CRIME REPORTING
Members of the Messiah College community are encouraged to report all crimes and emergencies to the Department of Safety in a timely manner. Safety Officers patrol the campus 24/7 year round in marked patrol vehicles, on foot, and on patrol bicycles. Safety Officers are radioed to respond to incidents received by the dispatchers in the Campus Information Center/Dispatch Office.
If you observe a crime or a suspicious incident, call IMMEDIATELY. Don’t assume someone else has made the call. DO NOT report any situation or emergency by sending an email to a member of the Safety staff; this may not be received for hours or days. Follow the below guidelines to file a report.
To report a crime or an emergency situation on campus:
Call the Department of Safety:
Ext. 6565 (emergency number from any on-campus phone)
Ext. 6005 (non-emergency number from any on-campus phone)
717-691-6005 (from off-campus or from a cell phone)
IF THE SITUATION IS LIFE THREATENING or you wish to contact the local police, fire or EMS yourself:
Dial 9-911 (emergency number from any on-campus phone)
Dial 911 (emergency number from any off campus phone or a cell phone)
Try to provide the dispatcher with accurate, detailed information about the problem in a calm manner.
- Provide all details of the incident/situation
- Give the location of the incident
- Describe the type of incident and what the emergency is
- Describe the suspect, suspect’s vehicle, license plate number and/or direction of travel if available
STAY ON THE LINE until the dispatcher says it is OK to hang up.
Anonymous Reporting:
If you would like to report a crime but remain anonymous, click on the “Silent Witness” link below, fill out the requested information and click the Submit button. The information you provide will be received by the Director of Safety and the Assistant Directors of Safety. Upon receipt, the information will be thoroughly investigated. Caution however, that information sent through this site, while checked on a regular basis, is not monitored 24 hours a day. Therefore, the Silent Witness form SHOULD NOT be used for emergencies that require immediate response or those that are life threatening in nature.
http://www.messiah.edu/offices/safety/silent-witness.html
Title IX Program/Reporting:
Messiah College is committed to providing an environment free from discrimination, and provides many resources to students, faculty and staff to address concerns relating to discrimination. One of those resources is our Title IX program. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects people from discrimination on the basis of sex/gender, (this includes sexual misconduct) in educational access, programs and activities.
Amanda Coffey, Vice President for Human Resources & Compliance, oversees and provides leadership for the College’s Title IX program. The Title IX program is designed to provide education and training campus-wide on gender discrimination and sexual misconduct as well as provide members of the College community with resources and support for compliant resolution. The Title IX program is made up of administrators who, along with Vice President for Human Resources & Compliance, carry out investigations, resolve complaints, address compliance-related responsibilities and process appropriate reporting. Specifically:
- Cindy Burger, Director of Campus Safety, is responsible for investigating complaints of sexual misconduct or assault. She also works closely with Vice President for Human Resources & Compliance in tracking and monitoring incidents and is responsible for ensuring that any crime, including sexual misconduct, is reported appropriately.
Ext 7272
cburger@messiah.edu
- Amy Vanderwerf, Director of Residence Life, is responsible for victim support and student education. She works closely with Vice President for Human Resources & Compliance to ensure that the College responds effectively to each complaint and addresses concerns related to gender-based discrimination.
Ext 5088
avanderwerf@messiah.edu
- Amy Weaver, Assistant Athletics Director, is responsible for athletics compliance and athlete education. Amy is responsible for ensuring appropriate athletics reporting.
Ext 2160
aweaver@messiah.edu
Together, these coordinators play an integral role in carrying out the College’s commitment to provide a positive learning, teaching and working environment for the entire community. If you have a concern related to Title IX and discrimination, including harassment or assault on the basis of sex/gender, please contact Amanda Coffey, Vice President for Human Resources & Compliance (acoffey@messiah.edu), the Office of Human Resources at ext. 5300, or one of the coordinators listed above.
