Campus Safety Recommendations
The following safety recommendations came from an independent review team's findings after the tragic death of U student Lauren McCluskey in October 2018.
The status of each of the 30 recommendations is outlined below under “Action Items,” with additional information about a specific action indicated by red text.
Recommendation
The University should ensure that all campus community members know about the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) & the expectation to report threats or possible threats and the possible possession of weapons on campus, to the BIT team and to UUPS.
Action Items
Ensure campus community is aware of expectation that information about actual or possible possession of firearms on campus are to be referred to UUPS.
Provide BIT basic training to HRE staff.
Provide Intervening with Distressed Students training to faculty and staff.
All UUPS officers trained on BIT.
Hire an additional BIT case manager to improve education, timely response, outreach to students and other departments, and assist with threat assessment strategies.
Provide NaBITA and SIVRA threat assessment training to key staff in HRE and ODOS.
Recommendation
UUPS should continue to take seriously reports of weapons, or the possibility of someone bringing a weapon, to campus. The university should provide additional training to employees about proper reporting of weapons or the possibility of weapons on campus.
Action Items
Ensure campus community is aware of expectation that information about actual or possible possession of firearms on campus is to be referred to UUPS.
Firearms on Campus training developed and available on Bridge Learning Management System
Firearms on Campus training pushed to all faculty/staff
Recommendation
In urgent cases where there is insufficient time to initiate a BIT referral, the possession of guns on campus should be reported to the BIT Coordinator and/or UUPS. The BIT Coordinator and UUPS can then assess the proper response to such a report.
Action Items
Ensure campus community is aware of expectation that information about actual or possible possession of firearms on campus are to be referred to UUPS.
Firearms on Campus training developed and available on Bridge Learning Management System
Firearms on Campus training pushed to all faculty/staff
Recommendation
The Advocate tool is robust; however, it needs to be updated periodically. There are also other tools and systems that have more features, especially when dealing with possible threats, not just disturbing behavior. The university should evaluate Advocate against other available programs to ensure they are keeping up with the best tools for the BIT’s use.
Action Items
Evaluate the Advocate software program and ensure it is up-to-date and is the best available option for the BIT staff's use. Ensure staff are properly trained in its use. HRE staff are entering case information into Advocate. The RFP process is complete and the University is renewing the agreement with Symplicity to utilize the Advocate software for case management.
Recommendation
The university should streamline reporting processes within Housing.
Action Items
Streamline reporting processes through assistant director for conduct management, coordinating with BIT and OEO/AA/Title IX.
Hire resident outreach coordinator.
Provide NaBITA threat assessment training to key HRE and Office of the Dean of Students case manager.
Provide SIVRA threat assessment tool training to HRE and Office of the Dean of Students case manager.
Recommendation
Whenever possible all involved and interested parties should meet together quickly to discuss cases that could escalate to interpersonal violence. Participants should discuss the issues, and designate a case manager and a strategy to move forward. Appropriate advocates and other campus resources should be engaged as soon as possible.
Action Items
Provide OEO/AA/Title IX training to HRE and UUPS staff on reporting process. Educate HRE staff about expectation of expedited (within same day) response to BIT in cases involving interpersonal violence.
Recommendation
The University should evaluate guest policies and enforce them.
Action Items
Provide housing policy review to students at a minimum of twice annually.
Policy information communicated to current staff and students through multiple mediums.
JAN: Reporting, Weapons, Tailgating
FEB: Sexual Violence, Bystander, Victim Advocates, OEO/AA/Title IX
MARCH: UUPS, Safety Escorts
APRIL: Microaggressions
Provide additional training to HRE staff on housing policies, specifically about guest visitors, and expectations for their enforcement.
Include housing policy information in applications.
HRE Task Force on Overnight Guest Policy Review created to gather information from comparable institutions.
Recommendation
Housing should evaluate current security policies and the university should consider modifying older dorms to provide some form of control as to who enters and leaves dorms in addition to the card-key access system in place in both older and newer dorms.
