Clery Act Information

Preparing the Annual Disclosure

The Public Safety Division (PSD) has the responsibility of gathering the data used to prepare the annual campus crime statistics. The data is obtained from reports made to the PSD, the Avondale Police Department, campus security authorities and the college Counseling Department. In the case of the college departments, the data is gathered the same day that it is reported. Data is obtained annually from the Avondale Police Department and compared with the data gathered at the college. The resulting data is used to prepare the annual crime statistics report.

The National Clery website link: http://securityoncampus.org/

Estrella Mountain Community College Annual Crime Statistics

The following statistics were gathered in accordance to the guidelines established under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (20 U.S.C. 1092(f)). The crime definitions outlined in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Incident Based Reporting System, as modified by the Hate Crime Statistics Act, were utilized in compiling the numbers.

* Note:

• As required by the Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act, law enforcement agency information concerning registered
  sex offenders may be obtained by visiting the following Internet address www.azsexoffender.com.
• The above statistics for "On Public Property" to mean the near sidewalk, in the street, and on the far sidewalk surrounding the perimeter of the campus.
• Based on available data, no hate crime occurred at the college or on public property from 2008 through 2010.
  The college does not own dormitories or other residential facilities.

Crime Awareness and Public Safety

The occurrence of crime considered to present a threat to members of the campus community, is reported on a timely basis through "Electronic Communication" to the Campus Community. 

Incident/Offense report information

The PSD publishes weekly information on all incidents, administrative and criminal, occurring on campus. The information is updated weekly on the following page http://www2.estrellamountain.edu/security/weekly.asp. In addition, the PSD maintains a Daily Crime Log that contains the date, time, location, nature and disposition of all crimes occurring at the college and on adjacent public property. Entries in the log are made within two business days of the incident report.

Crime statistics

Statistics and security policies, collated in accordance to the guidelines established in the Clery Act (20 USC 1092(f)), are published and distributed annually to all current students and employees, and when requested, to any applicant for enrollment employment at the college. A copy will also be provided to anyone, upon request to the Director of Public Safety at 623-935-8915.

Safety escort

A safety escort is available to the students, faculty and staff of Estrella Mountain Community College. A request may be made to the PSD at extension 58915. An officer will respond and accompany you to a vehicle or the bus stop closest to the campus.

Safety presentations

Members of the PSD provide safety presentations during class orientations. They are also available to talk to any department or groups of students. The orientations and talks are designed to educate members of the college community about the services provided by the PSD and how to avoid becoming the victim of a crime at the college.

EMCC Public Safety maintains a Daily Crime Log that contains the date, time, location, nature and disposition of all crimes occurring at the college and on adjacent public property. Entries in the log are made within two business days of the incident report. Copies of the log are available to anyone requesting this information at the Public Safety office. Requests for Daily Crime Log information older than 60 days will be provided within two business days.

In the event of a campus emergency, the college Emergency Operations Plan will be used to mitigate the incident.   EMCC Public Safety personnel will respond and confirm an emergency exists where upon the Emergency Communications Plan is activated. 

The plan uses multiple sources of communication to alert the college community of the incident.  Director of Public Safety or Officer in Charge will communicate with the college Administration to activate the Communication Plan.  Students, staff and visitors will be notified via the college Emergency Intercom System, email, AXIS TV system, RAVE text alerts, web page alerts and voice messaging.  The Director of Marketing and Public Relations and the Vice President of Administrative Services (or their designee) are in charge of ensuring the emergency messages are put out for the campus community.

To inform the local city community, information will be given to the various local media outlets for dissemination.

The communication systems are checked several times per calendar year.  The EMCC Public Safety Department also conducts 2 or 3 evacuation drills per calendar year in addition to other emergency response training or training exercises.  In the fall of 2009 an unannounced fire alarm drill was very successful in Estrella Hall assisting the college in modifying communication plans to improve performance.

Generally, a Public Safety Officer is immediately dispatched to all on campus incidents. A Public Safety Officer and, if necessary, a Avondale Police Officer will respond to each report of criminal activity. The Avondale Fire Department responds to reports of fire or medical emergencies.

