Campus Crime Awareness

The safety and well-being of Ferris State University students, faculty, staff and visitors is of primary importance to the University. Extensive efforts are made to educate members of the University community about responsible behavior and individual actions which they can take to help ensure their personal safety. Crime prevention is emphasized and security measures are employed to help our students, employees and visitors be as free as possible from threats to their safety.

The mission of the Ferris State University Department of Public Safety is to protect the people and property of the University community. The Department's goal is to make the Ferris State University campus safe and to provide the University with a highly-trained, professional police service.

The Department of Public Safety employs 14 police officers, certified by the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards. They receive their police power and arrest authority from the Board of Trustees as empowered by Public Act 120 of 1990, and the Mecosta County Sheriff . The Department's jurisdiction is Mecosta County; however, Ferris State University campus and adjacent streets are the primary focus. Our department, the City of Big Rapids and the Mecosta County Sheriff Department have a mutual aid agreement and assist each other when requested. The Department is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our office is located on the west end of campus at the West Commons building in front of Cramer Hall. If you have an emergency, you should call 911. For non-emergencies, you should contact this office at 591-5000 or come to the office at any time of the day or night. The University encourages accurate and prompt reporting of all crimes to the Department or other appropriate police agency.

Training is considered a vital part of maintaining a high level of service to the Ferris community; therefore, officers are regularly trained in the following:

The Department of Public Safety employs student foot patrol officers as extra eyes and ears on the campus. Each night of the fall and winter semesters, four students in teams of two patrol the campus in the evening hours, looking for suspicious situations, criminal activity or other problems that should be reported to the Department.

The Department of Public Safety provides an on-campus escort service for campus residents during the fall and winter semesters. The student foot patrol provides escorts to students who request them between 9:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. Monday through Sunday while school is in regular session. Those interested in an escort should contact the Department at (231) 591-5000.

In order to better serve the community, the Department of Public Safety offers crime prevention programs and brochures to faculty, staff and students concerning such topics as theft prevention, sexual assault awareness, alcohol abuse and drug abuse. Crime prevention presentations are also sponsored by the Office of Residential Life, the Counseling Center, and student groups in the residence halls and at other campus locations.

These programs can be very helpful because they provide tips to enhance personal safety and to avoid becoming a crime victim. Crime prevention programming and services provided by the Department of Public Safety are free of charge.

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the nation, and students may be particularly vulnerable to this crime. Learn how to protect yourself and your future from identity theft by going to: www.ed.gov/misused.

Ferris State University provides two methods of access to police and emergency personnel. First, the Department of Public Safety emergency dispatcher or Meceola Central dispatcher may be reached from any phone on campus by dialing 911. The emergency telephone number alerts the dispatcher that there is an emergency and that call receives priority.

Second, blue light emergency phones have been installed outdoors in strategic locations around campus. A simple push of the emergency button connects the caller with the dispatcher and alerts the dispatcher that the call is an emergency.

Crime or suspicious activity on campus may be reported anonymously through the Campus Crime Hot Line at 591-5900. The Hot Line provides the community of law abiding citizens the opportunity to anonymously report any information they have about criminal or suspicious activity. The goal of the Hot Line is to receive information about criminal activity that may not otherwise be available. The information will be used to investigate reported criminal or suspicious activity and to make the campus a safer place to live, work and receive an education.

The residence halls have established student desk monitors and student security personnel to routinely check the residence halls. Each residence hall is locked at a specified time in the evening, after which only residents and bonafide guests are allowed access.

Most academic and service buildings are open for business between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Some buildings require access until 9 p.m. or later due to special activities. All employees who have a key and want to enter campus buildings after hours are encouraged to inform the Department for their safety.

Light surveys are made periodically by public safety officers and defective lights are reported on a regular basis to the Physical Plant, which takes corrective action as soon as possible. Physical Plant staff also continually review campus lighting needs and respond to concerns expressed by campus community members regarding deficient lighting. Lighting concerns can be directed to the Physical Plant Office at 591-2600.

The University has an Emergency Management Team which develops and maintains updated emergency plans for disasters. Resources and key officials have been identified to assist in dealing with various crisis situations.

