Office of Campus and Public Safety - University of Delaware

Administrative Services

Annual campus security report (pdf version)

2012 Crime Awareness and Campus Security Information Report University of Delaware Department of Public Safety

This information is provided to meet the requirements of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1998 and has been prepared by the administrative section of the Department of Public Safety using statistical and other information supplied by the Newark Police, Wilmington Police, Lewes Police, Department of Natural Resources Police, Campus Life Office and the Office of Residence Life.

Statistics on crimes reported to the University Police for the past three years that occurred on campus, on public property adjacent to the campus and on university property located off campus, as well as arrests for selected offenses can be found at:
www.udel.edu/PublicSafety/admin_crimestats.html

UD's Fire Safety report, in compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, can be found at: http://www.udel.edu/ehs/dev/generalhs/downloads/2011%20Annual%20Fire%20Safety%20Report.pdf

UD's Missing Student Policy, in compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, can be found at: http://www.udel.edu/PublicSafety/missing.htm

The University of Delaware is a state-assisted, privately controlled institution of higher education. The main campus is located in Newark, Delaware and there are branch campuses located in Wilmington, Delaware and Lewes, Delaware. Over half of the 14,500 undergraduates live in residence halls on the Newark campus.

The University of Delaware community is made up of over 24,000 people.

Department of Public Safety

The main office of the Department of Public Safety is located at 413 Academy Street in Newark, Delaware and is open 24-hours-a day, seven days a week.

The well-being of all who attend, work or visit the University of Delaware is vitally important to the University's Department of Public Safety. While Newark is a relatively safe place, crimes do occur both on and off campus. University Police officers are trained to understand the needs of students, faculty and staff. Equipped with two-way radios, they patrol the campus by vehicle, foot and bicycle. Public Safety security officers and Public Safety aides assist the University Police in their preventive patrols. Everyone must do his or her part to maintain a safe environment. All members of the University Community have a responsibility to themselves and to others to use due care for their safety and to comply with all local, state and University regulations. The University Community is encouraged to promptly report crimes to the University and/or local police departments; timely reports of information make it easier for the police to gather critical evidence and increase the odds of recovering stolen property and successfully prosecuting a criminal.

The University Police are law enforcement officers of the State of Delaware and are certified by the Delaware Council on Police Training. They have full investigative and arrest authority on campus, as well as on contiguous streets and highways and elsewhere in the state as provided by law. A criminal or traffic summons issued by the University Police will be adjudicated by the court system of the City of Newark or the State of Delaware, as appropriate. The University Police work closely with federal, state, county and municipal law enforcement agencies to provide the best possible service. The University of Delaware Police department has working relationships with state and local law enforcement agencies. UDPD also has jurisdictional agreements and or MOU's with several agencies. In addition, Delaware Code outlines mutual aid between law enforcement agencies within the state. All members of the Department of Public Safety are empowered to enforce University rules and regulations.

Reporting of Criminal Actions or Emergencies

Like any other community of its size, the University of Delaware experiences accidents, injuries, crimes and other emergencies. To report a crime or emergency, the Department of Public Safety should be notified at 911 or 831-2222 as soon as possible. These telephone numbers are staffed 24-hours a day by trained telecommunications officers. The University of Delaware does not have a confidential reporting program and all victims are encouraged to report crimes and emergencies to the campus police.

The University of Delaware campuses are equipped with over 100 outdoor emergency telephones. These telephones are programmed to automatically dial the Department of Public Safety when activated. The emergency phones located outdoors are identified by blue lights and are activated by picking up the receiver or pushing a button.

Access to Campus Facilities

The University restricts access to its facilities to members of the academic community and bona fide guests. Access times vary depending on the building and the activity, except for those students, faculty and staff with keys or appropriate access authority.

Entry to Residence halls with central corridors is controlled electronically with card access 24 hours a day. They are equipped with special electronic systems intended to indicate a propped door condition that will sound a local alarm if the alarmed doors are not closed promptly.

All students, faculty and staff are required to possess ID cards and to present them when requested by a University official. Individuals who do not have legitimate reasons for being on campus or in a University building and who refuse to leave may be arrested pursuant to Section 22-39 (Criminal Trespass) of the Code of the City of Newark or Title 11 Section 821 of the Delaware Code.