All off-campus crime reporting is done through the municipal or state law enforcement agency with jurisdiction for the location the crime is committed. The EMCC Public Safety Department maintains a cooperative working relationship with all area agencies. Any campus member is encouraged to dual report any crimes they are involved in off-campus to the EMCC Public Safety Department in addition to the local agency at the time of the offense.

Offense Definitions

Murder and Non-negligent Manslaughter
The willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another

Negligent Manslaughter
The killing of another person through gross negligence.

Forcible Sex Offense
Any sexual act (Forcible Rape, Forcible Sodomy, Sexual Assault with an Object, Forcible Fondling) or attempted sexual act directed against another person, forcibly and/or against that persons will, or not forcibly or against the persons will where the victim is incapable of giving consent.

Non-Forcible Sex Offense
Unlawful non-forcible sexual intercourse (Incest, Statutory Rape.)

Robbery
The taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person by force or threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear.

Aggravated Assault
An unlawful attack by one person on another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. This type of assault usually is accompanied by the use of a weapon or by means likely to produce death or great bodily harm.

Burglary
The unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or a theft.

Arson
Any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling, house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another, etc.

Motor Vehicle Theft
The theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle.

Weapons Law Violations
The violations of laws or ordinances dealing with weapons offenses, regulatory in nature, such as: manufacture, sale, or possession of deadly weapons; carrying deadly weapons, concealed or openly; furnishing deadly weapons to minors; aliens possessing deadly weapons; and all attempts to commit any of the aforementioned.

Drug Abuse Violations
Violations of state and local laws relating to the unlawful possession, sale, use growing, manufacturing, and making of narcotic drugs. The relevant substances include: opium or cocaine and their derivatives (morphine, heroin, codeine); marijuana; synthetic narcotics (Demerol, methadone); and dangerous non-narcotic drugs (barbiturates, Benzedrine).

Liquor Law Violations
The violation of laws or ordinances prohibiting the manufacture, sale, transporting, furnishing, possessing of intoxicating liquor; maintaining unlawful drinking places; bootlegging; operating a still; furnishing liquor to a minor or intemperate person; using a vehicle for illegal transportation of liquor, drinking on a train or public conveyance; and all attempts to commit any of the aforementioned (drunkenness and driving under the influence are not included in this definition). 

Crime or Other Emergencies in Progress

Students, employees and others are encouraged to report all criminal activity and emergencies occurring on campus. A report may be filed with a Public Safety Officer, appropriate personnel in the Public Safety Division.

In emergency situations, 9-1-1 may be called first followed by an immediate notification to Public Safety.

Emergency

• 58911 on campus
• 623.935.8911 off campus

Non-Emergency

• 58915 on campus
• 623.935.8915 off campus

The importance of reporting all crime

suspected crime, unusual or suspicious activity to the PSD or a security authority cannot be over emphasized. The reports provide a basis for making timely warnings when a crime may present a threat to other members of the campus community and also assist the college in providing a full disclosure in the annual crime statistics report. In addition, such action by a victim or witness will assist in making the campus environment a safer place for the entire community.

Voluntary confidential reporting

If you are the victim of a crime and do not want to pursue action with the EMCC Public Safety Department, MCCCD or the criminal justice system, you may still want to consider making a confidential report. With your permission, a police officer with the EMCC Public Safety Department can file a report on the details of the incident without revealing your identity. The purpose of a confidential report is to comply with your wish to keep the matter confidential, while taking steps to ensure the future safety of yourself and others. With such information the college can keep accurate records of the number of incidents involving students, employees, or visitors, determine where there is a pattern of crime with regard to a particular location, method, or assailant, and alert the campus community to potential danger. Reports filed in this manner are counted and disclosed un the annual crimes statistics for the institution.

Confidential reporting to a Counselor

Estrella Mountain Community College does not have a policy or procedure that encourages its professional counselors; if and when the counselor deems it appropriate, to inform the person being counseled of any procedures to report crime on a voluntary, confidential basis for inclusion in the annual disclosure of crime statistics. Generally, when counselors do not have the permission of the victim, they can only report the occurrence of a number/statistic to the law enforcement authority.

