Security
Department Information
Topics
Opening Statement
Director’s Message
ID Cards
Policies
• Smoking Policy
• Drug And Alcohol Policy
• Parking Enforcement Policy
• Children in Classroom Policy
• Non-Student On Campus Policy
• Sexual Harassment Policy
• Reporting A Crime Confidentially Policy
• Off Hour Access
• Visitors
• Key Control
Campus Security And Crime Awareness Act
Crime Log
Procedures For Reporting Criminal Incidents And
Emergencies
Emergency Telephone Procedure
Uniform Crime Report Statistics
Sexual Assault
• Acquaintance Rape
• Who Is The Victim?
• Who Is The Sexual Assailant?
• Procedures For Rape Survivors
Personal Security
Crime Prevention Seminars
Blue Light Phones
Emergency Phone Numbers And Information
Fire Instructions
Campus Safety And Security Staff
Your Campus Safety And Security Department
Lost And Found
The Locksmith
Newsletter
OPENING STATEMENT
A safe and secure campus depends on the cooperation and assistance of every
Westchester Community College student and all staff . There is a need to be aware of possible safety
hazards and the potential for crime on campus. Crime prevention and prompt
reporting of unsafe conditions should be the objectives of every member of
the Westchester Community College community.
All criminal incidents and emergencies should
be reported to the Campus Security Office located in the Student Center
building, room 113, in person or by phone (606-6911).
IF AN EMERGENCY EXISTS, CALL 9-911 FOR A POLICE RESPONSE OR 6-911
TO REACH THE WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE SECURITY EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER.
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FROM THE DIRECTOR
Westchester Community College is a commuter college, without dormitories or resident students. Parking
lots, walkways and areas surrounding each building are well lighted, and the
campus is regularly patrolled by the 24-hour contract security service and
police officers from the Westchester County Police Department. The safety
and well-being of our students, faculty, staff, and visitors is of the
highest priority. While there have been occasional incidents of crime, the
campus has generally been a safe and secure environment. Achieving this
status and improving it has required, and will continue to require the
cooperation of all members of the campus community.
The office of Campus Safety and Security will
take steps in disseminating information concerning security matters and
crime prevention in several ways including articles written in the Viking
newspaper, freshman orientation, security seminars, and presentations made
to the Faculty Senate and Student Senate meetings. Reducing personal
vulnerability lessons the likelihood of becoming a crime victim.
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ID CARDS
All Westchester Community College students and employees are required to maintain
up-to-date identification cards. Students need to bring their paid
registration receipt to the I.D. center before a Westchester Community
College identification card
will be issued. Your initial identification card is free; however,
replacement cards cost $10 each. Be sure to have your I.D. card with you at
all times.
Identification cards may be obtained from the
Security Office located in room 113 of the Student Center. The hours of
operation for the I.D. center are:
- Fall and Spring Semesters:
Monday - Friday from 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM.
- Summer Sessions:
Monday - Thursday from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Friday from 9:00 AM – Noon.
FAILURE TO SHOW PROPER
IDENTIFICATION TO REQUESTING COLLEGE EMPLOYEES ACTING IN THE PERFORMANCE OF
THEIR DUTIES IS SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINARY
ACTION.
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CAMPUS SECURITY AND CRIME
AWARENESS ACT
The Campus Security and Crime
Awareness Act, sponsored by the United States Department of Education, was
enacted on November 8, 1990 and amended in 1991. It was distributed to all
students and employees at Westchester Community College on September 1,
1991.
The following is the policy at Westchester
Community College for conforming to the requirements of the Campus Security
and Crime Awareness Act (Public Law 101-542).
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CRIME LOG
The Campus Safety and Security
Department maintains a daily campus crime log in the Security office located
Student Center, room 113 . The log records incident number, date of crime,
time of occurrence, general location, and disposition if known. The Campus
Security Department must make these entries except where such disclosures
are prohibited by law or would jeopardize the confidentiality of the victim.
The information may also be withheld if there is clear and convincing
evidence that the release of the information would cause the suspect to flee
or result in the destruction of evidence. The Department must disclose any
information once the adverse affect described above is no longer likely to
occur.
The crime log is accessible to public view
for the most recent 60 day period during normal business hours. The
institution will make available any portion of the log older than
60 days within two business days of a request for inspection.
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PROCEDURES FOR REPORTING
CRIMINAL INCIDENTS AND EMERGENCIES
All criminal incidents and
emergencies should be reported to the Campus Safety and Security Office
located in the Student Center Building, room 113, in person or by telephone
(606-6911). IF AN EMERGENCY EXISTS, CALL 9-911 FOR A POLICE RESPONSE OR
6-911 TO REACH THE WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE SECURITY EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER. The Campus
Safety and Security Office will record a statement of the incident, and if
necessary will notify the Westchester County Police. Individuals reporting
incidents will be informed of their rights and given an opportunity to file
a police report for insurance or criminal purposes. All reported incidents
will be reviewed monthly to determine patterns and required corrective
action. Any incidents of an extremely serious nature will be reported
immediately to the President, or his designee. A strong working relationship
between the Campus Safety and Security Office and the Westchester County
Police will be maintained. Third party reports will not be accepted by the
police. However, anonymous complaints of crime can be reported to
the Campus Safety and Security Office.
