2012 Annual Security/Fire Safety Report & Clery

2012 Annual Security/Fire Safety Report

1. I.       Emergency Numbers Quick Reference

EVMS Police and Public Safety Emergency (non-medical) 757-446-5911

EVMS Police and Public Safety Non-Emergency 757-446-5199

EVMS Student Affairs 757-446-5244

Norfolk Police/Emergency Services 911

1. II.    Police and Public Safety Department Overview
   1. Mission Statement.  Eastern Virginia Medical School Police and Public Safety are committed to the safety and quality of life for all persons on our campus through well-organized crime prevention and efficient law enforcement. 
   2. Authority.  The Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) Police and Public Safety Department is a Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services certified agency that operates under authority granted by the EVMS Board of Visitors. 
   3. Services and Personnel.  The department provides police and public safety services to the entire campus 24/7 including, but not limited to, security, safety, traffic direction, parking control, education, emergency management and life safety services.  The department is comprised of a Chief of Police, police officers, public safety officers, police dispatchers, physical security specialists, emergency management/fire safety specialists and administrative personnel.  All police and public safety officers receive extensive training and are required to attend in-service training programs through the year.  Police officers have specialized training at various local, state, and/or federal law enforcement academies and have full powers of arrest under Virginia law, while public safety officers receive training in law enforcement procedures.
   4. Cooperative Law Enforcement.  The EVMS Police and Public Safety Department communicates, cooperates and collaborates with the Norfolk Police Department, Virginia State Police, FBI and Homeland Security to ensure the safety of our students, employees, and visitors. The department is certified, and audited annually, by the Virginia State Police to maintain its Virginia Criminal Information Network (VCIN) and a National Crime Information Center (NCIC) terminal.  The City of Norfolk Police Department’s Crime Analysis Unit, provides ongoing crime data to EVMS Police and Public Safety Department for information and publication.  The Norfolk Police Department and other local police departments may also provide information to the EVMS Police and Public Safety Department regarding matters of criminal activity at off-campus activities involving student organizations recognized by EVMS. 

III. CRIME REPORTING AND RESPONSE

NOTE:  For information on reporting and response to sexual assaults, please see Section IV below.

All members of the EVMS community are encouraged to immediately and accurately report suspected crimes to EVMS Police and Public Safety at 757-446-5199 and/or local law enforcement.  Students and employees are provided with a Police and Public Safety Handbook at orientation that contains specific instructions for reporting a suspected crime or criminal activity.  EVMS police officers investigate all crimes reported and will involve local, state, and/or federal law enforcement agencies as necessary.  Individuals who do not wish to pursue action through EVMS administration or the criminal justice system are encouraged to report crimes on a confidential/anonymous basis. Confidential/anonymous crime reporting information will be used solely for crime reporting notifications, crime statistics, and educational programs. The Police and Public Safety Handbook and EVMS Police and Public Safety webpage  provide instructions for submitting a confidential/anonymous report.