Maintenance and Security of Campus Facilities

Lighting and landscaping on the University of Delaware campuses are important considerations. Motor vehicle parking lots, pedestrian walkways and building exteriors are well lighted. Public Safety officers, paying attention to any burned out lights, check exterior lights periodically.

Deficiencies are reported to the Facilities Division. Members of the campus community are also encouraged to report any exterior lighting deficiencies to the Department of Public Safety at 831-2222 or via email to Fixit@udel.edu.

Each summer the UD police conduct a lighting survey of the main campus in concert with representatives of the Facilities Division, Office of Women's Affairs, and other members of the University Community. Additionally, a campus wide security survey is conducted annually with representatives of the Resident Student Association, Facilities Division and members of the university administration.

Security officers employed by the Department of Public Safety are responsible for patrolling designated areas of the campus on foot and in vehicles, locking and unlocking buildings, providing escorts and transportation to students and staff, reporting security deficiencies and providing courier service to the campus community.

Emergency Response Procedures

The University of Delaware chose an emergency notification vendor, Send Word Now, to implement UD Alert. The University of Delaware's primary emergency notification tool, UD Alert, allows us to send emergency messages to students and staff within minutes. These notices will be sent in a variety of ways: voice messages (to local, cell or home phone), e-mail, and text message (to a pager or cell phone). The University of Delaware will test its UD Alert System once each semester during the academic year. Information will be posted on UDaily prior to the test so as not to alarm the campus community.

Information on additional methods that may be used to communicate emergency information can be found at:

http://www.udel.edu/emergency/stay_informed.html

The University recognizes its responsibility to provide accurate and timely information to the campus community and the public during emergencies. The University also recognizes its responsibility to students, faculty, and staff to respond to concerns about personal safety and security, and to follow university policies concerning the release of personal information. In order to guide this process the Emergency Communications Policy was implemented; for additional information please see the full policy #7-52; Please also see #7-06 and #7-51 for details on processes that will be followed when an emergency is declared, and for the persons/positions responsible for carrying out the process.

Security Awareness and Crime Prevention Programs

The following is a listing of the crime prevention programs and projects employed by the University of Delaware.

Escort Program: The Department of Public Safety provides an escort service to the campus community. This service is staffed by Public Safety aides who are employed and trained by the department. This free service is available during hours of darkness seven days a week.
New Student Orientation: The UD Police Department participates in new student orientation held each summer; meeting new students and their parents and making available to them printed materials dealing with campus safety.
Emergency Telephones: As previously indicated, exterior emergency telephones linked directly to the Department of Public Safety are located throughout the University's three campuses.
Crime Prevention Presentations: Crime prevention presentations are made to various campus departments, student groups and organizations such as commuter students, international students, resident student association and other recognized student organizations.
Electronic Alarm Systems: The campus wide network of intrusion, duress, elevator and fire alarm systems is monitored by the Public Safety Communications Center.
Security Surveys: Security surveys are conducted for selected campus departments each year.
Valuable Property Identification: Members of the University community may register their valuable property with the Department of Public Safety.
Bicycle Registration: Students and staff who bring bicycles to the campus are encouraged to register their bicycles with the Department of Public Safety. Registration forms are available at the department or electronically through the public safety web page.
Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) Systems: RAD is designed to help women learn self-defense. It consists of tactics that help women become more aware of the possible dangers that can develop at any time. It teaches them to be preventive, and to reduce or avoid high-risk situations. RAD classes are conducted through out the school year and there is no charge for this program.
Community Resource Unit: The UD police are committed to providing quality service and protection to the students, staff, faculty and visitors of the University of Delaware. The community Policing Program is an integral part of this quality service. It is based upon the concept that police officers and the campus community as a whole can work together in creative ways to solve problems related to crime prevention. The primary focus of community policing is to foster positive interaction between the police, students and staff. Officers have been assigned to specific campus areas and have designated offices in the residence halls to better serve the security needs of the student population.
Statistics on crimes reported to the University Police for the past three years that occurred on campus, on public property adjacent to the campus and on university property located off campus, as well as arrests for selected offenses can be found at:
www.udel.edu/PublicSafety/admin_crimestats.html