Action Items
Establish Lockdown Task Force to review procedures and security.
Conduct preventative maintenance checks on doors in housing facilities.
Review additional measures that could be implemented to increase security of older residence buildings.
Recommendation
UUPS should recognize the police dispatcher who handled the October 10 phone call from Lauren’s mother.
Action Items
The dispatcher has been commended by the university.
Recommendation
The university should evaluate the record management system to ensure security calls are recorded into a single system coordinating relevant security and police information and attaching to a single identifier, thereby allowing officers and detectives access to all information regarding victim, complainant, or suspect when needed.
Action Items
Explore adoption of a record management system that allows integration of all records to enable immediate access to all relevant case information.
Recommendation
UUPS should adopt and implement policy and procedure to require that criminal history and Corrections information be sought in every criminal investigation, and other matters beyond routine traffic stops.
All UUPS police personnel and dispatchers should be trained in all law enforcement databases available to them, including criminal histories and parole and probation information.
Action Items
Enhance training to ensure that employees are familiar with and understand information available in law enforcement databases and how to use it.
Implement directive requiring mandatory offender information check when a suspect has been identified in a criminal case and all matters more significant than a routine traffic stop.
Ensure that officers and detectives make routine use of law enforcement databases. Conduct quarterly checks on directive.
Recommendation
Leaders from both UUPS and Corrections should meet to discuss mutual concerns and facilitate coordination and cooperation.
Action Items
Meet quarterly to facilitate better communication and coordination.
Initiate meeting with the Utah Department of Corrections to discuss mutual concerns and facilitate cooperation and coordination.
Recommendation
All UUPS police and dispatchers should be trained on the full array of domestic violence indicators to help officers respond appropriately. The university should adopt and train UUPS officers and others in the “Lethality Assessment” recommended by the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition, which focuses on the actions of the perpetrator and not on what the victim believes or perceives. Leadership of UUPS should review current anti-domestic violence efforts. Several universities have a wide range of programs and approaches to address the issues of sexual and interpersonal violence in their many manifestations.
Action Items
Review current domestic violence prevention efforts to ensure protocols and responses reflect best practices.
Have officers and other appropriate staff complete Lethality Assessment Protocol.
Recommendation
Some police departments have developed specialized units to deal with these cases utilizing highly trained officers to handle them when they are reported. The research accompanying this review is contained in Appendix B. Chief Brophy should determine how his department might benefit from one or more of the suggested approaches.
Action Items
Review practices of universities that use specialized units (domestic violence) to determine whether it would be beneficial to implement this practice.
Recommendation
UUPS should adopt and implement policy and procedure to require that criminal history and Corrections information be sought in every criminal investigation, and other matters beyond routine traffic stops.
All UUPS police personnel and dispatchers should be trained in all law enforcement databases available to them, including criminal histories and parole and probation information.
The university should formally request Corrections to investigate why the system failed.
Action Items
Enhance training to ensure that employees are familiar with and understand information available in law enforcement databases and how to use it.
Ensure that officers and detectives make routine use of law enforcement databases.
Implement directive requiring mandatory offender information check when a suspect has been identified in a criminal case and all matters more significant than a routine traffic stop.
Recommendation
UUPS should ensure that contact with a victim, in person if possible, occurs early in the investigation, even if only to inform the victim that there will be a delay due to other cases.
Action Items
Adopt procedural changes that facilitate coordinated communication among employees, particularly detectives, to allow information sharing.
Implement directive that, when possible, same-day contact with a victim, preferably in-person, be made at the beginning of a case with the potential to affect personal safety.
Develop and implement tool to track complainant contacts.
Recommendation
UUPS should conduct a review of the on-call detective compensation, duties and expectations. UUPS should implement policies and procedures to ensure that detectives brief each other on their cases so that an on-call detective who is not the primary investigator is at least somewhat familiar with a situation if contacted. This briefing should include the detectives and sergeants. UUPS should adopt and implement policies to ensure that sensitive email and voicemail communications are handled in a timely manner. UUPS should direct that detective sergeants take a more active role in case assignment, management and follow-up.