IV. Sexual Assault

1. Identification.  Sexual assault can take many forms, but often is defined from the perspective of the victim as being touched, even through clothes, or given attention in a sexual manner without the victim’s consent.  Specific examples of sexual assault include, but are not limited to, unwanted vaginal, anal or oral penetration with any object; being forced to perform or receive oral sex; being forced to look at sexually explicit material, pose for sexually explicit photos, or perform sexually explicit acts; being exposed to and/or flashed sexual body parts.  Sexual assault can be committed by strangers, friends, acquaintances or family members. Perpetrators may commit sexual assault by way of threats, coercion, manipulation, pressure, tricks or violence such as physical violence, use or display of a weapon, and immobilization of the victim.  In many cases, sexual assault involves psychological coercion and taking advantage of an individual who is incapacitated, under duress or incapable of making a decision on his or her own such as an individuals under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
2. What to do if you are the victim of a sexual assault.
3. Go to a safe place and contact someone who can help you. This could be a friend, a relative, a sexual assault services center,  and/or anyone you can trust.
4. 2.      Contact the Norfolk Police Department at 911 and EVMS Police and Public Safety at 446-5911.  Victims of sexual assault are encouraged to obtain immediate medical attention and to report the crime to local police. To make a police report, it will be necessary for you to go to the local hospital and have a Physical Evidence Recovery Kit (PERK) examination performed. The purpose of the exam is to obtain forensic evidence. Therefore, it is imperative that you do not shower, drink, eat, douche, urinate or change your clothes before the exam. If you must urinate, try to capture the urine in a plastic or glass cup for evidence testing. If you must change clothes, put the items in separate paper bags, again to be used in evidence testing. Do not use plastic bags; they contaminate evidence. If the assault occurred in your residence, try not to disturb the scene.   PLEASE NOTE:  It is essential that you  receive medical attention, whether or not you plan to report the crime to police. You may have received injuries of which you are not aware. Also, a doctor or nurse can examine you and give you information about the possibility of pregnancy and the risk of exposure to sexually transmitted diseases. If you suspect that you may have been given a date rape drug (such as Rohypnol, GHB, Ketamine or Valium), ask the hospital or clinic to take a urine sample as soon as possible. These drugs quickly pass through the body once ingested.  As soon as you have a quiet moment, write down everything that you remember happening during the sexual assault, including a description of the assailant and any weapons used.  Talk with a counselor or victim advocate who is trained to assist sexual assault victims about the emotional, physical and legal impact of an assault:  YWCA Women's Crisis Program Rape Crisis Center 24-hour hotline: 757-625-5570, Response - 24-hour rape crisis hotline: 757-622-4300, EVMS Student Mental Health Services: 757-446-5888 (M-F, 8am to 6pm).
5. Keep in mind that there is no time limit for reporting or prosecuting a sexual assault, but the length of time that passes between the assault and the report can affect the strength of the case.  If you so desire, an officer at EVMS Police and Public Safety, 757-446-5911 will help you report a sexual assault. 
   1. Campus Disciplinary Action.  All sexual assault complaints by a student against another member of the EVMS community shall be governed by the procedures set forth in the EVMS Student Handbook and shall apply to both the victim and the accused.  Both the victim and the accused shall be informed of the final determination, with respect to the alleged sexual assault, and any sanctions imposed against the accused. Possible sanctions include, but are not limited to, written warnings, suspensions, probation, and dismissal/expulsion. The accuser and the accused are entitled to the same opportunities to have others present during a campus disciplinary proceeding: and both the accuser and the accused shall be informed of the outcome of any campus disciplinary proceeding brought alleging a sexual assault.
   2. Change to Academic or Living Arrangements.  If you are the victim of a sexual assault, you are entitled to be notified of your options for, and provided assistance with, changing your academic schedule and living arrangements, if such changes are reasonably available.  In such event, please contact the Associate Dean of Student Affairs at 757-446-5255.

1. V.    CRIME PREVENTION

The EVMS Police and Public Safety Department is proactive about crime prevention.  In addition to providing information about personal safety at student and employee orientations, the EVMS Police and Public Safety Department stresses crime prevention through:

