactics
- Additional lighting installations
- Targeted landscape maintenance to reduce potential security obstructions and support surveillance measures
** IN PROGRESS **
- Assessment and design of a higher quality closed circuit television camera system with an emphasis on the campus perimeter, residence halls and vehicular and pedestrian access
GOAL: To expand the electronic access control system in administrative and academic buildings
** IMPLEMENTED **
- The residence halls and a group of academic/administrative buildings already have fully functional building monitoring and access control systems
** IN PROGRESS **
- An updated survey of building entrance doors and locking systems with hardware replacements and installation upgrades completed as needed in preparation for a control system expansion
- A determination of the options for expanding the current control system to accommodate additional campus buildings
GOAL: To improve safety measures in and near the Brookland/CUA Metrorail Station
** IMPLEMENTED **
- Establishment of a new fixed post by CUA at the station from 4 pm until closing
+ Position on station property provides visibility of the escalator and foot paths to and from the platform area
+ The top concern of the law school community and a major concern of student focus groups
GOAL: To enhance South Campus area security
** IMPLEMENTED **
- Assignment of a dedicated foot and bicycle patrol detail in addition to the 24-hour access control system and evening public safety assistant coverage
- Placement of a regular, manned fixed post at the north side of Conaty Hall operating daily from 4 p.m. until 8 a.m.
GOAL: To enhance security along Harewood Road
** IMPLEMENTED **
- Assignment of uniformed foot and bicycle patrol officers to the corridor as a dedicated perimeter beat
- Installation of access gates at the Ward Hall entrance
GOAL: To sustain student usage of a campus shuttle transportation system
** IN PROGRESS **
- Identification and assessment of viable options for equipment, staffing and services to consider alternative campus routes
On behalf of the campus security implementation team, I want to assure you of our continued commitment to provide a safe learning, living and working environment for the CUA community and campus guests.
Sincerely yours,
Susan D. Pervi
Vice President for Student Life
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10-26-06 Washington Post Reports on New D.C. Crime Tracking Web site
The Washington Post today printed a story about a new District of Columbia police Web site that offers detailed views of criminal activity by neighborhood. To read the story or search for crimes on the D.C. police Web site, visit the following links:
Story:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/25/AR2006102501908.html.
Search for Crimes: http://crimemap.dc.gov/presentation/query.asp.
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10-13-06 Washington Post Reports on D.C. Locations with High Robbery Rates
On Oct. 13, 2006, The Washington Post ran a front page story about areas of the District of Columbia that have the highest concentration of robberies in the city. According to the article, several of the neighborhoods hold the distinction of also being among the most "vibrant" in the city, with new housing, nightclubs, shops and employment. To read the full story or see a large PDF map of areas where robberies have taken place, visit the following links:
Story:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/12/AR2006101201813.html
Map:
http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/metro/pdf/robbery_101306.pdf
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10-11-06 Law School Dean Dismisses Reported Assault as "False"
Late today, the dean of the Columbus School of Law issued a letter informing the law school community that a purported assault said to have occurred the previous day in the garage underneath the school was a fabrication. The text of Dean Veryl Miles’ letter follows.
Dear CUA Law Community,
Yesterday evening, a letter was received by the law school telling us about an alleged assault of a female law student on Tuesday afternoon in the underground garage of the law school building. Please be advised that the university’s Office of Public Safety has investigated this report and has determined that it is false.
However, it is still important for all of us to exercise caution in our daily activities, especially during evening hours. You should know that the parking garage is monitored by video cameras and foot patrols.
Our law school and this university consider the security of our students seriously. Do not hesitate to report any suspicious activity immediately to campus police and/or D.C. Metropolitan police. If you have any concerns regarding safety issues, please share them with the campus Office of Public Safety at ext. 5111.