Action Items
Implement procedures to ensure emails and voicemails are handled in a timely manner regardless of whether an officer or detective is off-duty.
Adopt procedural changes that facilitate coordinated communication among employees, particularly detectives, to allow information sharing.
Conduct a review of compensation of all officers with UUPS to ensure the University is competitive with other law enforcement agencies in Utah.
Recommendation
UUPS officers should not conduct interviews of victims in the lobby of the station.
Action Items
Implement a directive that, when possible, interviews with complainants and victims be conducted in a private area.
Recommendation
The university should enhance its efforts to provide students and employees with information and assistance in protecting the integrity, confidentiality and privacy of electronic communications.
Action Items
All new faculty and staff hires will be assigned information security courses.
Two information security modules have been made available to faculty and staff across the university within the online Bridge system.
Recommendation
The University should take steps to ensure proper training regarding interaction and communication with the OEO/AA/Title IX.
Action Items
Ensure HRE and other entities on campus understand what needs to be communicated to OEO/AA/Title IX and when that communication should take place.
HRE benefitted staff training with OEO/AA/Title IX.
Community standards language on sexual violence updated in HRE housing application.
Have OEO/AA/Title IX review proposals for online training program on mandatory reporting requirements.
Recommendation
Policy, procedures, and expectations should require, whenever possible, face-to-face meetings between the detective and a witness, victim, or concerned member of the public in response to a request for service, even if earlier face-to-face meetings have occurred.
Action Items
Implement directive that, when possible, same-day contact with a victim, preferably in-person, be made at the beginning of a case that has the potential to affect personal safety.
Recommendation
The leaders from both organizations should meet, discuss mutual concerns, and ensure improved communication and cooperation.
Action Items
Meet quarterly with OEO/AA/Title IX and victim advocates to facilitate communication and best practices.
Meet with leadership of Center for Student Wellness to discuss mutual concerns and ways to improve communication, coordination and cooperation.
Recommendation
The university should support having an advocate within UUPS. The research accompanying this review found many university police departments have employed full-time victim advocates. These advocates are in addition to others who may work for Student Wellness or at a Counseling Center. These advocates can be a tremendous resource to the investigating officer and can provide support to a victim as she or he progresses through the criminal justice system.
Action Items
Recommendation
The university should conduct a staffing study, including salary information.
Action Items
Conduct a review of compensation of all officers with UUPS to ensure the University is competitive with other law enforcement agencies in Utah.
Conduct staffing study of UUPS.
Recommendation
The university, working with the Legislature, should attempt to modify state statutes to enhance the benefits given to law enforcement as was done in the past.
Action Items
Engage with Utah Legislature as appropriate to modify state statutes to enhance benefits given to law enforcement.
Recommendation
UUPS should review and augment its policing policies to make them more applicable to campus policing.
Action Items
Review policing policies to update and make more applicable to campus policing.
Recommendation
UUPS should pursue accreditation.
Action Items
The university has applied for accreditation through IACLEA, estimated 24-36 months to complete.
Recommendation
The university should conduct a space and work use study and consider a new location or a renovated facility.
Action Items
Conduct a space and work use study as part of considering a new location or facility for the UUPS headquarters.
Recommendation
The university should clarify its procedures regarding notification and engagement of BIT in appropriate circumstances.
Action Items
In addition to evaluating BIT, HRE staff is being trained on the Lethality Assessment Protocol. NOTE: UDVC is developing a training based on the Lethality Assessment Protocol for use by HRE.
Training is being developed on when to engage BIT.
The Campus Safety Task Force is reviewing best practices related to engagement of BIT.
Recommendation
Whenever possible, UUPS and Housing should involve the advocates so they can lend their experience, and give advice and support. These advocates can offer significant advice to administrators or direct assistance to students in a variety of ways including housing adjustments, safety plans, no-contact directives, and referral to other offices and/or the police.
Action Items
Provide training to UUPS and HRE about role of victim advocates and resources they can provide.