1. Facility/Environmental Security.  Much of the EVMS campus is open to the public.  EVMS students and staff are required to have their ID badges visible at all times.  Visitors to buildings must check-in with the EVMS Police and Public Safety Department at entrance points and vehicular traffic is strictly controlled with visitor parking allowed only in designated areas.  All academic and administrative buildings are locked after normal working hours and access may only be gained through use of the ID badges.  EVMS also has a CPTED (Crime Prevention through Environmental Design) trained police officer within the Police and Public Safety Department. The principles of CPTED stress effective design and use of the environment and its structures to reduce crime.  Examples would be controlling access through the use of walkways and landscaping, sufficient lighting and ensuring that buildings are properly maintained.  The EVMS Department of Physical Facilities maintains the school buildings and grounds with a concern for safety and security. Inspections of campus facilities are conducted regularly, and repairs are made as quickly as possible.  All members of the campus community are encouraged to report potential safety and security hazards, such as broken locks and windows, by calling Physical Facilities at 757-446-5874 or EVMS Police and Public Safety at 757-446-5199.
2. Patrol/Visibility.  EVMS Police and Public Safety Officers patrol the campus building, grounds and parking areas in vehicles, on bicycles and on foot. The officers utilize the “Guard One” electronic system to ensure that all locations are checked on an ongoing basis 24/7.  Guard One enables the EVMS Police and Public Safety Department to maintain an electronic record of all areas checked and the date/time they were checked.  In addition to keeping an eye out for potential criminal activity, officers on patrol look for potential public-safety issues such as defective lighting, malfunctioning doors and locks, broken steps or handrail, open or broken windows, and any other conditions that may pose a hazard or security risk.  Reminders of the  police and public safety presence can be seen through internal and external signage that provides the number for reporting suspicious activity or for requesting assistance.  The EVMS Police and Public Safety presence is also felt through the use of clearly marked EVMS Police and Public Safety vehicles that also display the contact numbers for the EVMS Police Department and the  “911” number for contacting the local city police. 
3. Information.  EVMS participates in several information-sharing committees in the Hampton Roads Area such as HRCOPS (Hampton Roads Chiefs of Police); HRCLWG (Hampton Roads Campus Law Working Group) and the VACLEA (Virginia Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators).  Virginia State Police information on registered sex offenders can be found on the Virginia State Police Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry.

1. Safety Services.
2. Rave Guardian.  EVMS offers the Rave Guardian safety feature at no charge to you.  Rave Guardian transforms your mobile phone into a personal alarm beacon that allows EVMS Police to respond more quickly when you need help (more information is available on the Rave and EVMS Campus Safety & Alerts web page.
3. Shuttle Transportation Service.  A free campus shuttle service is available for EVMS  students and employees of EVMS, Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, and Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters. The shuttle service operates from 5:30 a.m. until midnight and provides safe transportation throughout the campus and is also available on-call by calling 446-5199. Those who do not wish not to use the shuttle service should consider registering with Rave Guardian.  
   1. Education. 
   2. General Crime Prevention.  Officers staff a table at various functions during the academic year in an effort to provide information on personal defense classes, bicycle registration and locking recommendations, shuttle, Rave Guardian access, marking and registering valuables, and overall recommendations on how to increase safety and reduce the chances of being victimized. The EVMS Police Chief and Captains also attend the monthly Student Hour meetings and the PAN Student Council meetings. During these meetings, reminders are issued regarding when/how to report suspicious situations.  Additionally, public safety officers are assigned to stationary posts throughout the campus (including on-campus housing) to provide assistance, information and tips to students and employees as necessary.   Services to the campus  are available 24/7 by contacting the Police and Public Safety Department at 446-5199.
   3. Rape Awareness Programs Rape Aggression Defense (RAD).  R.A.D. is a nationally known self-defense program. The R.A.D. System is a comprehensive, women-only course that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and risk avoidance while progressing onto the basics of hands-on defense training. Courses are taught by nationally certified R.A.D. Instructors. R.A.D.’s program objective is to develop and enhance the options of self defense so they may become viable considerations to the woman who is attacked. Classes are offered to EVMS students free of charge. For more information visit the RAD Systems website or call 757-446-5199.
      1. SMART

EVMS has created a threat assessment team to proactively assess, monitor, and initiate responses to remediate potential threats to the safety and well being of all members of the EVMS Community. The Safety Management and Assessment Response Team (SMART) investigates incidents and behaviors of individuals and/or groups by collecting and assessing information from multiple sources to determine potential threats and developing and implementing appropriate remediation strategies. See the linked SMART Policy for more information. SMART is comprised of representative from the Office of Legal Counsel, Human Resources, Office of Student Affairs, Risk Management, and Police and Public Safety. Additional ad hoc members can be brought in as subject matter experts for specific cases. The team meets once a month to review ongoing and new cases. In addition, the Team Leader can convene the team on an as needed basis, whenever a moderate or high risk report is identified.

