Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (Part 1)
Updated September 30, 2021.
On this page:
- Policy for Preparing the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report and Disclosure of Crime Statistics
- Campus Security (Jurisdiction, Enforcement, Arrest Powers)
- Emergency Contacts
- Pandemic/COVID-19 Response Plan
- Interagency Relationships
- Monitoring of Criminal Activity at Student Organization Locations by Local Law Enforcement
- Incident Reporting
- Security Response
- Emergency Notification and Response
- Notification About an Immediate Threat
- Crime Log
- Emergency Response & Evacuation Testing Procedures
- Emergency Response Guidebook
- Criminal Activity
- Campus Security Authority
- CSA Defined
- Examples of individuals (outside of the security department) who generally meet the criteria for being campus security authorities include
- Examples of individuals who would not meet the criteria for being campus security authorities include
- What a CSA does
- What a CSA does not do
- Exemption for Pastoral and Professional Counselors
- Crime Prevention and Awareness Programs
- Securing Campus Facilities
- Security Considerations Used in Maintenance
Policy for Preparing the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report and Disclosure of Crime Statistics
The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo (UH Hilo) is dedicated to providing a safe and secure campus environment for all students, faculty, staff and visitors. The information in this report has been prepared to ensure that UH Hilo is in compliance with the federal guidelines under the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 (renamed Clery Act in 1998), the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act amendment of 2013, and in accordance with the 2016 Department of Education Campus Safety and Security Reporting Handbook. This report includes crime statistics for the previous three years that occurred on campus and on public property adjacent to and accessible from the campus.
Information for obtaining a copy of the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is made available to all students, faculty and staff by email with a link to the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report by September 30th each year. A link to the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is listed in the online enrollment application and employment application for prospective students and employees, respectively. The report is readily accessible 24 hours a day at the Security Office in the University Classroom Building (Building 301), Room 151 and is also available on the UH Hilo Security website.
Campus Security (Jurisdiction, Enforcement, Arrest Powers)
The mission of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Security department is to provide a safe campus that is conducive to a teaching, learning and working environment by providing quality service and a secure campus for all students and the UH Hilo community.
The UH Hilo does not employ commissioned police officers; however, it does maintain an inhouse security department, whose state certified security officers patrol the main campus and several off-site locations. Security officers patrol our campuses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Along with routine patrol duties and traffic enforcement, other services include conducting investigations, responding to emergencies and alarms, making emergency notifications, and securing rooms and buildings. Routine facility and landscaping assessments are made to minimize hazardous conditions. Exterior lighting, doors, and shrubbery are checked for unsafe conditions and reported to the maintenance department, where repairs are given top priority. Upon request, Campus Security conducts presentations in crime prevention and campus security procedures.
The UH Hilo Security Department enforces the University of Hawaiʻi System policies and regulations, as well as UH Hilo Rules and Standard Administrative Procedures. The local law enforcement agency is the sole law enforcement authority at each location. Refer to Contact Information for local law enforcement agency contact information and address. Each law enforcement agency is ready to assist 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Each law enforcement agency reports statistics to the Clery Compliance Officer. Local law enforcement agencies employ commissioned police officers and may respond to all criminal activity on the campus for which they have authority. Local law enforcement agencies have full arrest powers on the Hilo campus and are authorized to carry firearms. UH Hilo security officers conduct preventive patrol throughout the buildings.
UH Hilo security officers have the authority to ask persons for identification and to determine whether individuals have lawful business at each campus. The security officers have the authority to issue parking tickets; however, they do not possess arrest power. Criminal incidents are referred to the local law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction on the respective campus. UH Hilo security office maintains a highly professional working relationship with each local law enforcement agency. All crime victims and witnesses are strongly encouraged to immediately report the crime to the UH Hilo security office and the local law enforcement agency. Prompt reporting will assure timely warning notices on-campus and timely disclosure of crime statistics.
The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo has developed its own streamlined incident reporting process for compiling data for the public daily crime log, information dissemination, and communication of security and safety issues, including timely warnings.
