(View Section Navigation)
B. Reporting Crimes
Importance of Reporting
All local
police departments remain in operation 24 hours a day,
7 days a week. This includes the University of Iowa
Police, the Iowa City Police Department, the Coralville
Police Department, and the Johnson County Sheriff’s
Office. While police officers are trained to deter crime
for the protection of the general public, crime prevention
cannot take place without assistance from the greater
community. As citizens of the community, all University
students, faculty, administrators, and staff are urged
to participate actively in the criminal prevention process.
This includes the prompt reporting of crimes and suspicious
behavior as well as cooperating with authorities during
the investigation and prosecution of crimes, whether
minor or serious infractions.
Crime Prevention
The Department of Public Safety maintains a full-time Crime Prevention Specialist. This specialist maintains a comprehensive crime prevent program that includes presentations, security audits, research, and crime prevention literature.
Reporting Policies
In order to maintain a safe environment for work and learning, the University supports a fully staffed professional police agency on campus, provides facilities for storing criminal information, and stations monitors in critical areas of campus. Because the cooperation of ordinary citizens is also essential to the prompt and accurate reporting of crimes, faculty, students, and staff members are instructed to contact the Department of Public Safety in the event they receive criminal or emergency information.
Confidential Reports and the Procedure for Preparing the Annual Statistics
The Department of Public Safety accepts confidential crime reports for inclusion in the annual disclosure of crime statistics. A confidential reporting form entitled “silent witness” is available on the Public Safety website http://www.uiowa.edu/~pubsfty/. Confidential reporting forms are also available at the University Counseling Services (UCS) and at the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Faculty and Staff Services. Information about the Department of Public Safety and crime reporting is distributed at the UCS and EAP, and counselors there encourage crime victims to report crimes to local law enforcement officials for inclusion in the annual crime statistics.
While the
proper reporting channel is direct communication with
a law enforcement agency, University administrators
affiliated with non-police departments also receive
reports of crimes (see “Non-Criminal Investigations”
below). The list of titles of administrators who receive
crime reports includes the Vice President for Student
Services and the Senior Vice President for Finance &
Operations and Treasurer. In preparing the annual security
report, University officials gather campus crime data
from the Office of the Vice President for Student Services
and the Office of the Senior Vice President for Finance
& Operations and Treasurer, as well as from the
Department of Public Safety. The Iowa City Police Department
and the Office of Student Life provide information about
non-campus crimes in Iowa City included in the annual
crime statistics.
Emergencies
In the event
of an emergency, the police should be contacted immediately,
particularly in the case of fire and medical emergencies.
In order to facilitate a prompt response in emergency
situations, 911 telephone service is in effect for the
entire county. Off-campus 911 calls are routed automatically
to the appropriate police authority (the Department
of Public Safety, Iowa City Police, Coralville Police,
or the Johnson County Sheriff). All UI Police Officers
are certified to administer emergency first aid, cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) and are trained in the use of Automated
External Defibrillators (AEDs) which are carried in
their marked police vehicles.
Emergency Telephones
Twenty-two
outdoor telephones with a direct line to University
Public Safety and marked “Emergency” are
located at critical points on University-owned property.
In addition, several indoor telephones are available
for emergency use, including one located in the women’s
locker room at the Fieldhouse. Visitors to campus are
encouraged to use the telephones which have been installed
in each residence hall near the main entrances and at
various points in University Hospitals & Clinics.
Non-Emergency Situations
Reports should be directed to the respective police agency that has authority to file criminal charges in the geographic area in which the crime was committed.
University-owned property includes all residence halls, all academic buildings, University Hospitals & Clinics, recreation facilities, parking lots located near these buildings, and the Oakdale Campus. Calls should be directed to the University of Iowa Department of Public Safety. In private dwellings in Iowa City, such as fraternity and sorority chapter houses, reports of crimes should be directed to the Iowa City Police Department. If there is any question as to which police agency has jurisdiction, students, staff, and faculty members should call the Department of Public Safety.
Public Safety’s Response to Criminal Reports
In the Department
of Public Safety, a record is maintained of every call
received by the dispatcher. In cases where on-going
criminal activity is reported, the supervisor on duty
assigns patrol officers to the scene. If necessary,
DPS administration assigns staff investigators to conduct
necessary follow-up investigations. When there is a
reasonable basis to believe that a known individual
has committed a crime on campus, the person is apprehended
by a University of Iowa police officer, charged by the
arresting officer, and referred to the Johnson County
Attorney for prosecution. In cases where incarceration
is warranted, persons arrested are taken to the Johnson
County Jail immediately following the arrest and booking.
Criminal Data Policies
All University police officers and investigators are required to submit investigation reports and have received specific training in documenting crimes. The DPS administration monitors the department’s response to reports. Information derived from reports is maintained in a written file and on computer by full-time records personnel, who issue daily summaries of criminal incidents which occur on University property to University departments.
Non-Criminal Investigations
In many cases where a University student, faculty, or staff member is charged with a crime, particularly in the case of incidents that occur on University property, a follow-up investigation is conducted by University officials. When the criminal perpetrator is a student, disciplinary review is undertaken by the vice president for student services (hereinafter, “vice president”). When academic instructors have violated criminal laws, disciplinary review is the responsibility of the Provost. When other staff members are charged with criminal activity, disciplinary review is the responsibility of the Vice President for Finance & Operations and the employment department.
Additional Services Provided
In response to reports of a fire or medical emergency, the Department of Public Safety notifies the Iowa City dispatcher for fire fighters and ambulance service. Emergency medical care is provided at all hours at University Hospitals & Clinics. The University provides or otherwise supports post-emergency and post-crime counseling services for students, staff, and faculty members. Among the departments which provide such services are University Counseling Services, the Rape Victim Advocacy Program, Faculty & Staff Support Services, Student Health, and University Hospitals & Clinics. In addition, the Johnson County Attorney’s Office maintains a full-time Victim Witness Coordinator, who assists students, staff, faculty, and other citizens who are crime victims during and after the criminal prosecution.
|
