Safety and Security

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Bicycle Registration

All bicycles parked or stored on the Carroll College campus must be registered with the Office of Campus Safety & Security. Registration is free and is good for the life of the bike.

Please note that bicycles are only allowed to be locked on designated bicycle racks. Bikes found locked to railings, trees, etc. will have the lock cut and will be removed. The College assumes no responsibility for replacing cut locks. After 30 days without being claimed, the bike will be considered abandoned and disposed of at the discretion of the college.

Confiscation

To protect the safety of members of the Carroll community and college property, college officials, housing staff and contracted security officers are authorized to confiscate illegal or banned items confronted on campus including, but not limited to, weapons, explosives, drugs, drug paraphernalia, hookahs, pipes, e-cigarettes, vaporizers, hoverboards, alcohol, alcohol paraphernalia, kegs and other common sources of alcohol, and any items used for drinking games. Illegal items will not be returned to the owner.

Lost and Found

A campus lost and found is maintained in the Campus Safety and Security Office in Borromeo Hall. Every effort is made to restore lost items to their owners; however, it is the student’s responsibility to report and claim lost articles. Items unclaimed or abandoned after 60 days are disposed of in an appropriate manner.

Missing Student Notification

If any member of the Carroll College community has reason to believe that a student who resides in campus housing is believed to be missing for 24 hours, they should immediately notify the Director of Campus Safety and Security at 406-447-4404, on-call Residential Life & Housing Senior Staff at 406-459-0540, the Director of Residential Life & Housing at 406-447-5509, or the Dean of Students at 406-447-5434. A student is presumed missing if he/she is overdue in reaching home, campus, or other specific destination for 24 hours past his/her expected time of arrival and/or additional factors that lead college staff to believe that he/she is missing. The college does not have to wait a full 24 hours before determining a student is missing, or from initiating notification procedures as soon as it is determined a student is missing.

College staff will:

Conduct a health and safety check of the resident’s room.
Attempt to contact the student via cell phone, email or other means.
Identify other students who may be aware of the missing student’s whereabouts (i.e. roommate, friends, classmates, other residents, etc.).
Use the student’s class schedule to contact his or her professors.
Contact the student’s academic advisor.

If, upon investigation, it is determined that the student is missing, the Director of Campus Security and Public Safety and/or the Director of Residential Life & Housing will:

Contact the student’s identified emergency contact within the first 24 hours of when the student was determined to be missing;
Contact the parent, legal guardian, or custodian of a student who is under the age of 18 years of age, and not an emancipated individual, within the first 24 hours of when the student was determined to be missing(in addition to any contact person designated by the student);
Notify Helena Police Department at 406-457-8866 within 24 hours of when the student was determined to be missing (if Helena Police did not make the determination that the student is missing).

At the time of registration, all students are requested to provide personal emergency contact person(s) name and contact information. This information is maintained in the Self Service System and is designated as confidential. The confidential contact person will be notified within 24 hours once the student is determined to be missing and that only authorized campus officials including the Director of Campus Security and Public Safety, the Associate Director of Residential Life and Housing, as well as law enforcement officers in furtherance of a missing person investigation may have access to this information. If the student is under 18 years of age and not emancipated, the college must notify a custodial parent or guardian within 24 hours of the determination that the student is missing, in addition to notifying any additional contact person designated by the student.

Prescriptions

Over-the-counter and prescription medications shall be stored in original containers with complete instructions for use, dosage, warnings, and expiration date. Students shall not share prescription medications with other students due to the possibility of an allergic reaction.

Reporting Campus Crime

In order to ensure the safety and security of all members of the Carroll College community, the college fully cooperates with local law enforcement agencies by reporting certain crimes that occur on campus or in campus-owned facilities or at campus sponsored functions that occur off campus. The reporting procedures are based on the crimes that the college is mandated to report as part of the Student Right to Know and Campus Crime Security Act of 1990 and subsequent amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1992, 1998, and 2008. After the college is made aware of the crime that has been committed, the following guidelines will be followed by campus authorities in the reporting of crimes:

If a crime is reported that falls under the described policies that follow, the Director of Campus Safety and Security or designee will notify the community that a crime has been reported, the nature of the crime, and that an investigation is to follow.

