Campus Security

 keeps UMMC among safest in Southeast

They are among the most common – and most feared – offenses on university campuses today. Burglary. Robbery. Auto theft. Felony assault. Forcible sexual offenses.

And the University of Mississippi Medical Center, like academic health science centers nationwide, is not immune to these ills of society labeled “Part One Crimes” by the FBI.

But new data provided by the Campus Police Department indicate UMMC boasts one of the safest campus environments in the Southeast.

“It’s next to impossible to actually prevent somebody from doing something they really want to do,” admits Arty Girod, director of police and logistical services. “But we try to stay on top of all workplace-related issues. And it’s really hard to figure the number of crimes you have prevented, because you never really know.”

The best measure available, according to Girod, is to compare results with crime report data at similar institutions. The most recent information available indicates that, in every Part One Crime category measured, the Medical Center is at the forefront of campus safety (see accompanying chart).

It’s an achievement that is all the more remarkable considering UMMC’s location. The FBI’s Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report reveals that four of the Part One Crime categories measured in the Campus Police study increased in the city of Jackson during 2008. The only exception: forcible sexual assault.

“I like to be aware of what is going on in our particular precinct in the city of Jackson,” Girod said. “There’s more than the average amount of crime in our precinct. But we’re one of the largest police departments in the state, and we have to act like it.”

According to Dr. David L. Powe, associate vice chancellor for administrative affairs, a robust police force is essential to maintain the security of an institution the size of the Medical Center.

“On any given day, we have 17,000-20,000 people on this campus,” Powe said. “Our certified police force has the responsibility of providing safety and security for all on this campus.

“The police are to be commended for continuing to search for the highest of technologies and techniques to provide for that security to all who work, learn, receive health care or visit here.”

Despite the department’s array of state-of-the-art surveillance equipment, Girod said the fundamentals of police work – communication and visibility – drive the success of any law enforcement operation.

“We maintain communication with other hospitals in the area,” he said. “When they begin to see an issue develop, we’ll ask our officers to be vigilant. We know if a crime is being committed down the road, it’s just a matter of time before it cycles back here.

“Omnipresence is important. If bad guys see the police have a strong presence, it’s easier for them to go somewhere else to commit their crimes. If opportunities aren’t available here, they’ll move on down the road.”

An example is auto theft. Last year, Campus Police recorded the fewest stolen vehicles in the 10-plus years Girod has been at the Medical Center. This despite an estimated one-and-a-half million cars per year parking in designated UMMC lots.

Girod credits the Medical Center family’s diligence for helping achieve such sterling results. But he recognizes a secure environment could develop an unintended consequence – carelessness – that would undermine all that Campus Police would like to accomplish.

“If we could secure our articles and valuables, not leave them unattended, we could reduce crime by 60-70 percent,” Girod said. “Larceny is a crime of opportunity. It just takes three-to-five seconds to pick something up off someone’s desk and walk out with it.

“It’s paramount we educate our people about crime prevention strategies and keep reminding them about it.”

To that end, Campus Police now offers three crime-awareness courses a quarter. The 10-minute presentation is available to any department, unit or group on campus.

“There’s no audience we won’t talk to,” Girod said. “This isn’t to scare anyone, but to give them awareness of what is needed from them to help prevent crimes on campus.”

In a nutshell, Girod said the most important crime-prevention tool is communication.

“If a person sees something suspicious, we want them to call us right away. We want everyone to feel comfortable enough to pick up the phone and call us. I’d rather answer 100 calls that turn out to be nothing than to miss the one that turns out to be something.

“Crime can effect an entire organization. It takes everybody working together to help us be successful.”

For more information about security on campus or to schedule a crime-awareness presentation, visit the Campus Police Intranet site (http://police.umc.edu/) or call 5-3072.

Hi-tech enforcement

With a wealth of security tools at its disposal, the UMMC Campus Police Department has achieved an unparalleled record of security among academic health science centers in the Southeast.

            •Video surveillance. “We’re capable of video storage and playback,” Girod said, “and soon we will be improving our lighting and surveillance of the overflow parking lot (at Veterans Memorial Stadium).”

            •On-board computers. “These allow individual officers to check tag information and any outstanding local warrant data on individuals while never having to leave the patrol vehicle or contact police dispatch.” 

            •Three-wheel vehicles. “These are excellent surveillance tools that allow our officers to move through campus quietly and cover a lot of ground.”

            •Crisis communication. “If we have a large-scale catastrophe or disaster, we can communicate with the (Hinds County) sheriff’s office, the EOC (Emergency Operation Center) or any other local law enforcement agency.”

            •Call boxes. Located throughout campus, the boxes include buttons that, when pushed, “identify the location and officers will respond immediately, even if the caller is unable to speak.”

            •Intranet presence. “We publish all kinds of information – from guidelines for campus safety to monthly crime reports – on our Intranet page (http://police.umc.edu/).”

911

Dialing the 911 number on campus does more than connect callers to the Campus Police dispatcher.

It also identifies where the call has originated.

“We now can tell where the caller is,” Girod said. “Even if you dial 911 and do nothing, we can quickly determine where you are and roll out officers immediately.”

Campus Police officer Defecio Stoglin provides safety-awareness training for incoming Medical Center students.

-Bruce Coleman

2009-08-17 00:00:00 18967