Reporting Policy

All crime victims and witnesses are strongly encouraged to immediately report any crimes to the college's Public Safety & Security Office (914-395-2209 non-emergency, 914-395-2222 emergency) and the appropriate police agency (911). Prompt reporting will assure timely warning notices on campus and will increase the chances of perpetrators being caught. Dispatchers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to receive calls to the Campus Public Safety & Security Department.

However, employees and students may also report past criminal offenses to a college official who has significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including, but not limited to, student housing, student discipline and campus judicial proceedings. This includes the Dean of Studies & Student Life X2252, Dean of Student Affairs X2575, Assistant Dean for Residential Life X2576 and Director of Human Resources X 2315. Upon receiving a report of criminal activity, these people must forward it to the Department of Public Safety & Security or local police authorities. Other than Health Services personnel, the college is required to report all violent felonies and missing students to the local police, even if the victim(s)/witnesses refuse to make a police report.

Upon receipt of a report, college security officers are dispatched immediately to the site of the complaint. Any incident to which an officer responds is reported and filed. Officers prepare and submit incident reports which are investigated, and where applicable, filed with the local police authorities. This includes but is not limited to assault, rape, theft of car, thefts from rooms, robberies, vandalism to college property, external disturbances, internal disturbances, harassment by outsiders, harassment by members of the College community, injuries occurring on campus, trips to Lawrence Hospital and trespassing.

If an officer is called to an incident, it is his/her responsibility to file a report. If an incident occurs and an officer is not called, then the complainant should file a report at the security office. This is important. A report must be filed; otherwise the incident "did not happen" or is "unknown." Without a report it is very difficult for college officials to take appropriate action and to alert the campus community. An example of this would be verbal harassment on Kimball Avenue. If the complainant (the student) does not make a report, then the College cannot prove that there is a problem on Kimball Avenue. Therefore, it is difficult to ask the local police for additional street patrols in our area of Yonkers and it makes our community vulnerable to repeated incidents.

Policies regarding procedures for reporting and addressing crime and emergencies are reviewed by the Student Life Committee.

Voluntary Confidential Reporting

The college has a policy in which professional counselors and medical personnel from Health Services report the number and types of crimes (statistics only) on an annual basis to be included in the Clery Report each year.

Other than through Health Services, the college does not have any policies or procedures that allow victims or witnesses to report crimes on a voluntary, confidential basis for inclusion in the annual security report.

Timely Warnings to the College Community

In the event that a situation arises, either on or off campus, that, in the judgment of the Director of Public Safety & Security and the Vice President of Operations, constitutes an ongoing or continuing threat, a campus wide “timely warning” will be issued. The warning will be issued through the college e-mail system to students, faculty and staff. Anyone with information warranting a timely warning should report the circumstances immediately to Westlands Desk by calling 914-395-2209 (non-emergency) or 914-395-2222 (emergency).

Depending on the particular circumstances of the situation, especially in situations that could pose an immediate threat to the community and individuals, the Dept of Public Safety & security will send a message to the college community via the college's Campus Alerts System and speaker system.