The following guidelines will be followed with regard to reporting crimes to local law enforcement agencies. All definitions below are from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reporting System.

Murder/Non-negligent Manslaughter—The willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another. The local law enforcement agency will be notified immediately by a college representative.
Robbery—The taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear. The local law enforcement agency will be notified immediately by a college representative.
Aggravated Assault—An unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. Simple assaults are excluded. The local law enforcement agency will be notified immediately by a college representative.
Burglary—The unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or a theft. Attempted forcible entry is included. The local law enforcement agency will be notified immediately by a college representative.
Motor Vehicle Theft—The theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle. The local law enforcement agency will be notified immediately by a college representative.
Arson—Any willful or malicious burning or attempting to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another, etc. The local law enforcement agency will be notified immediately by a college representative.
Negligent Manslaughter—The killing of another person through gross negligence. The local law enforcement agency will be notified immediately by a college representative.
Drug Law Violations—Federal, State and/or local offenses relating to the unlawful possession, sale, growing, and manufacturing of narcotic drugs. The local law enforcement agency will be notified immediately by a college representative.
Illegal Gun Possessions—All violations of regulations or statutes controlling the carrying, using, possessing, furnishing, and manufacturing of deadly weapons or silencers. Attempts are included. The local law enforcement agency will be notified immediately by a college representative.
Hate/Bias Crimes—A hate crime, also known as a bias crime, is a criminal offense committed against a person, property or society which is motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender’s bias. Bias is a preformed negative opinion or attitude toward a person or group of persons based on their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, national origin, or disability. The local law enforcement agency will be notified immediately by a college representative.
Sexual Assault— is an offense that meets the definition of rape, fondling, incest, or statutory rape as used in the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program. Per the National Incident-Based Reporting System User Manual from the FBI (UCR) Program. A sex offense is “any sexual act directed against another person, without the consent of the victim, including instances where the victim is incapable of giving consent.” The local law enforcement agency will be notified on all Sexual Assault incidents immediately by a college representative.
Rape— is defined as “the penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim. This offense includes the rape of both males and females.
Fondling— is defined as “the touching of the private body parts of another person for the purpose of sexual gratification, without the consent of the victim, including instances where the victim is incapable of giving consent because of his/her age or because of his/her temporary or permanent mental incapacity.” (Because there is no penetration in fondling, this offense will not convert to the SRS as Rape.)
Incest— is defined as “sexual intercourse between persons who are related to each other within the degrees wherein marriage is prohibited by law.”
Statutory Rape— is defined as “having sexual intercourse with a person who is under the statutory age of consent.

Upon being informed that a crime has occurred on campus, the Director of Campus Safety & Security or Dean of Students will immediately report the crime to local law enforcement and the President of the College. The Dean of Students or designee will coordinate supportive campus services for any student victim and work with Campus Safety & Security as needed to coordinate with law enforcement. If the student wishes to report the crime to local law enforcement, a member of the Student Life staff can accompany the student in purely a supportive role. Parents must be notified if the student is under the age of 18.

In keeping with Carroll College policies, a student, who is a victim of any of the above mentioned crimes, and/or of any other violations of the college’s rules and regulations, has the right to pursue recourse through the college disciplinary process. This procedure may be used in addition to any civil or criminal procedures stemming from an investigation by local law enforcement.

Safety

Carroll College believes that a reasonably safe and enjoyable environment for the college community can be maintained by each community member practicing prudent measures to ensure personal protection and safety. In addition, Residential Life & Housing staff, Campus Safety & Security, Securitas staff and Facilities staff in conjunction with the Helena Police Department can assist further with safety and security. The persons and property of Carroll College need protection from fire, theft, intrusion, and other unlawful acts that disturb the peace or which place life or property in jeopardy. Promoting safety and calling members of the community to a code of conduct further ensures the tranquility of the campus.

