Prevention, Preparedness Strategy Tips For College Campuses
The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) said the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech are a sharp reminder that every college and university is vulnerable to violence. NCPC recommends that all higher education campuses continually update and rehearse emergency plans and emphasize a campus community-wide crime prevention strategy so that they combine prevention with preparedness and educate and involve all key actors. The organization offers some key prevention and preparedness strategies.
- Recognize that the entire campus community -- students, faculty, staff, local emergency and law enforcement personnel, and neighboring areas -- must be involved in prevention.
- Be prepared for crisis situations. Develop and practice contingency plans based on a variety of possible emergencies. Include student and faculty leaders who can help coordinate immediate responses.
- Develop mechanisms for communicating regularly (as well as in emergencies) with law enforcement, faculty, staff, students, parents and the community on prevention strategies and preparedness and response plans.
- Discuss school safety and security activities and plans with parents and students during school orientation. Provide reminders through the communications network to update staff, faculty, returning students and others. Consider periodic open forums to answer questions or clarify procedures.
- Bring together the campus safety team, which should include campus and community safety and security personnel, faculty, staff, students and parents to review, update and strengthen prevention and preparedness plans.
- Use crime analysis and crime mapping tools to help identify crime trends and issues on campus, along with incident analysis to help define and improve prevention and response strategies.