STLCC releases 2018 Annual Security Report
BY: NORA ALRASHID
Staff Writer
STLCC released the 2018 Annual Security Report Oct. 1. Known commonly as the Clery Report, the Annual Security Report covers major and minor misdemeanors on all four STLCC college campuses. The report provides facts, statistics and rates of crimes committed in 2017 as well as the previous three years. While the goal of the report is to comply with the Clery Act, it also brings awareness to the importance of prevention, personal and public safety whilst shining light on the procedure of notifying authorities on crimes taking place, according to Campus Police Captain Benjamin Talley.
“[The Clery Report] is a mandated thing that all colleges and universities have to provide,” said Talley. Colleges are required to make the report publicly available to foster campus life and safety and to maintain privacy and security, which is why both the victim and the oppressor remain anonymous, said Talley. The report includes information about crimes committed by college students that take place on each campus and premises owned by STLCC.
Crimes committed on any of STLCC’s college campuses are handled professionally by the STLCC police department along with federal law enforcement to ensure a safe environment, said Talley.
The purpose of an annual report is beyond merely reporting the statistics each year — it is also to inform college students and staff of updated safety procedures, including fire safety reports and drills, said Talley.
“It’s a daily part of life for us,” said Talley. “What you see there is a culmination of what happens every day and the Clery Report is not a police only issue, it is an institutional obligation.” He said he and his officers have also participated in ongoing training to handle real-life emergencies.
Mary Zabriskie, J.D., director of student conduct for STLCC, and Talley, both assisted in the preparation of the 2018 Security Report. It was reviewed by Mary Nelson, general counsel at STLCC, before being published.
Crime statistics are reported anonymously in order to keep student and staff information confidential, said Talley. Students are also highly encouraged to report any criminal act or unjustified behavior at STLCC.
According to the Clery Center, The Clery Act is a “consumer protection law that aims to provide transparency around campus crime policy and statistics.” This law allows students to have access to information about crimes and assaults that take place on or around a college campus. The Clery Act categorizes crimes into seven major sections which are then split into smaller parts. Emergency evacuation procedures are practiced annually to ensure that most students know the protocol in case of an emergency, said Talley. The emergency procedures include lockdown drills, fire drills, active shooter drill, severe weather drill and safety forum, as stated in the 2018 Annual Security Report.
