DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY AND SECURITY

The Department of Safety and Security is located on the first floor of Cummins Community Center. The Department is open and provides protection and services, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The Department is staffed by both full-time and part-time officers. All of the officers are trained in general security practices, standard first aid, and CPR. The officers do not have authority to make arrests. Therefore, the Department cooperates with and works closely with the Bethany Police Department and the Brooke County Sheriff’s Department, by coordinating any necessary police responses or arrests on campus. All of the officers are radio equipped for an efficient response to community needs. The department has a designated patrol vehicle.

COMMUNITY SERVICES

The Department of Safety and Security is responsible for security and emergency response at Bethany College. It is also responsible for providing support services tailored to the specific needs of the Bethany Community. The following are some of these services:

• Operating the escort service for student workers from dusk until dawn
• Assisting campus motorists who have vehicle lockouts or are in need of jump-starts
• Responding to all campus emergencies
• Issuing parking permits for students, faculty, and staff
• Distributing crime-prevention materials and information
• Providing lost and found services
• Coordinating the monitoring and testing all fire prevention, burglary, and panic alarm systems and equipment on campus, (in conjunction with College Physical Plant personnel)
• Operating the College switchboard and campus information booth after normal business hours
• Making inspections of buildings and grounds for fire, safety, and security hazards (in conjunction with College Physical Plant and Office of Campus Life personnel)

EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS

To report a crime or emergency or to request service students must call the Department of Safety and Security at 7744 (on campus) or 304.830.3924 (off campus). If for some reason the Department cannot be reached, 9-911 can be called to reach the Brooke County Sheriff’s Department dispatch center. (The 9-911 number is for EMERGENCIES ONLY).

BODY CAMERAS

Campus Safety and Security Officers are equipped with Body Cameras. These cameras will be worn while officers are on duty. In any interaction with a Safety and Security Officer, members of the community should assume the conversation and interaction is being recorded. These measures provide greater security for the campus.

SEXUAL ASSAULT

Sexual assaults, including rape, are serious crimes of violence in which the assailant through threats or physical force involves, or attempts to involve, the victim in involuntary sexual conduct. All members of the campus community should be aware that sexual assaults are prohibited by state laws and College Policy and are viewed by Bethany College as a serious matter. A victim of sexual assault should immediately contact a Resident Assistant, College Counselor, Student Life employee, or the Department of Campus Safety for medical assistance. A victim should also attempt to preserve any potential evidence where the assault took place.

The Department of Campus Safety and Security considers all reports of sexual assault to be confidential and investigates them fully. Victims of sexual assault are encouraged to notify the local police and can be assisted to do so by campus officials. Victims are notified of any on-campus and local counseling and mental health services, and are given the opportunity to change living arrangements if reasonable alternatives are available. Additional information on due process and college procedures relevant to sexual assault is located in the Student Handbook. A copy of the college sexual assault policy is available in the Student Services Office and the Campus Saftey and Security Office.

Sexual Assault Response Guidelines

DRUG AND ALCOHOL POLICY

Bethany College complies with federal, state and local laws which regulate the possession, use, and sale of alcoholic beverages and controlled substances. The college also complies with all regulation of the Drug Free Work Place Act of 1988 and the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act of 1998. The following activities, among others as detailed in the Bethany College Alcohol Policy, are prohibited on College premises or at College sponsored activities:

• Distributing, possessing, or using any illegal drug or controlled substance
• Providing alcoholic beverages to individuals under 21 years of age or possessing alcoholic beverages by individuals under 21 years of age
• Illegally possessing of open container of an alcoholic beverage, public intoxication, driving while intoxicated, or under the influence of illegal drugs or controlled substances, and drinking alcoholic beverages in an unlicensed public place

Details about offenses and sanctions for students committing them (including probation, suspension, and dismissal from the College) appear in the Bethany College Student Handbook.

Bethany College Biannual Report for Drug and Alcohol 2020

DAILY CRIME LOG

View our 2024 Daily Crime Log. You can also view the 2023 Crime Log and 2022 Crime Log online, and our 2021 Crime Log upon request at the Public Safety Office.

RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES AND ACCESS POLICIES

The college provides on-campus housing for approximately 800 students. Access to residence areas is restricted. Residence Hall Policy requires that exterior doors be locked evening and weekends in all buildings and at all times, except for evening classes, activities, or events authorized by the proper faculty or administrator. All residents are issued a key or key card for personal access. A resident must accompany all guests entering a residence hall. More information on residence options, roommates, and policies and procedures is described in the Student Handbook which is available in the Student Services Office.

West Virginia Sex Offender Registration Act