Sincerely,
Dean Veryl Miles
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8-24-06 Statement by the Presidential Task Force on University Safety and Security
In April 2006 Catholic University engaged the services of the Bratton Group, LLC, a security consulting firm based in New York City, to conduct an assessment of the university’s security situation and to make expert recommendations. During the spring and summer the Bratton Group conducted focus group meetings with students, faculty and staff, and met with university officials who are in charge of security and facilities, as well as with representatives of the Metropolitan Police Department and Metrorail police. On Aug. 10, 2006, the Bratton Group submitted its security plan and recommendations to Very Rev. David M. O’Connell, university president, and W. Michael Hendricks, vice president for enrollment management and chair of the Presidential Task Force on University Safety and Security. An executive summary of the security plan is provided below.
Mr. Hendricks convened a meeting of the task force on Aug. 21 to begin discussions of the report. A second meeting of the task force is scheduled for early September. The task force will make recommendations concerning the report to Father O’Connell who, with input from the President’s Council, will prioritize action items and set a timetable for their funding and implementation.
The university began implementing specific initiatives this summer based on preliminary recommendations from the Bratton Group. The Department of Public Safety has increased the security presence on campus by hiring contract police who are being posted 16 hours a day in three areas of campus (including South Campus and the Metro station). In addition, full-time public safety officers have been redeployed to better cover the campus during evening and late-night hours utilizing both foot and bicycle patrols.
To improve control of entrance to and egress from campus, the road that runs from Harewood Road along the southern border of Ward Hall will be closed to vehicular traffic. On Aug. 1, 2006, the Department of Public Safety began to provide daily in-service training to its officers that focuses on three elements: crime prevention, community-oriented policing and problem-solving policing.
Since April 2006, the Office of Facilities Maintenance and Operations has invested in security initiatives that include enhanced lighting (e.g. the law school, Flather Hall and Cardinal walk to Michigan Ave.), landscape improvements and better building entryways (e.g. McCort-Ward and Hartke). Many of the landscape improvements have involved removal of large hedges and their replacement with smaller ones to improve visibility and eliminate potential hiding places.
The leaders of the Department of Public Safety and the Office of Facilities Maintenance and Operations have been exploring ways to shift certain non-police related functions currently performed by the Department of Public Safety to the staff of the facilities office in order to enable officers to devote more time to active patrol of campus.
Members of the university community are encouraged to read the executive summary of the Bratton Group report that follows.
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8-10-06 Executive Summary Submitted by Bratton Group, LLC
The Catholic University of America engaged the Bratton Group, LLC, of New York City to evaluate security on its campus. The Bratton Group concluded that although the campus suffered a spate of robberies in early 2006 and crime on campus is currently a central concern of students, faculty and staff, the CUA campus has been and remains a substantially safe environment. Much of the increase in robberies in early 2006 was caused by a pattern involving one or two groups of suspects operating from vehicles, some of whom may have been apprehended. In the wake of these arrests the pattern has abated.
Nevertheless, the Bratton Group recommends that CUA move swiftly on a number of fronts to tighten security on the campus as whole, to reduce significantly the opportunities for robbery and theft, and to thereby significantly reduce the incidence of these crimes. Fortunately, the campus is well configured to control both auto and pedestrian access. The main campus is not crossed by a single city street, a huge security advantage for an urban institution. The goal should be to establish a system of overlapping security measures, beginning with controls at the campus perimeter, but also including enhanced public safety patrol, electronic building access controls, closed-circuit television and other measures in specific areas of the campus. These overlapping and mutually reinforcing systems will make the university a much less appealing target for robbers and thieves, who will find it more difficult to make their way onto campus, more difficult to escape, and harder to evade detection when committing their crimes.
The Bratton Group believes that the university should address the following primary areas:
• Control auto access
• Control and channel pedestrian access
• Enhance police patrol presence by relieving officers of non-police duties
• Enhance police investigations through added staffing and greater coordination
• Increase investigative capabilities with more and better closed circuit cameras
• Establish electronic access systems for all administrative and academic buildings
• Improve safety measures in and near the Metro station
• Enhance South Campus security
• Seek authority to restrict vehicular access to McCormack Road
• Enhance security along Harewood Road
• Reconfigure the shuttle bus system to increase ridership.
Conclusion
None of the measures described above, by themselves, will achieve a secure campus, but taken together, they constitute a web of safety that will keep criminals off the campus, identify them when they do penetrate the perimeter, secure buildings more efficiently and effectively and generally insulate the university from crime without isolating it from the surrounding community. On the security front, the university should be claiming its turf, and demonstrating to criminals, current and future, that CUA is not a place where they can operate profitably.
