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The Weekly Snapshot
Your source for the latest tips, information, and current campus safety resources from the NCCPS.
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Event Security During Graduation Season

 

For many, graduation ceremonies and other large-scale events tend to be a repetitive process. Procedures are typically established in the pre-event planning phase and reused time and again. But, it is important to re-evaluate these procedures after each event to identify gaps or inefficiencies, and also add new procedures or policies that reflect new technologies or best practices in security and event management. Ideally, planning should be conducted by a multi-disciplinary team that brings together campus public safety, student affairs, faculty, buildings and grounds, general counsel, residential life, student government, risk management, and local police, fire, and EMS officials to develop policies, procedures and systems designed to ensure the safety of the campus community and its visitors.

 

The success, or failure, of an event can impact the safety and security of students, faculty, staff and guests, and significantly alter an institution's image. While no institution is immune from a catastrophic critical incident occurring at a campus event, there are prudent planning steps that can be taken to ensure that attendees are able to enjoy campus events reasonably free from harm. Through collaborative efforts, institutions can mitigate risks and build upon strengths to ensure resources align for a successful event.

 

In May 2013, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, working in partnership with CNA Analysis and Solutions, developed Managing Large-Scale Security Events: A Planning Primer for Local Law Enforcement Agencies (PDF) . The Planning Primer "brings together model practices and lessons learned in all aspects of security planning and operations that will help guide future decision makers and senior leaders as they prepare for large-scale security events."  

 

The Planning Primer includes major topic areas such as:
  • Pre-event Planning
  • Core Operational Areas, including crowd management, intelligence, arrest processing, screening and physical security, transportation, and many others
  • Post-event Considerations
  • Planning Toolkit
  • Key Planning Checklists

The Community Oriented Policing Services Office (COPS) also published Planning and Managing Security for Major Special Events (PDF) in March 2007. This often-referenced report "provides a framework to assist local law enforcement in planning and managing security for events that attract large numbers of people. It includes examples of best practices employed by federal agencies with security responsibilities, as well as strategies that have been effective for local law enforcement and private security."

 

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS), developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and applied in the educational environment, are designed to provide a functional management system to handle critical and special events. Institutions can adopt NIMS/ICS for pre-event planning, event management, and post-event follow up. For more information please visit, FEMA's NIMS and ICS webpages.

 

The FBI's Crisis Management Unit (CMU) provides support in preparing for and successfully responding to critical incidents and special events. Each of the FBI's 56 field offices has special events staff that can assist before your event. For more information, visit the FBI support webpage.
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Margolis Healy 2015 Campus Safety Survey 


It's time for the Margolis Healy 2015 Campus Safety Survey. The NCCPS has worked with Margolis Healy to bring you an opportunity to be heard on many issues affecting our campuses including:

  • emergency preparedness,
  • campus safety and security,
  • compliance issues,
  • travel abroad safety and security, and
  • social media.

Take the anonymous, online survey today. Spread the word by sharing this issue of the Weekly Snapshot by email or social media. We will be sharing the results with the public once fieldwork and analysis is complete. 

Save the Date! 2015 Legal Issues Conference


We are pleased to announce we have partnered with the University of Vermont for the 25 th Annual Legal Issues in Higher Education Conference this fall! The conference will provide "a comprehensive picture of the diverse legal issues shaping all aspects of higher education" and presenters will "help you acquire practical, hands-on methods to implement best practices, policies, programs and ideas."

 

This year, the conference will feature a new campus safety track, adding a variety of topics related to campus public safety and law enforcement. Several concurrent courses will be offered on topics such as legal trends, fair and impartial policing, improving services to victims, crisis intervention, building and sustaining successful partnerships between campuses and law enforcement, and many more during this three-day event for student and administrative affairs officials, and campus safety professionals.

 

The conference will be held from October 19-21, 2015 in Burlington, Vermont. If you are unable to attend the conference in person, a live web-streaming option will be available for institutions. For more information, please visit the conference website and follow conference updates on Twitter at @UVMLegalIssues. 

Professional Development Opportunities

 

Title: CampusRx Webinar: Responding to the Opioid Addiction Epidemic

Host: The Jed and Clinton Health Matters Campus Program and Phoenix House

Dates: April 10, 2015, 1:30 PM EST

Location: Online   

Fee: Free
Information and Registration

  

Title: Effective Team Dynamics: The Power of the Process

Host: The Clery Center for Security on Campus    

Date: April 23, 2015

Location: Online

Fee: Free

Information and Registration 

 

Title: Mid America Regional IACLEA Conference 2015 

Host: IACLEA and the University of Chicago Police Department
Date
: April 26-29, 2015

Location: Chicago, IL

Fee: Registration Fee

Information and Registration 

 

Title: ALERRT - Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) Train the Trainer

Host: Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, Dept. of Health and ALERRT  

Date: September 29, 2015

Locations: Bristol, Newport News, and Portsmoth, Virginia 

Fee: Free

Information and Registration 

This project was supported by Grant No. 2013-MU-BX-K011 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the US Department of Justice.
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