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EMERGENCY TELEPHONE
PROCEDURES
In case of an emergency on campus,
the following telephone procedure should be followed:
- For police response dial 9-911, or use the
blue light emergency phones.
- For emergency security response dial the
security emergency number, 6-911.
- Send two or more bystanders to make the
call. This will ensure the call will be made promptly.
- Give the dispatcher the following
important facts:
- Location of the emergency – i.e.
building, room number, parking location, etc. Be explicit.
- Telephone number from where the call is
being made.
- Caller’s name.
- What happened – i.e. fire, motor vehicle
accident, chest pains, bleeding, etc. Be explicit.
- Number of persons injured.
- Condition of the victim/s - i.e.
conscious, unconscious, bleeding, etc. Be explicit.
- Help being given – what is being done
for the victim/s.
- Do not hang up before the dispatcher hangs
up. This is ensure the dispatcher has all the necessary information to
send the required assistance.
- If the police were called, notify the
Campus Safety and Security Office by calling 606-6911 to advise us that
the County Police are responding.
- If the victim is sick or injured, notify
the campus nurse at 606-6610.
- The caller or designee should wait for the
County Police in order to direct the police to the scene
of the emergency.
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SEXUAL ASSAULT
This information serves to increase awareness and knowledge about
sexual assault and to help you cope with sexual assault if it does happen.
Friendly stranger and
“Acquaintance Rape”:
Many attacks start with casual conversation. If your response to a stranger
or friend is uneasiness, try to get out of the situation as quickly as
possible. Survival is the goal - the keys to prevention are awareness,
trusting your intuition, and assertive behavior.
Who Is the Victim?
Everyone is a potential victim of sexual assault. Sexual assault is not
provoked by a woman’s dress or mannerisms. Opportunity and vulnerability are
key factors. Sexual assault is a crime of violence, not sex.
Who Is the Sexual
Assailant?
A sexual assailant is generally a person who is emotionally unstable, yet
conducts his or her daily life in a reasonably normal and competent manner.
He or she is often a friend, date, relative, co-worker, or casual
acquaintance of the victim.
Checklist for Victims of Assault
- Do not disturb any evidence.
- Do not bathe or shower.
- Have a medical examination as soon as
possible.
- Report every detail of the attack to the
Police Officer.
- WHEN CALM, make notes
of the attack, including any unusual details and description of the
attacker.
Procedures for Rape
Survivors:
If you are assaulted at Westchester Community College, dial 911 for police emergency then call
security at 914-606-6911. A professional staff member from Westchester
Community College will meet
with you confidentially and will pursue formal disciplinary action only with
your consent. Both the accused and the accuser are entitled to the same
opportunities to have others present during such proceedings, and both the
accused and the accuser are informed of the outcome of such proceedings.
Anyone may initiate such an action against a Westchester
Community College
student.
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WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR
PERSONAL SECURITY
Westchester Community College is open to the general public.
Our Library can be used by anyone with a Westchester Library System card.
Members of the public attend both college-sponsored events and those held by
non-campus groups using our facilities.
Partly for security reasons, therefore, all
Westchester Community College students and employees are required to maintain up-to-date
identification cards. Your initial ID card is available, free of charge,
from the Security Office in the Student Center; however, replacement cards
cost $3 each. Be sure you have yours with you at all times.
You also should be alert for your own safety
and security by following the advice below:
- Pay careful attention to your personal
belongings.
- Keep purses, gym bags, book bags and
wallets in your view or under lock and key.
- Because textbooks are expensive, they
may be a temptation to a thief. Put your name on each book, and do not
leave your books unattended.
- Lock your car doors each time you leave
the car.
- Leave nothing in your car within view of a
potential thief. Do not, for instance, store your books on the back seat.
- Have your car keys in hand before leaving
a building.
- Evening students in particular are
encouraged to walk in groups to cars and bus stops after
leaving class or the Library.
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CRIME PREVENTION SEMINARS
Seminars on sexual assaults, crime
prevention, and safety tips have been established and will be conducted in
conjunction with the Westchester County Police and the Westchester Community
College Women’s
Forum.
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BLUE LIGHT PHONES
There are 15 strategically located
emergency blue light phones on campus that connect directly with the County
Police without having to dial. These phones are for emergencies requiring
immediate police assistance. Directions for proper use are printed on
the inside of the call box in English and Spanish.
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EMERGENCY INFORMATION
Westchester Community College’s Crime Reporting Policy is that
students and employees must
report safety hazards, crimes, loss of
property, illness, or injury to the security office. Proper reporting
facilitates apprehension of criminals and makes Westchester Community
College safe. If an emergency
exists, call 911 immediately.
Security/Information Gatehouse, 914-606-6984,
located at Westchester Community College’s East Grasslands Gate. Guard service is provided 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week.