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4-20-06 Safety Task Force Finalized, Consultant to Begin Safety Audit
Today Very Rev. David M. O’Connell, C.M., CUA president, made public the composition of the new Presidential Task Force on University Safety and Security and revealed that a safety consulting firm would begin a comprehensive audit on campus in less than two weeks.
Father O’Connell earlier announced that he had tapped W. Michael Hendricks, vice president for enrollment management, to chair the presidential task force. Other members of the task force are:
* Michael Green, Director of Planned Giving
* Barbara Howard, Associate Professor, Biology
* Veryl V. Miles, Dean, Columbus School of Law
* Victor Nakas, Executive Director of Public Affairs
* Susan Pervi, Vice President for Student Life
* Kevin Petersen, Director of Facilities
* Ralph Scherini, Associate Vice President for Business Services
* Susan Weir, Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Finance & Administration
Father O’Connell said, “the members of the presidential task force represent a good cross section of our CUA faculty, administrators and staff. I’m grateful to them for agreeing to serve and I’m confident they will be ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work.”
The president has charged Susan Pervi with appointing a student task force on the same issue to work directly with her and her staff in the Division of Student Life. She, in turn, will represent the students’ concerns to the presidential task force.
The president also announced that the university has engaged the services of the Bratton Group, a New York-based police management and security consulting firm. The Bratton Group has served clients throughout the United States and abroad, and has conducted security studies at various universities, including Brown, the University of Houston and City University of New York.
He said the Bratton Group team will arrive on campus during the week of May 1 to begin its comprehensive security audit.
“We have all been greatly concerned by the recent armed robberies on or near campus,” said Father O’Connell. “Thankfully there have been no serious injuries. But I am absolutely committed to doing everything in my power to provide the very best public safety and security I can to everyone at CUA and, above all, to our students. It’s not a problem we can solve overnight, but it is a problem we must solve.”
Michael Hendricks has scheduled the first meeting of the newly constituted task force during the week of April 24 to prepare for the arrival of the Bratton team. Members of the task force will assist the Bratton Group as it conducts its safety review of the university.
(For updated information on campus safety and security issues, visit http://www.cua.edu/safety/.)
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On April 6, 2006, Father David M. O'Connell, C.M., university president, held an hourlong meeting in Nugent Hall with Metropolitan Police Department Chief Charles Ramsey to discuss concerns about the safety and security of members of the Catholic University community, especially students. Also present at the meeting were Assistant Chief of Police Brian K. Jordan, 5th District Commander Jennifer Greene and 5th District Captain Melvin Scott.
Father O'Connell thanked Chief Ramsey and MPD for stepping up their presence on and near CUA's campus, reviewed the crimes committed against CUA students several weeks ago, and asked for additional help and advice on improving the safety of CUA and its community. MPD officials provided an update on their investigation of the armed robberies, which occurred March 17-19. Areas of discussion included the MPD patrol presence in the vicinity of CUA, improved lighting on and near campus, and better control of campus entrance and egress. Chief Ramsey volunteered to have MPD officers come to campus to speak to students about personal safety.
According to Father O'Connell, "many detailed, substantive issues" were discussed. "Chief Ramsey and his colleagues made a number of excellent suggestions; some of them are for Catholic University to pursue, others the Metropolitan Police Department promised to follow up on,” said Father O’Connell. “Precisely because they involve issues of security, some of the details of the discussion and strategies cannot be made public at this point, but CUA administrators and our Department of Public Safety have already begun to take the necessary next steps, and MPD has promised to do so quickly as well."
To view a photo of this event, visit http://publicaffairs.cua.edu/news/safetyphoto.jpg.
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3-27-06 CUA President Discusses Safety Concerns with DC Police Chief
Very Rev. David M. O’Connell, CUA president, spoke by phone to Metropolitan Police Department Chief Charles Ramsey this morning. Father O’Connell expressed his concerns about public safety in the area around Catholic University and asked Chief Ramsey for an opportunity to sit down with him in the next week to share information and to discuss strategies being planned by MPD. In addition, the president has solicited proposals from experienced security firms for a comprehensive review of campus safety procedures. A decision is expected by Wednesday regarding the proposal and the firm that will be selected.