Crime Reporting

Programs are in place to advise members of the campus community on a timely basis about campus crime and crime-related problems. The media used include the following:

Daily Crime Report: A crime report log is prepared daily describing incidents reported to the University Police and reports made. Information contained in the log can be searched at a public computer site in the lobby of the public safety building or via any computer with Internet access.
Student Newspaper:The University of Delaware student newspaper, The Review, has access to all the information contained in the daily crime report log. If a serious or unique crime has occurred, a special article may be printed in the newspaper.
UDaily: The University of Delaware's online news service provides daily e-mail news updates and can be accessed at udel.edu/udaily
Timely Alerts and Emergency Notifications: If circumstances warrant it, special timely crime alerts are prepared and distributed through the UDaily online news reporting service. These alerts advise the community of the situation, steps to take to avoid being victimized and the number to call for more information. The Chief of Police or his designee, with assistance from the Office of Communications and Marketing, is responsible for preparing the alerts for dissemination to the university community.
World Wide Web (WWW) Site: The University maintains it own WWW site (www.udel.edu/) which all University faculty, staff and students, as well as the general public, have access to via their personal or University computers. The Department of Public Safety maintains its own WWW site (www.udel.edu/PublicSafety) within this system and makes it available to all who have system access.
Uniform Crime Reports: The University Police annually contribute crime statistics to the State Bureau of Identification for the state of Delaware to be included in the Uniform Crime Report published yearly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The yearly report provides detailed statistical information and is available at academic and public libraries.

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Sexual Assault

Sexual assault is any unwanted non-consensual physical contact of a sexual nature, whether by an acquaintance or a stranger. Sexual assault can occur under physical force and/or coercion or when a person is physically or mentally unable to give consent. Sexual assault includes but is not limited to rape, forcible sodomy, forcible oral copulation, sexual assault with an object, sexual battery, and forcible fondling (i.e., unwanted touching or kissing of a sexual nature). The University of Delaware will not tolerate sexual assault and will adjudicate such acts of violence through the campus judicial system as well as encourage the accuser to pursue criminal and/or civil remedies. Judicial sanctions for violations of the Code of conduct range from deferred suspension to expulsion from the University.

If you are a victim of sexual assault:

Immediately report the assault to the police; Call 911. Police cannot investigate the crime unless you file a formal report. Reporting a crime does not necessarily obligate you to follow through with prosecution.

Go to a hospital emergency room as soon as possible if the assault involved sexual penetration or other physical injuries. (Evidence can be collected several hours after an attack, but its value may be diminished.)
Do not wash, change clothing or otherwise "clean up."
Bring a full change of clothing because the clothes you were wearing at the time of the attack may be kept as evidence.
Your follow-up medical care is crucially important. You may need tests for sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.
No matter when or where the assault occurred, support and referral resources are available to help you. Contact at least one of the offices listed below.

Campus

(302) 831-2222 Department of Public Safety

(302) 831-2141 Counseling Center

(302) 831-8939 Campus Life Office

(302) 831-2226 Sexual Offense Support Services (S.O.S)

(302) 831-8063 Office of Women's Affairs

(The 24-hour S.O.S. provides round-the-clock confidential, immediate personal support on a confidential basis. Members are trained to listen, advise and counsel victims of rape and sexual assault. They can also refer you to other services.)

Community

(800) 842-8461 Newark Police Department

(800) 262-9800 Wilmington Police Department

(302) 645-6264 Lewes Police Department

(302) 577-2484 Crisis Intervention

(302) 762-6110 or (302) 762-6111 Domestic Violence Hotline

(These numbers also put you in touch with the battered women's shelter)

(302) 761-9100 Rape Crisis Contact

(800) 652-2929 Suicide Hotline

(800) 842-8461 Victim Crisis Center

(302) 995-8383 Violent Crimes Compensation Program
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Statement of Victims' Rights