Personal safety is an important issue both on and off campus. The following safety guidelines will help Carroll College community members:

The use of seat belts—every trip, every time—keeps the driver at the wheel to retain control of the vehicle in case of collision or rollover. Buckle up!
Always lock your door when you are sleeping or are away from your room. Know who is at the door before you unlock your door.
Do not leave valuables (like your purse, wallet, checkbook or jewelry) in open view. Take care of your keys. Do not give them to others or allow anyone the opportunity to duplicate them.
Be aware of strangers, including door-to-door solicitors. If you see a solicitor (or any suspicious person) contact Campus Safety & Security or Residential Life & Housing staff. Promptly report to Securitas by dialing 406-461-7611 or the Helena Police Department by dialing 406-457-8866 helps deter criminal activity.
When walking, plan the safest route to your destination and use it. Choose well-lighted, busy pathways or streets and avoid wooded paths, alleys, vacant lots or construction sites. Take a longer way if it is the safest route. Avoid walking alone at night, especially when off-campus. Walk facing traffic, so you can see approaching cars.
Know your neighborhood and the campus. Find out which buildings are open late (or early) and where you can go to summon help if needed. Students should be careful not to be alone in college buildings late at night.
Do not flaunt expensive jewelry, clothing or cash, especially in off-campus areas.
Keep your car or room/house key in hand and ready as you approach your car or hall/home.
Carry emergency funds for cab fare.
Do not overburden yourself with packages and groceries that make it hard to react.
When walking, if you suspect you are being followed by someone, cross the street and head for the nearest well-lighted population area. Walk quickly or run to a phone, residence hall, occupied building, or house and call the police (911).

Sharps Disposal

Compliance with OSHA regulations regarding sharps (needles and syringes, for example) requires that these items be disposed of in an approved container. The Director of Health Services can provide, for a small fee, a disposal container for those who use sharps to dispose of sharps safely. Sharps containers should be brought to Health Services to dispose of containers.

Theft Prevention

Protect your belongings by using common sense and taking precautions.

Lock doors every time you leave.
Make a list of your valuables and keep them in a safe place. Include an exact description, year purchased, and serial numbers.
Engrave valuables with an ID number.
Do not leave belongings (books, backpacks, calculators, coats, etc.) unattended in the library, classroom, residence halls, campus center or athletic facilities.

Report theft to the Director of Campus Safety & Security, Dean of Students, and/or to local law enforcement.

Video Surveillance Policy

To aid in protecting public safety and institutional property and as a deterrent to crime, the use of security cameras has increased at colleges and universities nationally. Carroll College is committed to enhancing the quality of life of the campus community by integrating the best practices for public safety including the use of evolving technologies. Because Carroll College respects the privacy of all members of the campus community, this policy is intended to regulate the use and the manner in which video surveillance devices are authorized and used. Carroll College desires to balance the institution’s duty to promote a safe environment with the individual right to be free from unwarranted intrusion by ensuring that all video surveillance devices are used appropriately and judiciously.

The following types of video systems are exempt from this policy: 1) Video cameras used for legitimate instructional, research or creative purposes that are governed by other policies; 2) Non-affixed, portable video cameras used for news gathering or promotional purposes; 3) Campus Security Emergency use of video surveillance systems, either overtly or covertly, on a short-term basis for legitimate law enforcement, campus safety, or conduct purposes including but not limited to, the gathering of evidence for a criminal investigation, when approved by the Director of Campus Safety; 4) Video cameras, including webcams, may be used overtly for viewing and/or recording public images in public spaces for College purposes, including marketing and recruitment, employee training, athletic coaching, or public observation, e.g., construction sites. Images of activities in public spaces may be distributed electronically without notice to participants; and 5) Notification signage is not required for these purposes.

For more information, please review the Video Surveillance Policy on the Carroll College website.