Timely Warnings Standard Operating Procedure

Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is to ensure the issuance of timely warnings regarding crimes posing a serious or ongoing threat to the campus community. The intent of a timely warning is to enable people to make informed decisions to protect themselves.

Definitions

Timely Warning

A notification to the institution’s community that disseminates information about a recent, ongoing and/or potential crime or safety concern.

Clery Act

Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act.

Clery Act Crime

Crimes as defined by the Clery Act that, when they occur within the College's Clery geography, must include a timely warning.

Clery Geography

The College’s physical location, the public property within or immediately adjacent to the campus and the non-campus buildings or properties that are owned, operated or controlled by the institution.

Designated College Officials

Senior leadership, supervisors and trained staff.

Procedure

As required by the federal Clery Act legislation, Minnesota State Community and Technical College (M State) will issue timely warnings regarding the presence of Clery Act crimes that have occurred within or pose a threat to the Campus’s Clery geography.

In the event a possible Clery Act crime has been reported either directly to Campus Security or indirectly through a Campus Security Authority or surrounding police agency, the following steps will be taken:

1. M State’s vice president of academic and student affairs, or a designee, will use the Clery Act Timely Warning Worksheet to determine if the College is required to send a timely warning.

2. If it is determined members of the College community need to be notified about a serious crime that occurred on or affects the College’s Clery geography and the incident may pose an ongoing threat to members of the M State community, the designated official will use the College’s Star Alert emergency notification system.

As required by the Clery Act, the Star Alert notification timely warning shall include at minimum:

• Information about the crime that triggered the warning. This information shall not interfere with the protection of any victim and/or law enforcement efforts.
• Information that would promote safety and that would aid in the prevention of similar crimes.
• Campus and local emergency contact information.

3. If it is determined a timely warning does not need to be issued per the Clery Act regulations, the College’s Compliance Officer will save a copy of the Timely Warning Worksheet so the rationale for that decision can be documented and reported.

Notifications not required by the Clery Act of other non-criminal safety concerns shall be made on a case-by-case basis in light of the following:

• The nature of the crime or safety concern
• The continuing danger to the campus community
• The possible risk of compromising law enforcement efforts
• The timeliness of campus officials becoming aware of a crime or safety concern

Responsibility

Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs or Designee

Complete the Clery Act Timely Warning Worksheet and send a Star Alert notification if necessary.

Related Documents

Clery Act Timely Warning Worksheet

Clery Crime and Geography Definitions