Victims have the right to choose counseling and medical treatment, and to prosecute and report their case through the Office of Student Conduct Judicial System and/or the off-campus court system. They also have the right to refuse all these options without reproach from any University personnel.
Victims have the right to be treated with dignity and seriousness by campus personnel.
Victims of crimes against an individual have the right to be reasonably free from intimidation and harm.
University personnel are encouraged to inform all victims that (1) victims are not responsible for crimes committed against them; (2) victims are not negligent toward their own and thus do not assume the risk of crime; and (3) victims should always report their crime, despite the possibility of adverse publicity for the University.
Victims will be made aware of appropriate student services, including counseling.
Victims are entitled to the same support opportunities available to the accused in a campus disciplinary proceeding.
If the accused is prohibited from contacting the victim or entering the victim's residence, the victim will be notified that the ban is in effect.
Any victim who does not wish to remain in his/her present residence hall or class section may be granted a transfer to any available housing or class section.
The victim has the right to information regarding the status of his/her case.

Sex Offender Registration in Delaware

In accordance with Title 11, Chapter 41 of the Delaware Code, information regarding registered sex offenders is maintained by the Delaware State Police. The Delaware State Police have created the Sex Offender Central Registry, a searchable database that may be accessed via an internet website. This database located at www.state.de.us/dsp/sexoff/ may be used to locate registered sex offenders by name, address, city, county, or zip code. Convicted sex offenders from out of state must register with the Delaware State Police within 7 business days of establishing permanent or temporary residency within the State of Delaware and all registrants must indicate where they intend to reside, be employed and/or study. Click here for a list of registered offenders who have identified the University of Delaware as their place of employment, residence, or study.

Preventing Sexual Assault

Programs in the prevention of sexual assault are offered regularly throughout the year to students, faculty, and staff. Rape Aggression Defense Systems (RAD), a physical defense course for women offered by Public Safety, teaches rape prevention and practical self-defense techniques. Sexual Assault Awareness week, sponsored by a number of campus departments takes place each fall and offers programs on dating violence, acquaintance rape and personal security.

Drug and Alcohol Policies

The abuse of alcohol and the use of illegal drugs by members of the University community are incompatible with the goals of an academic institution. In order to ensure that alcohol and illegal drugs do not interfere with the goals of the University, substance abuse programs have been developed that apply to the University as both an educational institution and a work place.

The student policies of the University of Delaware on alcohol and drugs appear on the World Wide Web in the University of Delaware Student Guide to University Policies http://www.udel.edu/stuguide/12-13/index.html. University regulations clearly prohibit the unauthorized possession, use, manufacture, distribution, or sale of alcoholic beverages on University property or in University facilities. In addition, students are prohibited from using drugs, possessing drugs or drug paraphernalia, and from selling or otherwise distributing drugs.

Violations of these policies will result in immediate sanctions within the University's Student Judicial System. Students may receive penalties that include mandatory alcohol and drug evaluations and other sanctions from disciplinary probation to expulsion.

If students are found guilty of violating any local, state or federal laws concerning alcohol and drugs, they will receive significant sanctions. These penalties may include fines and mandatory prison terms. The State of Delaware, in particular, has very strict minimum mandatory sentencing laws for the selling of drugs. State and local laws concerning drugs and alcohol are summarized in the Student Guide to University Policies.

The University of Delaware is committed to educating its students in the areas of drug and alcohol use. The Wellspring Office in Laurel Hall provides education on substance use and abuse. If students have any questions concerning the health risks associated with the illicit use of drugs and the abuse of alcohol, they should contact Wellspring.

The University of Delaware employs licensed psychologists and psychiatrists in the Center for Counseling and Student Development who will assist students having problems with alcohol and drug abuse.

Every student at the University should read and become familiar with the policies on drugs and alcohol use and abuse that are discussed in the Student Guide to University Policies. In addition, more information is available on the health risks associated with drugs at the Wellspring Office in the Student Health Service. If you have any questions concerning alcohol and drug regulations or health risks, please feel free to contact the following offices.

(302) 831-8992 Wellspring Office

(302) 831-8939 Campus Life Office

(302) 831-2141 Counseling and Student Development

(302) 831-8992 Psychiatric Services

(302) 831-2226 Student Health Service