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E. Security Awareness Programs
General Purpose
The University undertakes programs designed to maintain an awareness in the subject of safety and encourages students, staff, and faculty to take an active role in the deterrence of crime. Security awareness is accomplished through a variety of means. The University disseminates general and specific information in writing to the University community and presents a variety of programs tailored to the interests and particular needs of the various constituencies on campus. These programs include opportunities for students, staff, and faculty to meet and discuss crime issues with the Crime Prevention Specialist in the Department of Public Safety.
General Sources of Information
Under state law, certain police information is public, including the date, time, specific location, and immediate facts of a crime and the name and address of a person arrested and the criminal charge. In order to learn the most current crime information, members of the University community are encouraged to read the daily police arrest reports in the Daily Iowan or Iowa City Press-Citizen.
The Department of Public Safety releases a daily report and arrest log through their web site at http://www.uiowa.edu/~pubsfty/reports.htm. In addition to releasing a daily report and arrest log, the Department of Public Safety issues timely reports of crimes considered to be a threat to students and employees which are reported to local police agencies.
Information to Specific Constituencies
Depending upon the frequency and nature of criminal threats reported to the local police, warning statements may be issued to specific University constituencies in combination with statements released by the Department of Public Safety. Residence hall residents receive security statements from the Director of University Housing and other staff members; residents of Family Housing receive information from the Family Housing Manager in the newsletter The Villager; hospital employees receive information from the Hospital Safety and Security Department in Compass and Pacemaker; the semi-weekly news bulletin FYI contains security statements issued to all faculty and staff members; and parents of University students receive a special security edition of Parent Times.
Presentations
Crime prevention programs are presented periodically during the academic year by University personnel and student leaders. During orientation, new students are informed of services offered by the Department of Public Safety. A common theme of all awareness programs is student and staff responsibility for their own safety and the security of others. DPS employs a full time Crime Prevention Specialist to coordinate campus-wide prevention efforts and assist individual departments on a case-by-case basis. In addition to programs presented by officers of the Department of Public Safety, Student Services staff provide crime prevention information to undergraduate students. In addition, University departments such as the Women’s Resource and Action Center and the Rape Victim Advocacy Program present a variety of programs, many of which are related to personal safety.
Examples of Programming Offered
Due to the size of the University and the changing calendar of campus activities over the course of a year, the number of security programs presented varies month to month. Among the prevention programs regularly offered are date rape awareness workshops in the residence halls and Greek system; small-group discussion in freshman orientation; shoplifting awareness training for IMU Book Store employees; Cambus late-night and SafeRide service; fire drills in the residence halls conducted by the Iowa City Fire Department; and the Whistlestop and RAD self-defense program for women and men. September is Security Awareness Month in the residence halls, during which time formal and informal programming is provided to residents on topics related to crime prevention.
Information on Sex Offenders
Iowa law requires a person who has been convicted of a sex offense crime anywhere to register with the sheriff in the county in which they reside, and, if the person attends or works for an institution of higher education, register with the sheriff in the county in which the institution is located. Information about sex offenders is maintained by the Iowa Department of Public Safety and can be accessed at http://www.iowasexoffender.com. Locally, a public list of registrants containing photos, descriptions, and last known addresses of such individuals is available at the Johnson County Sheriff’s office (356-6020). For additional assistance, contact the UI Department of Public Safety at 335-5022.
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