This Safety Alert page is designed to make the campus community aware of individuals or incidents that are of concern to the safety and wellbeing of our college. The information displayed here is meant to be a timely warning or information to assist our campus community with their personal safety. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the information displayed here, contact the Director ofPublic Safety, Charles Summers at 623-935-8918. 

Reporting a Sexual Assault

Any student, employee or visitor who is the victim of a sex offense, forcible or non-forcible, is encouraged to report the assault to college authorities of the Avondale Police Department. If a victim so chooses, he/she may be assisted by college authorities in reporting the assault to the proper law enforcement authorities. After making the report, the victim is not obligated to continue with legal or college disciplinary action. The assault may be reported in person or by calling:

• 623-935-8915 Public Safety Department
• 623-932-3660 Avondale Police Department
• 623-935-8812 Vice President of Student Services

Preserving evidence of a sexual assault

After a sexual assault, it is very important that the victim receive a medical examination for health and evidentiary reasons. A victim should not wash; use the toilet or change clothes before seeing trained medical personnel. If clothes are changed, those worn during the assault should be placed in a paper bag and taken along to the examination. Even if the victim is certain that he/she will not prosecute, it is important to gather as much evidence as possible just in case the victim decides to pursue criminal charges as a later date.

Coping with sexual assault

Victims of sexual assault may find it helpful to discuss their experience with a counselor. College counselors are available to meet with victims in an informal and private setting. The counselor can assist by changing a victims academic situation, serve as a source of referral to outside agencies, and provide information about on-and-off campus reporting, prosecution procedures, and the college disciplinary process. College counselors may be contacted by calling 623-935-8922.

Victims of a sexual assault may also receive free, confidential, twenty-four hour, counseling by calling the Rape Abuse Incest National Network (RAINN) at 1-800-656-4673, extension 1. Trained counselors are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

How to reduce the risk of sexual assault (reproduced from the RAINN web site at http://www.rainn.org/):

• When you go to a party, go with a group of friends
• Arrive together, watch out for each other, and leave together
• Don't leave your beverage unattended or accept a drink from an open container
• Be aware of your surroundings at all times
• Trust your instincts
• Think about the level of intimacy you want in a relationship, and clearly state your limits

Prevention programs

Public Safety Officers conduct presentations relating to crime prevention and safety policies during orientations and at other times, when requested by staff or students. Crime prevention materials are distributed to all incoming students.

As required by the Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act, law enforcement agency information concerning registered sex offenders may be obtained by visiting the following Internet address:

http://www.azsexoffender.com/

College response to a sexual assault

Sexual assault is a criminal act, which subjects the perpetrator to criminal and civil penalties in state and federal courts. Besides the sanctions that can be imposed in court, Estrella Mountain Community College will respond administratively if a sexual assault or other criminal offense involves a student or employee as the offender. Students and employees are subject to applicable District policies and disciplinary procedures, including policies prohibiting sexual harassment, Sanctions may include suspension or expulsion for student offenders or termination of employment for employees.

Victims may commence a disciplinary action by submitting a written, signed statement detailing the incident to the Vice President of Student Services. The accuser and accused are entitled to the same opportunities to have others present during the disciplinary hearing, and in the case of sexual assault, both the accuser and accused shall be informed of the outcome.

Timely Warnings

Timely warnings will be given out to the campus community when on-going threats or crimes are present or occurring. These warnings will give the basic circumstances of the threat or crimes. Any information that is reported to the EMCC Public Safety office or that the EMCC Public Safety Department is made aware of by local Law Enforcement Angencies could be used in Timely warnings. The Director of Public Safety at EMCC or his designee is responsible for issuing a Timely warning. The warning will be placed on the EMCC main webpage, given out via e-mail, broadcast on EMCC Access TV and via poster on bulletin boards throughout campus.

Immediate Warnings

Immediate warnings shall be given to the campus community upon confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat/violent incident occurring on campus. The warnings will be disseminated in a multilayer approach. The major methods of delivery will be the EMCC Public Safety Emergency Communication System, Text alerts via RAVE, email communication and Campus Access TV. Other systems serve as back up utilizing bullhorns, telephones and person to person communication.