Reporting Crime or Emergency

Roger Williams University strongly encourages the prompt and accurate reporting of all criminal activity, suspicious behavior or emergencies occurring on RWU property by calling the Department of Public Safety (DPS) at (401) 254-3333 (emergency) or (401) 254-3611 (non-emergency) or in person, by visiting the DPS office in North Campus (building to the right of the Parking Garage in Lot A). Reporting crimes aids DPS in providing prompt response, mitigate future criminal activity to persons/property and issuing timely warning notices to the community if imminent or ongoing threat continues. It should be noted that when using a cell phone to call the DPS, callers should dial (401) 254-3333, as dialing 911 directly will route them to an outside police agency. If you should be routed to an outside police department, you need to advise them of your specific location at RWU so that they may dispatch that information to the DPS.
 
There are emergency telephone locations throughout the campus designated by blue lights for easy identification at night. Simply press the button to activate. They are directly connected to the DPS Dispatch Center, which is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The location of the activated telephone is automatically identified to the DPS Dispatch Officer. When calling, provide the Dispatch

  • Your identity
  • Is medical attention needed
  • What is the nature of your call
  • When the event occurred

The DPS responds to all reports of criminal activity or suspicious behavior occurring on its campus. In response to a report, the DPS will dispatch an officer to initiate an incident report. A Shift Commander reviews the report and makes a recommendation for follow up investigation if deemed necessary. DPS incident reports along with follow up information obtained through the investigation are forwarded to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution for potential disciplinary action, as appropriate. Crimes or other incidents that violate university policy can be reported by using the following procedures:

  • Call Public Safety at (401) 254-3333 (emergency) or (401) 254-3611 (non-emergency) or in person, by visiting the DPS office in North Campus (building to the right of the Parking Garage in Lot A).
  • Confidential and/or anonymous reporting form located on the RWU website 
  • Rave Guardian is a campus safety app available at the University that turns your smart phone into a personal safety device. The free app, available for both iPhone and Android smartphones, allows users to check in with family, friends, Public Safety or others you trust to help you stay safe. You can use the app to set a safety timer, create and message your guardians or initiate emergency help requests at the push of a button. Rave Guardian can be used to send an anonymous tip to Public Safety if you see something on campus that looks out of place or dangerous. Find complete details and download instructions at the Rave Guardian resource webpage.
  • Crime Prevention Tipline/Email: (401)  254-3212 crimeprevention@rwu.edu

CAMPUS SECURITY AUTHORITIES

Because official responsibilities and job titles vary significantly on campus, a list of specific titles of individuals or organizations who are campus security authorities (CSA) is not provided in RWU policy. To determine specifically which individuals or organizations are CSAs, RWU, in accordance with the Jeanne Clery Act, considers the function of the individual or office. CSAs include Officials (i.e. not support staff) whose functions involve relationships with students.  If someone has significant responsibility for student and campus activities, then they are a CSA.

The following are defined by the Jeanne Clery Act as Campus Security Authorities:

  • Department of Public Safety
  • Individuals with Campus Security Responsibility — Any individuals who have responsibility for campus security but who do not constitute a campus police department or a campus security department, such as an individual who is responsible for monitoring entrance into institutional property. Examples of this category are: parking enforcement staff, event security staff and patrol staff.
  • Individuals Designated by the Campus — Any individual or organization specified in an institution’s statement of campus security policy as one to which students and employees should report criminal offenses. Examples include: President, Provost, Director of Human Resources, Assistant Vice President of Student Life, DPS and the Department of Residence Life and Housing.
  • Officials with Significant Responsibility for Student and Campus Activities — An official of an institution who has significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including, but not limited to, student housing, student discipline, and campus conduct proceedings. Examples of this category are: Dean of Students, Department of Residence Life and Housing Staff, Students who serve as Student Conduct Officials, Officials who oversee student extracurricular activities, Director of Athletics, Team Coaches, Faculty Advisors to student groups and Department of Student Programs and Leadership staff.


It is important to note that to protect the victim and the University community from imminent harm, information received from a complainant by the DPS or any other CSA regarding Title IX related incidents will be forwarded to the Title IX Coordinator or their designee along with the identity of the victim and/or offender if known. If a student has reported an incident to a responsible employee, but wishes to maintain confidentiality or requests that no investigation into a particular incident be conducted or disciplinary action taken, then RWU will weigh this request against its obligation to provide a safe environment for all students. A student should be aware that if RWU decides to honor a request for confidentiality, RWU’s ability to meaningfully investigate the incident and pursue disciplinary action against the alleged offender will be limited. In addition, when deemed necessary to protect the interests of the community, RWU may not be able to honor a student’s request for confidentiality made to a responsible employee. Non-personally identifiable statistics from confidential reports are included in the University’s Annual Security Report.
 
Policy Addressing Pastoral and Professional Counselors: The negotiated rulemaking process which followed the signing into law of the 1998 amendments to 20 USC Section 1092 (f), resulted in clarification regarding those considered to be CSAs. Professional counselors on campus are not considered CSAs and are not required to report crimes for the inclusion in the annual disclosure of crime statistics. As a matter of policy, the professional counselors at RWU are encouraged to inform persons being counseled of the procedures to report Clery crimes on a voluntary basis for inclusion into the annual crime statistics. A voluntary procedure is in place to anonymously capture crime statistics disclosed confidentially to Pastoral and Professional Counselors (all clinical staff) as well as to a physician, nurse, or nurse practitioner at Health Services.

  • Pastoral Counselor: An employee of an Institution who is associated with a religious order or denomination recognized by that religious order or denomination as someone who provides confidential counseling and who functions within the scope of that recognition as a pastoral counselor.
  • Professional Counselor: An employee of an Institution whose official responsibilities includes providing psychological counseling to members of the community and who also functions within the scope of their license or certification.