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Your source for the latest tips, information, and current campus safety resources from the NCCPS.
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Download the report (PDF). |
New Report on Police and Community Interactions on Campuses
Recent events have created an almost unprecedented level of tension between law enforcement agencies and the communities they are sworn to serve and protect. A number of high profile police shootings involving people of color, followed by retaliation against police officers, have escalated to a point where leadership is needed.
Many chiefs of police at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) also recognized that their students, in particular, were being negatively affected by these incidents and the national climate. They requested assistance from the National Center for Campus Public Safety (NCCPS) to create an environment where they could have an open, honest, and poignant conversation about race and policing, particularly on HBCU campuses.
On August 30 and 31, 2016, the NCCPS partnered with the
HBCU Law Enforcement Executives and Administrators (HBCU-LEEA) to facilitate an emerging issues forum at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The forum,
A National Conversation on Police and Community Interactions on HBCU Campuses
, involved in-depth discussions between student leaders and their police chiefs/campus safety executives representing 20 colleges and universities.
The purpose of the forum was to identify gaps in perception between students and public safety at institutions of higher education and build a framework to help the campus community bridge those gaps.
Some of the feedback from the forum included:
- Chief Curtis Johnson, President of HBCU-LEEA, stated: "It's our responsibility to bridge the gaps in community policing. We can do this one step at a time. This was an awesome first step!"
- Adrian Wiggins, Executive Director of Campus and Public Safety at Morgan State University, advised: "The conversation regarding police/community relationships, particularly relationships with minority communities, challenged both the public safety leaders and the students to be more deliberate about working together. This was indeed much needed, and more work lies ahead as we are barely scratching the surface on this issue."
- Another participant thanked the NCCPS "for creating a safe space for healing and solution oriented conversations to take place!"
Forum participants drafted recommendations on developing the appropriate framework to bring back to their institutions. Access the forum discussion and recommendations by downloading the report (PDF).
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BJA Police-Mental Health Collaboration Toolkit
Mental health calls for service can be complex and challenging for campus safety and law enforcement officials. Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) revealed the
Police-Mental Health Collaboration (PMHC) Toolkit that provides resources for law enforcement agencies to partner with mental health providers to effectively respond to calls for service, improve outcomes for people with mental illness, and advance the safety of all.
A PMHC is a law enforcement-based program that enables officers to respond appropriately and safely to people with mental illnesses. This type of program can also be adapted for use by campus safety organizations. These programs can create positive changes for campus safety and law enforcement officers, communities, and citizens. Based on research and the experiences of the police agencies that were chosen as learning sites, common benefits are:
- Improved Safety
- Increased Access to Behavioral Healthcare
- Decreased Repeat Encounters with the Criminal Justice System
- Reduced Costs
- Improved Community Relations
The PMHC Toolkit outlines the overall benefits of PMHC programs and provides step-by-step guidance to implement a collaboration program in your community.
BJA acknowledges that communities may struggle with the PMHC program design process because they are unsure how to design and develop a program that meets their distinct needs and challenges. Law enforcement agencies interested in starting or enhancing a PMHC can request technical assistance by completing the
Specialized Policing Responses: Law Enforcement/Mental Health Learning Sites
Technical Assistance Request Form
(PDF).
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Join Us for Our Next Free Webinar!
On Thursday,
November 17, 2016 at 2:00PM ET
, NCCPS Director
Kim Richmond
will provide an update on NCCPS activities, including highlights from recent emerging issues forums, such as institutionalizing the Clery Act, marijuana legalization, and campus carry, as well as the outcomes of a nationwide higher education emergency management needs assessment. She will also discuss future activities and initiatives for the upcoming year, and would like to solicit feedback from attendees on what topics of concern the NCCPS could address in the future.
Registration is free but required as space is limited. The deadline to register is Tuesday, November 15.
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October is National Bullying Prevention Month
This year's
Bullying Prevention Month marks the 10th anniversary of its creation by
PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center
. Bullying occurs when a person attacks another individual verbally or physically, makes obscene gestures, or intentionally isolates another from a social group. Historically, bullying was seen as a rite of passage, but research, increased awareness, and education have shown that bullying can have long-term effects such as a loss of self-esteem, increased anxiety, and depression for those involved.
Though commonly perceived as a K-12 problem, bullying continues well past graduation into college and workplaces. According to a 2010 study,
Cyberbullying among college students: prevalence and demographic differences, 15 percent of college students reported being bullied and nearly 22 percent reported having been cyberbullied. Further, 38 percent of students surveyed indicated they knew someone who had been cyberbullied. Cyberbullying occurs when technology, such as social media, texting, and instant messaging is used to harass others with harmful words or images. Both bullying and cyberbullying are done with intent and are typically repeated.
Although there is no single factor that puts a person at risk for being bullied, depending on the environment, specific groups may be at an increased risk of being bullied. These populations include LGBT youth, youth with disabilities, and socially isolated youth. Resources are available for these vulnerable populations, and college students in general, through a variety of organizations and federal partners including:
- Campus Answers: The higher education division of Workplace Answers, Campus Answers provides diversity training and content on a variety of higher education issues including bullying and sexual harassment.
- Cyberbullying Research Center (CRC): The CRC is rich with resources including presentations for campus staff and students, maps of bullying and sexting laws, research, and resources based on age group.
- Not In Our Town (NIOT): NIOT is a movement to stop hate, address bullying, and build safe, inclusive communities for all. The NIOT website contains information for campuses on how to start a campus campaign as well as lists of resources on other important topics such as domestic violence, diversity, inclusion, hazing, and mental health.
- Rachel's Challenge: Their programs provide a sustainable, evidence-based framework for positive climate and culture in schools. Learn about the college program and professional development.
- Stopbullying.gov: A federal website that provides information from various government agencies on what bullying is, what cyberbullying is, who is at risk, and how you can prevent and respond to bullying.
- Tyler Clementi Foundation: Formed after Tyler's death following an act of cyberbullying and humiliation, the Foundation provides resources for colleges and universities as well as university Greek systems.
The key to bullying prevention is involvement from students, parents, teachers/professors, and community members. Colleges and universities can help reduce incidents of bullying by addressing larger issues of disrespect, bias, and violence on campus.
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Access our online calendar of events. |
Professional Development Opportunities
Title: VALOR Essentials Training
Organization: Bureau of Justice Assistance: VALOR Initiative
Dates: November 1-3, 2016
Location: East Hartford, CT
Fee: Free
Title: Getting to the Bottom of It: Bullying Prevention through Empathy and Kindness
Organization: International Bullying Prevention Association
Dates: November 6-8, 2016
Location: New Orleans, LA
Fee: Registration fee
Title: Mastering Performance Management, Supervision and Leadership Skills: Phase IV - Leading the Organization
Organization: Virginia Center for Policing Innovation
Dates: November 16-17, 2016
Location: Boise, ID
Fee: Registration fee
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NCCPS Publications
Access free publications that identify challenges in the field and provide case studies, lessons learned, and promising practices.
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Trauma-Informed Sexual Assault Investigation and Adjudication Institute
Join us for one of our scheduled Institutes!
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Have a Request?
Send us your requests for campus safety information and resources. We offer FREE assistance!
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