NMU Police Department Crime Prevention and awareness Programs

                            For more information call the NMU Police Department at (906) 227-2151

 

The NMU Police Department provides programming in the areas of alcohol, drugs, and sexual assault; date and acquaintance rape education along with, thefts, vandalism, and numerous other safety prevention programs.

Other important areas in Crime Prevention statistics include both larceny and vandalism. On the road bike registration in halls and on-campus has increased registrations over previous years in an effort to reduce bike thefts and for the return of recovered bikes to their owners. Bike registrations can also be entered online.

 * Listed below are program highlights presented by the NMU Police Department Crime Prevention Unit. 

  • CRIME PREVENTION
  • CAMPUS SECURITY POLICY AND CAMPUS CRIME STATISTICS ACT
  • JEANNE CLERY DISCLOSURE ACT

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, as a part of the Higher Education Act of 1965, is a federal law that requires colleges and universities to disclose certain timely and annual information about campus crime and security policies. All public and private institutions of post secondary education participating in federal student-aid programs are subject to it. The act includes:

  • Publishing an annual report disclosing campus security policies and three years' worth of selected crime statistics.
  • Making timely warnings to the campus community about crimes that pose an ongoing threat.
  • Keeping a public crime log.
  • Upholding basic rights to victims of sexual assault.
  • Making accurate crime statistics available to the U.S. Department of Education, which centrally collects and disseminates campus crime statistics at the national level?
  • Facing possible fines from the U.S. Department of Education when schools fail to comply with the Clery Act.

Campus crime, arrest and referral statistics include those reported to NMU Police Department, as well as designated campus officials including, but not limited to, directors, deans, department heads, designated student support staff, advisers to students and student organizations, athletic coaches and local law enforcement agencies.

The "Clery Act" is named in memory of 19-year-old Lehigh University freshman Jeanne Ann Clery, who was raped and murdered on April 5, 1986, while asleep in her residence hall room.

Her parents, Connie and Howard Clery, later discovered that students hadn't been told about 38 violent crimes on the Lehigh campus in the three years before her murder. They joined with other campus crime victims and persuaded Congress to enact this law, which was originally known as the "Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990." A 1998 amendment formally named the law in memory of Jeanne Clery.

Click here to learn more about the Clery Act and NMU’s Clery reports.

In addition, the NMU Public Safety and Police Services Department reports the required annual crime statistics to the U.S. Department of Education.  This information is available online at http://ope.ed.gov/security.

CRIME ALERTS

The NMU Police Department Crime Prevention takes a proactive approach in posting crime alerts to help educate students as to possible crimes that can occur on campus. Crime alerts are posted on the NMU Web page and posted in buildings and residence halls on campus. This information is in accordance with the Clery Act Policy.  

CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS PROGRAM

This program is implemented on the campus as it has been since 1986. Victims of crime receive a Crime Victim” Information pamphlet that provides information according to the Crime Victims Rights Act of 1985 and tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of crime. This program is maintained and operated by the Marquette County Prosecutors Office.

INSECURE BUILDING REPORT

The insecure building report was developed in 1985 as part of the increased security posture of the NMU Police Department. Building security students and officers checked all buildings on campus and reported any open doors or door problems.

 Along with checking buildings the students shut off lights in buildings after they have closed in an effort to decrease energy costs to the University.  The students record all building security and lighting conditions on “Building Check Sheets”.  Data is then compiled from the “Building Check Sheets” and sent to the Director of Plant Operations-Facilities, indicating the number of doors found unlocked or ajar so they can take the appropriate maintenance action. 

Comprehensive building survey is done on a regular basis as a proactive measure in preventative maintenance. Security inspections are conducted annually on door hardware for malfunctions making the necessary repairs.  Some of the items tested in the inspection include door hinges, closures, locks, strikes, mullions and thresholds; additionally a door operation inspection includes a three step process for exterior doors-open door test, lip test and jerk test. 

NMU EMERGENCY TEXT ALERT PROGRAM

Northern Michigan University continues to work to provide a safe learning, living and working environment for students and employees. However, there can be times when it is critical that the college find ways to immediately inform the campus community of an emergency.

As part of the college’s review of the emergency response plan, a new program was being implemented. All students and employees may sign up for notification of campus emergencies through a text message and e-mail alert system.  Sign up is now available at NMU Alerts.

UNIVERSITY LIGHT SURVEYS

The officers conduct “University Light Surveys” weekly and all officers report light conditions found during the course of their patrol. The campus is broken down into sections and any lights out or malfunctioning is reported to the Facilities department for repair.   

In other areas of lighting surveys are taken annually to check the levels of lighting to ensure adequate levels are met.