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3-23-06 Update on Safety Outreach to CUA Community
Beginning on Monday, March 20, the Division of Student Life has been sponsoring a “For Your Safety” table in the Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center main lobby. The primary purpose of the table has been to provide safety resources to students and to engage in conversation about safety on and around campus. Student life reports that feedback has been positive: many students have come to talk to university staff and student volunteers to receive information and ask questions.
On Monday and Tuesday, the table was staffed from 5 to 8 p.m., when there are many students in the Pryzbyla Center coming for dinner. Between 150 and 200 students stopped by the table on Monday; an additional 50-75 visited the table Tuesday. On Wednesday the numbers decreased to 15-20. The table will continue to be staffed Thursday and Friday from at least 5 to 6 p.m., and longer if there is student interest.
Volunteers have been discussing with students the message to the community issued March 20 (see below) by Director of Public Safety Thomasine Johnson. A laptop display has also been available to demonstrate to students the “Safety First, Safety Always” Web site.
Specifically, volunteers have been encouraging students to:
* Be vigilant and aware both on and off campus
* Utilize "high traffic" and visible routes when walking around campus
* Walk routes identified to them where DPS officers posts and officers are in close proximity.
* Avoid short cuts through less active areas of campus
* Use DPS shuttles and escort services
* Walk in large groups whenever possible
* Wear CUA IDs when out and about the campus
The volunteers have been providing students with a new Cardinal Card lanyard, and reminding them that, if they have lost their ID, they can visit the Department of Public Safety to get a free replacement.
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3-20-06 Message From DPS Director
Dear members of The Catholic University of America community:
I am writing to provide you with an update on a series of armed robberies that have occurred in the Fifth Police District of Washington, D.C., of which Catholic University is a part. According to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), between Friday and Sunday, eight armed robberies were committed in the fifth district. Two of the armed robberies were committed against CUA students. In a third incident, a CUA student was threatened without a weapon being displayed. MPD reports that several of the armed robberies may be connected.
Thankfully, according to MPD, no one has been injured in any of the robberies.
Catholic University’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) has been coordinating closely with all local police agencies, including MPD’s Fifth District Robbery Task Force, to address the crimes committed against our students and the safety of our CUA community.
In addition, Catholic University has taken these immediate measures:
The number of marked patrol vehicles and marked bicycle patrols in operation has been increased.
DPS officers and field supervisors have been assigned to work overtime to bolster patrol visibility and strength.
We have reinforced our public safety department’s efforts by engaging a contract security agency to provide us with additional security guards.
New security measures are being implemented on campus during late night hours.
To address long-term safety issues, Father David O’Connell, CUA president, has established a presidential task force on public safety. He has appointed W. Michael Hendricks, vice president for enrollment management, to chair the task force. Mr. Hendricks has experience with safety issues from his previous professional positions at other universities.
We are committed to the safety of every member of the Catholic University community. There are several ways in which you can help us help you.
1. Please have your CUA ID on your person when you are out and about on campus or entering or exiting the campus. Please be cooperative with public safety officers who ask to see your ID. If you have lost or misplaced your CUA ID, you can obtain a new photo ID for free by going to the DPS office in Leahy Hall.
2. Please be vigilant and aware of your surroundings on and off campus. Use “high traffic” routes. Avoid short cuts through isolated areas.
3. Please visit CUA’s “Safety First” Web site (http://www.cua.edu/safety/ ) for crime prevention tips and updates on safety related news. Please direct interested parties to that Web site for the latest news.
4. Help us help you by contacting us at x5111 if you see suspicious individuals or suspicious activities on campus. At this time my staff and I are directing all our energies to policing the campus. Your comments and concerns matter greatly to us, but we ask that at this time you not use x5111 to engage us in general discussions about campus safety. If you wish to pass along comments, please send them to cua-public-affairs@cua.edu .
Sincerely,
Thomasine Johnson
Director of Public Safety
The Catholic University of America
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