The University has an alcohol and drug policy that prohibits unauthorized possession, sale or use of alcoholic beverages. Alcohol-free programs are promoted and provided to the University community on a regular basis.

Consistent with Michigan and Federal law, Ferris seeks to maintain a workplace and educational environment free from the unlawful manufacture, distribution, possession, use or sale of a controlled substance, which is prohibited on any property under the control of and governed by the Ferris State University Board of Trustees, and at any site where work or student activity is performed by individuals on behalf of the University.

Employees and students may obtain a copy of the Drug Free Workplace Policy and the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act Compliance Statement from the Office of Human Resource Development, Office of the Dean of Student Life, Department of Public Safety, Office of Student Judicial Services , FLITE, or the Counseling Center.

The Department participates in a four-county drug enforcement consortium, the Central Michigan Enforcement Team. This team is supported by a state grant and local matching funds to allow investigation of suspected drug dealing in the four-county area, including the Ferris State University campus.

Firearms and other weapons are prohibited on campus. The ban applies to rifles; shotguns; handguns; paint guns; BB and pellet pistols and rifles which use spring, gas or air propulsion; sling shots; whips; hunting knives; knives with blades longer than 2.5 inches; and bows and arrows and other weapons. Residence hall residents may register and store weapons at the Department during hunting season. The only exception is for persons who reside in University apartments. They must register their weapons with the Department and the weapons may be stored in their apartments.

Ferris State University takes seriously its responsibility to make the campus as safe as possible; however, since the University is part of the broader society, criminal activity can occur on campus. When an incident occurs that may threaten the safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors, Ferris ensures that timely reports are made of such crimes to the local news media, including the student newspaper, local newspaper and radio stations and the employee newsletter. The public reporting of such crimes requires the cooperation of the media to help inform students, employees and the public of any possible danger, to empower individuals to be responsible for their own security and the security of others, and to help prevent similar occurrences. Crime alerts are produced and distributed to the campus community as needed.

Victims of sexual assaults are encouraged to report the crime to the Department and/or the appropriate police agency with jurisdiction where the crime occurred. University officials will assist victims in notifying these authorities and obtaining support and assistance.

If the victim resides on campus and desires a change in assigned housing, they may contact the hall director or the Office of Residential Life at 591-3749. If the victim desires a class schedule change, they may contact their academic advisor or counselor.

The range of sanctions for conviction of any conduct violation may be a reprimand up to dismissal from the University. (See Student Handbook for details.)

The accuser and accused have the right to have others present during a judicial disciplinary hearing and shall be notified of the outcome of a campus disciplinary hearing.

The victim of a sexual assault should not shower nor bathe so that evidence of the crime is preserved. All clothing, bedding and other physical evidence should be secured and turned over to the police.

The Counseling Center can be contacted directly by the victim, or with their consent, by the Department of Public Safety, Office of Judicial Services or by any other University employee.

The victim will receive, from anyone of the three above offices, a sexual assault information packet. The victim and the accused are entitled to the same opportunities in regard to having others present at, and being informed of, the outcome of any institutional judicial disciplinary proceeding.

Upon receipt of a sexual assault complaint, a thorough investigation shall be completed. Victims have the option of making a report with or without prosecution. All incidents will be handled on the University level.

The Department offers free Rape Aggression Defense training to the students, faculty, staff and members of the community. Contact DPS at 591-5000 to inquire.

The Campus Community Task Force was developed by the University to bring the University and local community together to find solutions to the problem of alcohol abuse and other related issues. Information about the task force is available from the Vice President of Student Affairs or the Director of the Department of Public Safety.

The committee was created in 1999 to address grievances by persons against Public Safety Officers or the Public Safety Department and may make recommendations to the Director of Public Safety that disciplinary measures be taken by the Department against any Public Safety Officer who is found responsible for misconduct in office. The Oversight Committee currently meets the fourth Thursday of each month between September and May.