VI. Emergency Response and Evacuation Procedures

In addition to being prepared for crime, EVMS is prepared for a significant emergency or dangerous situation on campus involving an immediate threat to the health and safety of students or employees, which may also require an emergency evacuation. Virginia’s geographical diversity, from mountains to shoreline, means that the state is open to a wide variety of natural disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, or tornados, that can be severe or even life threatening.  There are also a number of man-made disasters such as fire, bomb threats, terrorism, utility outages, chemical spills and workplace violence that can give rise to an emergency situation.   The EVMS Emergency Manager/Fire Safety Specialist is responsible for confirming any significant emergency or dangerous situation.  Upon such confirmation.  EVMS will, without delay, and taking into account the safety of the community, determine the content and initiate the notification system, as described in Section VII, unless issuing a notification will, in the professional judgment of responsible authorities, compromise efforts to assist a victim or to contain, respond to, or otherwise mitigate the emergency.  EVMS officials shall also determine the appropriate segments of the campus and/or community at large that should receive notification and the content of such notification in accordance with EVMS policy.  EVMS shall test its emergency response and evacuation procedures no less than once per year and document all such test.  Test may be announced or unannounced and the Emergency Response Plan shall be publicized in conjunction with at least one such test per calendar year.

1. VII.          Timely Warning/EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM

EVMS delivers timely warnings to students and employees about events that affect the campus, such as criminal incidents, emergency situations, and inclement weather, via the Rave Alert campus emergency notification system.  Rave Alert delivers messages to your mobile phone and email address in the event of an emergency. Students and employees are automatically enrolled in the Rave Alert system using the mobile phone number provided at the time of h matriculation or hire.   By logging in to Rave, EVMS Rave Alert subscribers are able to manage emergency notification services in one online location, change or add contact information for the mobile alert system, and create a Rave Guardian Profile.  While the Rave Alert system is offered free to registrants, they are responsible for any private carrier costs related to their mode of alert delivery such as per text messaging fees.  If you wish to opt out of the EVMS Rave Alert system, please login to your EVMS Rave Alert account. Please note that you cannot opt out of receiving alerts to your EVMS email account. Questions about Rave Alert and Rave Guardian should be directed to Telecommunications at: telehelp@evms.edu 757-446-5217.

1. VIII.       Missing Community Member
   1. General Procedures. If a member of the Eastern Virginia Medical School community has reason to believe that a student or employee is missing, they should contact the EVMS Police and Public Safety Department at 446-5199 immediately.  When making a report, provide as much information as possible regarding the missing person including: a physical description; what they were wearing when last seen; where they were last seen; what physical condition they were in when last seen; if they were driving or had a vehicle and its description; and whom they were with. In addition, report any information you are aware of related to medical or other special conditions.  All possible efforts will be made to locate the individual in collaboration with local law enforcement, Student Affairs (student), Human Resources (employee) and other resources as available. Concurrently, EVMS officials will endeavor to determine the student/employee whereabouts through contact with friends and associates.  EVMS Police and Public Safety will immediately notify, or follow-up with (if a report was already filed), appropriate law enforcement agencies on the status of the missing person.
   2. Students Residing at Hague Club Apartments.  If a member of the Eastern Virginia Medical School community has reason to believe, or has received a report, that a student who resides at Hague Club Apartments has been missing for 24 hours or more, they must contact the EVMS Police and Public Safety Department at 446-5199 immediately.  EVMS will notify the City of Norfolk police department that a student is missing.  Students who live at Hague Club Apartments may also voluntarily designate one or more contact persons who shall be notified within 24 hours of the determination that the student is missing.  Information about the contact person(s) is confidential and only accessible to authorized EVMS officials, except that the contact information may be disclosed to law enforcement in furtherance of a missing person investigation. If a student is under the age of eighteen and not emancipated, EVMS shall notify a custodial parent or guardian within 24 hours of the determination that the student is missing.

IX. Alcohol and Drug Policy 

EVMS abides by Virginia law, which prohibits the possession, distribution and consumption of alcoholic beverages by persons less than twenty-one (21) years of age. In addition, EVMS is committed to maintaining a drug and alcohol free workplace for students and employees with the use of alcohol at EVMS functions/on campus restricted as dictated by policy.  The EVMS alcohol policy can be found in Human Resources Policy 4.53.