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Timely Warning (Security Alert) Policy

Effective date: June 5, 1990

Responsible Official:  Executive Director of Public Safety

Responsible University Office: Division of Public Safety

Related legislation and University policies: Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crimes Statistics Act (also known as the Clery Act)

Review Period: Yearly

Date of Last Review: 10/01/2019

Relates to: All CWRU community members (faculty, staff, students), external partners and visitors. 

  1.  Summary of this Policy:  This policy outlines how and when the Division of Public Safety notifies the campus community of crimes that occur on or near campus.

  2. Purpose:  To alert the campus community about crimes that have occurred on or near campus and that could pose a serious or continuous threat.   This ensures Case Western Reserve University compliance with the timely warning provisions of the Clery Act.

  3. Definitions:

    1. Security Alert: The CWRU name for a Clery Act timely warning. Alerts campus community via email about crimes that have occurred on or near campus and that could pose a serious or continuous threat.    

    2. Emergency Notification: Alerts campus community to an ongoing emergency. This notification provides instructions for what protective action(s) shall be taken. These alerts can be accomplished through text, phone calls, email, outdoor speaks and other.

    3. Clery Act:

      1. The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, also known as the Clery Act, was passed in 1990. The Act requires that institutions of higher education:

        1. Publish an annual report by October 1 that contains three years of campus crime statistics for certain types of crimes and certain campus security policy statements

        2. Disclose crime statistics for the campus, public areas immediately adjacent to or running through the campus, and certain non-campus facilities. The statistics are gathered from campus police, local law enforcement and university employees who have significant responsibility for student and campus activities.

    4. Clery Crimes:

      1. Murder/Non-Negligence Manslaughter

      2. Manslaughter by Negligence

      3. Rape

      4. Fondling

      5. Incest

      6. Statutory Rape

      7. Robbery

      8. Aggravated Assault

      9. Burglary

      10. Motor Vehicle Theft

      11. Arson

      12. Dating Violence

      13. Domestic Violence

      14. Stalking

  4. Policy:  Case Western Reserve University follows the provisions of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act One of the requirements of the Act is that a campus must issue a “timely warning “(known at CWRU as a security alert) that alerts the campus community to certain crimes in a manner that is timely and will aid in the prevention of future crimes.  Per the Clery Act the intent of the warning regarding a criminal incident(s) is to enable people to protect themselves. The Act also mandates that a university define and publish its procedure regarding timely warnings in its Annual Security Report.   

    1. When the Division of Public Safety is notified that a Clery Act crime has occurred on or near campus the CWRU Police Department determines if there is a serious or continuous threat posed to the campus community.  If a serious or continuous threat exists a Security Alert is issued. 

    2. Security Alerts and neighborhood safety advisories are sent from the Rave emergency notification system and are posted on the Division of Public Safety website under Security Statistics at case.edu/publicsafety. Names of the person(s) involved will not appear in security alerts. 

      1. Information provided in security alerts include: 

        1. The location, date and time of the incident; 

        2. A short summary of the incident; 

        3. Physical description of the suspect(s), when available; 

        4. Date the alert was released; 

        5. Other relevant information that will help to protect and inform individuals. Security alerts are issued as soon as possible after an incident has been reported and all relevant facts have been gathered.