Crime	2003	2004	2005	2006
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT
Campus - All	2	0	2	3
-Campus Student Residence	2	0	2	3
Public Property	0	0	0	0
Non-Campus	0	0	0	0
ARSON
Campus - All	3	0	0	0
-Campus Student Residence	1	0	0	0
Public Property	0	0	0	0
Non-Campus	0	0	0	0
BURGLARY
Campus - All	8	10	18	11
-Campus Student Residence	6	8	13	11
Public Property	0	0	0	0
Non-Campus	0	0	0	0
MURDER/MANSLAUGHTER
Campus - All	0	0	0	0
-Campus Student Residence	0	0	0	0
Public Property	0	0	0	0
Non-Campus	0	0	0	0
MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT
Campus - All	5	0	1	1
-Campus Student Residence	0	0	1	0
Public Property	0	0	0	1
Non-Campus	0	0	0	0
ROBBERY
Campus - All	0	0	0	1
-Campus Student Residence	0	0	0	0
Public Property	0	0	0	1
Non-Campus	0	0	0	0
SEX OFFENSE (Forcible)
Campus - All	4	4	0	5
-Campus Student Residence	4	4	0	5
Public Property	0	0	0	0
Non-Campus	0	0	0	0
SEX OFFENSE (Non-Forcible)
Campus - All	3	0	1	1
-Campus Student Residence	3	0	1	1
Public Property	0	0	0	0
Non-Campus	0	0	0	0
SEXUAL OFFENSE (Fondling)
Campus - All	2	1	4	1
-Campus Student Residence	2	1	3	1
Public Property	0	0	1	0
Non-Campus	0	0	0	0
*Sexual Offense Reported to Student Affairs
Campus - All	7	5	7
-Campus Student Residence	5	2	3
Public Property	0	0	0
Non-Campus	1	0	0

Hate Offenses	2003	2004	2005	2006
CAMPUS - Hate Offenses
Race	0	0	0	0
Religion	0	0	0	0
Sexual Orientation	0	0	0	0
Gender	0	0	0	0
Disability	0	0	0	0
Ethnicity	0	0	0	0
CAMPUS - Hate Offenses/Student Residence
Race	0	0	0	0
Religion	0	0	0	0
Sexual Orientation	0	0	0	0
Gender	0	0	0	0
Disability	0	0	0	0
Ethnicity	0	0	0	0
PUBLIC PROPERTY - Hate Offenses
Race	0	0	0	0
Religion	0	0	0	0
Sexual Orentation	0	0	0	0
Gender	0	0	0	0
Disability	0	0	0	0
Ethnicity	0	0	0	0
NON-CAMPUS - Hate Offenses
Race	0	0	0	0
Religion	0	0	0	0
Sexual Orientation	0	0	0	0
Gender	0	0	0	0
Disability	0	0	0	0
Ethnicity	0	0	0	0
Arrests	2003	2004	2005	2006
LIQUOR LAW VIOLATIONS
Campus - All	223	227	185	167
-Campus Student Residence	84	118	117	68
Public Property	21	76	68	89
Non-Campus	0	1	0
DRUG LAW VIOLATIONS
Campus - All	23	54	42	37
-Campus Student Residence	17	34	26	16
Public Property	0	17	16	21
Non-Campus	0	0	0
ILLEGAL WEAPONS
Campus - All	1	0	0	0
-Campus Student Residence	0	0	0	0
Public Property	0	0	0	0
Non-Campus	0	0	0	0

Campus - any building or property owned by FSU.

Campus Residence - any campus housing unit owned by FSU.

Public Property - all public property withing reasonable contiguous geographic area of FSU.

Non-Campus - building or property owned or controlled by a recognized student organization.

Disciplinary Referrals	2003	2004	2005	2006
Alcohol	613	394	223	209
Drugs	123	7	33	35
Weapons	15	0	0	0

Counseling Center, Birkam Health Center, Room 210, 591-5968 (8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) Monday through Friday.

Information included in this publication is in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Statistics Act.

Ferris State University will be a national leader in providing opportunities for innovative teaching and learning in career-oriented, technological and professional education.

Ferris State is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, sex, marital status, handicap, political affiliation or belief.