OPERATION IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM

Operation Identification is a program that is a system for marking personal property. The participant(s) marking their property uses an engraver, a diamond pen, or a tungsten-carbide marking pen. Students’ then engrave their driver’s license on the item and keep a permanent record of their property.  Operation Identification has been proven to reduce thefts in communities where the program has been implemented.  The reason is people are reluctant to steal things, which are marked because it increases the risk of getting caught, further making items hard to fence or sell.  In addition, items identified can be put into the law enforcement information system (LEIN) and can be returned to the owner if found.  Students can request an operation identification program in their residence hall by calling the Crime Prevention office at 2154 or the NMU Police Department at 2151.  Some items students might want to record are radios, stereos, televisions, computers, appliances, bikes, and cameras to mention a few. 

BLUE LIGHT EMERGENCY PHONES    

NMU began a proactive program with the installation of “Code Blue” emergency telephones that provide two-way communications from the phone site direct to the NMU Police Department dispatch 911 emergency lines. The purpose of the phone is for emergency contact to the Police Department allowing immediate response by patrols.

The phones are located strategically throughout campus. Assessments for new installations are assessed during new construction projects.

Police Officers and student employees physically inspects the twenty-one emergency phones each week and reports any malfunctions to telephone services to make the necessary repairs. 

SAFE WALK PROGRAM

The NMU Police Department continues to provide a Safe Walk Program campus wide during the hours of darkness. Student employees, when on duty provide this service; otherwise officers will make the transport when requested.

Information for this program is disseminated at orientation sessions; housing and residence life look at campus education programs and is listed in the campus student paper “North Wind”, as well as, postings throughout all building locations of the University Community.  

NMU BIKE REGISTRATION PROGRAM

The NMU Police Department offers bike registration at “NMU Fall Fest”.  Bikes can be registered anytime at the NMU Police Department twenty-four hours a day three-hundred sixty five days a year or online.  The process is simple; the information is permanently kept on computer record. The student then receives a bike registration. Bike registration is free of charge. Bike registration is also conveniently located on line

RAPE AGGRESSION DEFENSE (RAD)

RAD is a self-defense course that began in 2001 on our campus for credit to female students at NMU through the HPER department. RAD is a program of realistic, self-defense tactics and techniques, not a martial arts class. The class begins by teaching prevention about risk awareness, reduction, recognition and avoidance, and then progresses onto the basis of hands on defense training. The class is dedicated to provide women with the knowledge to make educated decisions about resistance and teaching women about the “Fight or Flight Syndrome”. 

SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE AND PREVENTION

If you are the victim of a sexual assault, it is vital that you understand that if you report the assault to Northern Michigan University, you and the matter you report will be treated with the greatest confidentiality, concern and seriousness, regardle

ss of your gender or the gender of the suspect. Your name will not be released to the public or to the media. You will be treated with dignity, courtesy; sensitivity and understanding, and you will not be prejudged or blamed for what occurred.

Additionally, you will be advised of, and if you desire, assisted in receiving services from Northern Michigan departments and from community service agencies that provide assistance to victims of sexual assault. University staff will neither coerce you to report a sexual assault as a lesser offense nor prevent or discourage you from reporting a sexual assault to another person or authority.

You will have the opportunity to pursue all legal and/or disciplinary remedies and obtain counseling services without academic penalty by NMU (to be accommodated as deemed appropriate by the Dean of Students Office on an ad-hoc basis). If you request, NMU staff will take any reasonable steps to prevent unnecessary or unwanted contact or proximity with the suspect.

If you file a complaint with the NMU Police Department, staff from that office will investigate your complaint. You will be notified of victim's rights and remedies accorded in the Crime Victim's Rights Act, and you will be updated on the status of the investigation.

If the NMU Health Center provides medical assistance, appropriate methods for preserving evidence of criminal sexual assault will be followed. You will be made aware of and assisted in exercising any options provided under law regarding the mandatory testing of sexual assault suspects for communicable diseases and notification to the victim of the results of the testing.

Northern Michigan University is committed to ensuring that the rights of an individual who is the victim of an act of violence, sexual assault and/or non-forcible sex offenses are protected.

Read the full Relationship Violence, Sexual Misconduct, and Stalking Policy and Procedure to learn more about sexual assault victim’s rights.

COMMUNITY POLICING

Community policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies, which support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques, to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime.

NMU FALL FEST

The NMU Police Department participates in the annual back-to-school Fall Festival for students. A display table providing information about the Police Department, programs and prevention services is provided by the crime prevention department.  Lots of informational materials are provided free to the students as well as students registering their bikes.  

NORTHERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY HEALTH FAIR

The NMU Police Department display at the NMU Health Fair consisted of a table, with information at the event includes crime prevention and safety education displays that include posters, videos and other education materials. 

As a visual reality attraction, on location were demonstrations of the “Fatal Vision” glasses, which simulate the effects of an intoxicated subject, which were available for all to experience.