Campus Security Office, 914-606-6911, located
in Student Center Building, Room 113, staffed Monday-Thursday, 8:00 am-7:30
pm; Friday, 8:00 am-4:00 pm (9:00 am to noon in summer). After hours, call
police: from college phone, 9-911; from pay phone, 914-864-7600; or use the
emergency blue light phones.
Fire. Pull any campus fire alarm. All alarms
are connected directly to the Security/ Information Gatehouse and Westchester
Community College’s
Department of Buildings and Grounds.
Westchester County Police, 914-864-7600. The
Westchester Community Collegecampus falls under the jurisdiction of and is patrolled by the County
Police. Feel free to call them in any emergency.
College Administration
Days (Switchboard) 914-606-6600
Evenings (Room 302, Academic Arts Building) 914-606-6977
Weekends (Security/Information Gatehouse) 914-606-6984.
Westchester Community College adheres to the
policy that no person on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin,
age, sex, sexual orientation or disability is excluded from
or is subject to discrimination in any program or activity.
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FIRE INSTRUCTIONS
In case of fire, pull the nearest
alarm. This will activate an audible and visual alarm within the building
which rings directly at the Security Information Gatehouse and in Westchester
Community College’s
Department of Building and Grounds. The Security Officer on duty will call
the local fire department, telling them the fire location and giving them
other relevant information.
When a fire alarm sounds, evacuate the
building immediately. Walk – do not run, do not use elevators. Close doors
to classrooms and offices, leaving lights on, and exit from the nearest
enclosed stairwell. Take your belongings with you. Do not try to fight the
fire.
If you are wheelchair-bound, exit the
building. If above or below ground level, ask someone to escort you to the
nearest enclosed stairwell landing and close the door. The escort will tell
firefighters the location of the stairwell in which you are located. Fire
department professionals should then evacuate you.
Everyone who has exited the building should
stay at least 100 feet away from building entrances until an “all
clear” is announced by the fire department.
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YOUR CAMPUS SAFETY AND
SECURITY DEPARTMENT
The Security Department consists of
the Director, two Assistant Directors, an Office Manager, and 35 contract
security officers. Campus Security Officers are not sworn officers of New
York State and they do not have peace or police officer arrest powers.
The Director and his Assistant Directors
oversee: Training and procedures, fire safety, fire drills, special events,
scheduling, records, officer discipline and supervision, alarm systems,
technical equipment, investigations and crime prevention, key control and
supervision of locksmiths, lost and found, parking enforcement procedures
and supervision of the Westchester Community CollegeI.D. center.
All contract security officers undergo
training, which involves: Classroom instruction in Law, Communication
Techniques, Customer Service, Report Writing, CPR, and First Aid. Mandatory
updated training on these courses are given on a yearly basis.
Campus security officers make scheduled and
random patrols throughout the campus. The officers carry portable radios to
communicate with each other, their base of operations, and to summon aid if
necessary. An Assistant Director is always present on campus while classes
are in session. Westchester Community College’s Director of Campus Security and his Assistant
Directors do not have peace/police officer powers, but are former members of
the New York City Police Department and are trained in police procedures,
investigative techniques, and New York State Law. Westchester County Police
Officers patrol the campus when classes are in session. Members of Campus
Security maintain excellent rapport with the Westchester County Police.
Campus Security operates 24 hours a day, 7
days a week. The office is located in room 113 in the Student Center. The
phone number is 606-6911. In the event of immediate danger, dial 9-911 or
use a blue light phone for immediate police response, 6-911 for the security
emergency phone.
Security provides guidance and assistance to
crime victims in reporting incidents to the police. Our primary
concern is the safety and well-being of the victim.
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CAMPUS SAFETY AND SECURITY
STAFF
Brian Dolansky – Director – Ext. 6284
Donald Christman – Assistant Director – Ext. 6101
Anthony Stone – Assistant Director – Ext. 6751
Denis Kestenbaum – Assistant Director – Ext. 6730
Mary Davis – Officer Manger – Ext. 6730
Kai Nichols – Office Assistant – Ext. 6730
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LOST AND FOUND
If you find property, please give it
to a Security Officer or bring the article to the security office lost and
found located in the Student Center, room 113. If you lost anything, check
the security office by calling 606- 6984, or come into the office during the
following hours:
- Fall and spring semesters, Monday – Friday
from 9:00AM – 7:00 PM.
- Summer sessions, Monday – Thursday from
9:00AM – 7:00 PM;
Friday from 9:00 AM – 12:00 noon.
Property will be disposed of after each
semester.
II. All lockers MUST be emptied within 5 days
after the last day of instruction. After the 5th day,
locks will be cut and items will be disposed of.
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OUR LOCKSMITH
HARRY WITT
Education and training: US, Navy, ALOA School
of Vaults and Safes, Two Year Locksmith Apprenticeship, Mercy College, N.Y.
School of Forensic Science and Electronics, Federal Gov’t, C.C.T.V. Univ.
Locksmith Experience: US Navy, the Plaza
Hotel, Biltmore Hotel, Federal Gov’t., Avon Cosmetics Corp., and former
instructor at the N.Y. School of Locksmiths.
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