Crime Prevention & Awareness

Immediately report crime, unusual or suspicious activity, and other emergencies to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) at (202) 884-9111; or dial 9111 from a campus phone.

 

On Crime Prevention & Crime Awareness

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) team at Trinity is committed to bringing safety, crime prevention and crime awareness to the forefront of your day to day activities, because a safe and secure environment requires resolve and response at all levels, and at all times. Students, faculty, staff and guests have the right to expect our campus to be a safe place for them to live, learn, teach and work. No police or public safety entity can guarantee that you will never become a victim of a crime. However, through fervent partnership with our community, and through preventative education and awareness, we can minimize, and in some instances, even remove the hazards, risks, conditions and circumstances associated with crime and the fear of crime on campus. We encourage each student, faculty and staff member to review and engage in the proactive strategies outlined in our annual security report; this is the first cooperative step in committing to the significant responsibility that you share for your personal safety and the safety of those around you.

You Have a Right to Know

Annual Security Report (Campus Safety & Security Handbook )

In accordance with the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) is responsible for preparing, publishing and distributing an annual security report by October 1 of each year, for the purpose of disclosing and disseminating certain information regarding campus crime statistics, security policies and campus law enforcement. Information mandated by this Act include statements about campus law enforcement policies, campus security education and prevention programs, alcohol and drug policies, sexual assault education and prevention programs, procedures for reporting sexual assaults, and procedures for handling reports of sexual assault. In compliance with this federal law, DPS makes public this information by way of our annual security report entitled Campus Safety & Security Handbook. The publication is made available to prospective students and employees and is distributed to current students and employees by way of the campus mail system, electronic distribution and the University website. View the Campus Safety & Security Handbook as a PDF in a new window.

Access Control Policies & Procedures – The Three Basics

1. Wear your ID badge at all times and be cooperative with security staff if/when they request to see it;
   
2. Know the basic security protocols and follow them (e.g., residential security, visitation, guest sign-in, vehicle registration, facilities access, parking, etc.); and
3. Remember that vehicle registration and guest sign is required for all guests/visitors.  Additionally, all guests/visitors must be escorted by the resident host at all times.

Campus Emergencies - Reporting, Responding & Making Notifications

The University has established emergency communications guidelines that all members of the campus community must familiarize themselves with for the purpose of responding effectively and efficiently in the event of a real emergency. It is critical that these guidelines be followed in the event of any of the following types of emergencies:

• Medical Emergencies (illness, injury)
• Fire, Smoke, or Burning Odor
• Health and Safety hazards/risks
• Suspicious or Unusual Person(s), Vehicles or Activity
•  Dangerous or Unsafe Conditions

For emergency conditions occurring on the campus, Trinity’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) is the first and best point of contact because we can respond quickest and because we are available 24/7 year round.  When you contact DPS at 9111 the dispatcher will initiate contact with appropriate authorities and/or emergency care providers (as needed) and provide essential and specific details routinely required by same.  The Dispatcher will also summon additional assistance, including making appropriate and timely notifications to administrators, managers, and other essential personnel.  Remember:  it is our collective responsibility to exercise discretion when calling upon the resources of the District to respond to that which is truly necessary.

Emergency Directions (including weather related)

In the event of a campus emergency, DPS (in collaboration with the President and/or senior administrators) will assess the threat level and issue directions about remaining in place, moving to a safe location, or taking other action.  In rare cases you may be asked to evacuate (leave at once).  More commonly, you may be asked to shelter in place (remain inside where you are) and wait for instruction.  Trinity’s longstanding Emergency Management Policy is available in its entirety on our website at http://www.trinitydc.edu/policies/emergency_management.php

Emergency Information Communications:  if there is any kind of campus emergency, including such events as a weather-related closing, an interruption in facilities such as a water main break or power outage, or a threat/incident involving criminal activity or terrorism in Washington, we will communicate with all campus constituencies as quickly as possible through these means:

1. Hotline:  202-884-9009:  as soon as we are aware of a situation and have instructions for the campus, we will post instructions and information on the hotline.  Call 9009 from a campus phone, or 202-884-9009 from an outside line.
2. Voicemail:  we will broadcast a message to your voicemail box with the same instructions and information as we place on the hotline.
3. Email:  we will send a blast email to your email boxes with the pertinent information.
4. Website:  we will post the information on Trinity’s website www.trinitydc.edu
5. Radio and Television:  we will do what we can to get radio and television stations to broadcast the information.  Whether they will post information is beyond our control, so you should still check the hotline, your voicemail, email or the website.
6. Personal Notification On Campus:  if there is an immediate threat on campus, in residence halls or to classes or offices in other buildings, we will launch a rapid personal notification team to go to resident rooms, offices, classrooms and the dining hall in addition to using the communication systems listed above.  We are a very small campus compared to the big state universities, and we have sufficient supervisory personnel at all hours to swing into action should such notifications be necessary.