Policy 1006 - Crime Awareness and Reporting

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Section: Operating/Administrative
Policy Number: 1006
Responsible Office: Public Safety
Effective Date: 4/1/01
Revised: 6/1/01; 2/10/10; 1/7/11; 9/24/14; 7/18/17; 10/11/17; 10/22/20

Policy

The University’s policy is consistent with the legal requirements of the Students Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act of 1990. The University further complies with the 1998 amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965, known as the “Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act.” The Act requires colleges and universities to distribute statements of policy regarding campus security and crime prevention, and statistics concerning specific types of crimes, to all current students and employees, and to any prospective student and employee upon request, by October 1st of each year.

If you witness or become the victim of a crime, accident, medical emergency, fire, or suspicious or threatening circumstance on any St. John’s University campus, you should call 911 or the Public Safety emergency number (718-990-5252 on the Queens campus). All telephones on University properties can dial 911 directly.

Confidential Tip Line – (718) RED-SAFE

The Department of Public Safety has established an automated 24-hour confidential tip line. This tip line enables anyone in the University community to report information to Public Safety anonymously, while being recorded on an answering machine. The number is: (718) 733-7233 or (718) RED-SAFE. No attempt will be made by Public Safety to identify callers; should a caller wish to be contacted by Public Safety, he or she should include contact information in the voice message. If the caller is need of a Public Safety immediate response, he/she should call the Public Safety Command Center at 718 990-5252.

Distribution of Security Information and Printed Crime Prevention Material

Printed crime prevention brochures, crime prevention tips, posters, bookmarks, and special safety-oriented campus maps are distributed at crime prevention presentations, Orientation sessions, and at various locations on the University campuses.

Campus Security Act Annual Report

Annually, the University’s Public Safety Department updates security information and makes it available to the University community on the Public Safety website. The Annual Security Report is prepared in cooperation with the local law enforcement agencies surrounding our campuses, Housing and Residential Services, the Judicial Affairs Officer, the Division of Business Affairs, and the Division of Student Affairs. Each entity provides updated information on their educational efforts and programs to comply with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act.

Each year, an email notification is sent to all enrolled students and employees that provides the URL and link to this report. Copies of the report may also be obtained by contacting the executive director of the Department of Public Safety. In addition, all prospective students and employees receive a notification of the availability of this report and a link to access the report online.

The Annual Security Report provides information and guidance on the following:

  • Campus security procedures and security safeguards.
  • Reporting a criminal action.
  • Sexual assault facts, policy and assistance.
  • Campus security authorities, University support services, community resources, and local treatment facilities.
  • Drug and alcohol policy summary, and counseling and drug education information.
  • Statistical data concerning crimes on campus.

In addition to the information provided in the security report, campus security matters are addressed during the Summer Orientation for new students and during new employee Orientation sessions.

Timely Warnings

In the event that a situation arises, either on or off campus, that, in the judgment of the Executive Director of Public Safety constitutes an ongoing or continuing threat, a campus-wide Public Safety Advisory will be issued. The warning will be issued through the University’s email system to students, faculty and staff and it will be posted on the Public Safety website and on MySJU. Depending on the particular circumstances of the crime, especially in situations that could pose an immediate threat to the community and individuals, the Office of Public Safety may also issue an emergency text and voice message alert through the University emergency Notification System and/or utilize the public address system on campus to alert the community. The names of victims will be withheld as confidential.

Crime Prevention Tips

In addition to appearing here, crime prevention tips are posted on the Public Safety Department’s website and are periodically included in student newspapers. St. John’s campus grounds, buildings and parking lots are well lit and frequently patrolled, but you should still use precaution to ensure your own security and that of your personal property. Keep these common-sense tips in mind:

  • Familiarize yourself with the campus so you can walk confidently and purposefully to your destination.
  • Don’t carry valuables with you, but do keep a whistle handy in case you ever need to attract attention.
  • Be aware of your surroundings as you return to your car, or the bus stop or your building, and don’t hesitate to call Public Safety for an escort (Queens ext. 6281; Staten Island ext. 4487).
  • Never leave your property unattended, even for a moment.
  • Never leave your bicycle unlocked outside or inside a building; record its serial number and keep it in your permanent records or register your bicycle.
  • Always lock your parked car, keep all personal belongings in the trunk, and be sure your car keys are on a different ring from your home keys. While anti-theft equipment is not infallible, one or more will foil most amateurs and delay or deter most professionals.

Always report suspicious activities, threatening incidents, or unusual behavior to Public Safety. Even if nothing has actually occurred, Public Safety would prefer to know if there is a potential for concern.

Reporting a Criminal Act

Any criminal act should be reported immediately either in person or via telephone to the Public Safety Department or the Dean of Students, as appropriate. Public Safety can be reached as follows: Queens campus, (718) 990-6281, or extension 5252 for emergencies; Staten Island campus, (718) 390-4487; Public Safety Desk on the Manhattan campus, (212) 277-5155; Long Island Graduate Center, (718) 990-7778. The Queens and Staten Island campuses have Public Safety/Security Officers on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, while the Manhattan campus has Public Safety Officers on duty Monday-Saturday 7:00am to 11:00pm. Contact information for the Dean of Students is as follows: Queens campus, (718) 990-6568; and Staten Island campus, (718) 390-4443.

All potential criminal activity, including any allegation of criminal sexual assault that is brought to the attention of any member of the University, must be reported to the Public Safety Department (with a specific, limited exemption for pastoral and professional counselors). A priest who has a crime disclosed during the sacrament of confession may not reveal anything that has been disclosed in the sacrament. The priest, however, will encourage and work with the penitent to find appropriate support services both on and off campus. Pastoral counselors or priests who have a crime disclosed to them outside of the sacrament of confession are required to report the crime in accordance with this policy. Every member of the faculty, administration and staff of St. John’s University, acting in his or her capacity as an employee of the University, is obligated to immediately report any incident of sexual assault, rape or other forcible sexual offense against any member of the University community upon learning of the incident. Even when the individual requests confidentiality of the incident, the employee has a responsibility to report it.

When a crime is reported by an individual while on campus, Public Safety will dispatch an officer to the scene of the crime for a preliminary report of the date, time, and incident. If a student is involved, the preliminary report will be referred immediately to the Dean of Students for investigation. When appropriate, individuals are strongly encouraged to report complaints to the local police precinct.

Campus Safety and Crime Prevention Programs

St. John’s University provides programs for students, parents, faculty, staff and residence life addressing safety issues and crime prevention on campus. These programs are provided at Orientations, in trainings, and on the Web. All faculty and staff are required to attend an Emergency Response training program and Active Shooter Preparedness training conducted by the Department of Public Safety. Emergency phones, a surveillance system and escort service operate 24 hours a day. Routine fire drills are conducted in each campus building once a semester. In addition, all buildings have a public address system to be used in the case of emergencies. An email and phone alert system notifies the University community of emergency situations. Public Safety officers engage in routine motorized and foot patrol on the Queens and Staten Island campuses on a 24 hour basis.

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