Crime prevention, security report now required in city colleges

July 23, 2017 Metro BLISTT

Colleges and universities in the city are now required to come up with crime prevention policies as a means of promoting crime awareness and security among their constituents.
The city council approved on third reading Ordinance no. 68 series of 2017 or “An Ordinance Promoting Crime Awareness and Security in Institutions of Higher Learning within the Territorial Jurisdiction of the City of Baguio” authored by Councilor Leandro Yangot Jr. for this purpose.
“This ordinance seeks to establish a program that would provide adequate and updated information for students,
parents or guardians as well as the community of all our learning institutions on their safety and security policies and procedures,” Yangot said.
He said this would address “incidents of bullying, fraternity wars, death, physical harm and incapacity inflicted to members and non-members which continue to hound the public especially the families victimized by either fraternity-related violence or any other cause.”
As decreed, each eligible campus will be required “to collect this year and every year thereafter, prepare, publish, and distribute through appropriate publications, to all current students and employees, and to any applicant for enrolment or employment upon request, an annual security report.”
The report must contain information with respect to the campus security policies and campus crime statistics of that institution and the following:
“A statement of current campus policies regarding procedures and facilities for students and a report on criminal action emergencies occurring on campus, including policies concerning the institution’s response to such reports;
“A statement of current policies concerning security and access to campus facilities including dormitories inside the campus, and security consideration used in the maintenance of said facilities;
“A statement of current policies on campus law enforcement including enforcement authority of security personnel, including their working relationship with national and local police agencies, and policies which encourage accurate and prompt reporting of all crimes to the police;
“A description of programs designed to inform students and employees about the prevention of crimes;
“Statistics showing the occurrence on campuses of cases of murder, rape, physical injury, robbery and sexual harassment; and
“A statement of policy regarding the possession, use and sale of alcoholic beverages and enforcement of underage drinking laws.”
The said statistics will be reviewed by the Office of the City Mayor and the Committee on Education, Culture and Historical Research of the City Council in coordination with the representatives of the institutions of higher education which will identify exemplary campus security policies, procedures and practices which have been proven effective in the reduction of campus crime.
“No institution shall deny to an alleged victim of any crime of violence, the result of any disciplinary proceeding conducted by the institution against the alleged perpetrator with respect to such crime,” the ordinance noted. Aileen P. Refuerzo / ABN