Emergency Contacts
Contact | Number(s) |
---|---|
Police, Fire, Ambulance | 911 |
Campus Security (on-campus) | ext. 7911 |
Campus Security (off-campus) | (808) 974-7911 |
Director of Campus Security | (808) 932-7644 or (808) 561-3809 |
Chancellor | (808) 932-7344 |
Vice Chancellor of Administrative Affairs | (808) 932-7650 |
Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs | (808) 932-7332 |
Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs | (808) 932-7445 |
Title IX Coordinator | (808) 932-7641 |
Environmental Health and Safety | (808) 692-7638 |
Auxiliary Services | (808) 932-7009 |
UH Hilo Student Medical Services | (808) 932-7369 |
UH Hilo Counseling Services | (808) 932-7465 |
UH Hilo Disability Services | (808) 932-7623 |
Suicide & Crisis Line | (808) 832-3100 |
Help Line (for referrals) | 211 or 275-2000 (Ask-2000) |
YWCA Sexual Assault 24-hour Crisis Line | (808) 935-0677 |
Sex Abuse Treatment Center (hotline) | (808) 524-7273 |
Child Protective Services | (808) 832-5300 |
Civil Defense Agency | (808) 935-0031 |
Pandemic/COVID-19 Response Plan
One of the highest current risks to individuals is the emergence of an influenza pandemic – the rapid worldwide spread of influenza caused by a novel or mutated coronavirus to which people would have no immunity, resulting in more serious illness than that caused by seasonal influenza. COVID-19 is such a pandemic.
During a pandemic, governmental and non-governmental agencies will issue advice on the full range of response policies that should be adopted to achieve the objectives below, based on their understanding of the nature of the pandemic virus and its likely impacts. The main objectives of the response to influenza pandemic (COVID-19) are to:
- Limit illness and death arising from exposure and infection.
- Provide information and minimize disruption to essential services.
- Maintain continuity as far as possible.
Basic Coronavirus Safety Guidelines
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Outside your home: Put 6 feet of distance between yourself and people who don’t live in your household.
- You could spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick.
- Everyone should wear a mask in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
- The mask is meant to protect other people in case you are infected.
- Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow and do not spit.
- Be alert for symptoms. Watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19.
- Especially important if you are running essential errands, going into the office or workplace, and in settings where it may be difficult to keep a physical distance of 6 feet.
- Take your temperature if symptoms develop.
- Don’t take your temperature within 30 minutes of exercising or after taking medications that could lower your temperature, like acetaminophen.
For more information and resources on COVID-19 and what to do during the pandemic, please consult the University of Hawaiʻi COVID-19 guidelines and other relevant government agencies.
- University of Hawaii COVID-19 Guidelines
- Hawaii State Department of Health – Disease Outbreak Control Division
- Hawaii County Civil Defense – COVID-19 Resources
- Centers for Disease Control – Facts about Coronavirus
- National Pandemic Flu Information
Note: Please refrain from feeding any feral animals on or off campus. This can also be a catalyst to many contagious and infectious diseases.
Interagency Relationships
The UH Hilo has Memoranda of Understanding for the investigation of alleged criminal offenses with local law enforcement agencies and security maintains a close working relationship with each local, state and federal law enforcement agency. The Hawaiʻi Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency on the Hilo campus.
Hawaiʻi Police Department349 Kapiʻolani Street,
Hilo, HI 96720
In emergency situations, the Hawaiʻi Police Department may be reached by dialing 911 from any campus phone.
Hawaiʻi Community College (Hawaiʻi CC) conducts academic programs on the Hilo campus. Due to this activity the UH Hilo currently possesses an agreement with Hawaiʻi CC Security Staff that when they are present on the Hilo campus they will assist as needed.
Monitoring of Criminal Activity at Student Organization Locations by Local Law Enforcement
UH Hilo does not have off-campus student organizations.
Incident Reporting
Crime Reporting Procedures
The campus community (faculty, staff and students) is encouraged to report all crimes to the security department in a timely manner. Crimes should be reported to the security department to ensure inclusion in the annual crime statistics. Security officers are available 24 hours a day year-round at the Hilo campus. Crimes can be reported to the Director of Security or the security department by phone, stopping and approaching an officer on patrol or going to the security office in person.
Blue Light Emergency Phones
The Hilo campus maintains blue light emergency phones that provide direct communication to the security office, which can notify local law enforcement. The blue light emergency phones are tested monthly.
Confidential Reporting
UH Hilo is a state agency, and all attempts to keep information reported as confidential will be handled as such. However, UH Hilo must abide by the Hawaiʻi Uniform Information Practices Act and disclose all information when a formal request is made. UH Hilo does not have pastoral counselors, as defined by the Clery Act. UH Hilo does have professional counselors. The recommendation for anyone in a counseling endeavor is to inform persons being counseled of the procedures to report crimes on a voluntary basis for inclusion into the annual crime statistics.
When to Call Security
- All emergencies including medical, fire and accidents.
- A firearm or weapon is seen in a room or on a person.
- Someone is displaying any type of unusual behavior.
- Someone states he/she wishes to hurt themselves or others.
- Suspicious persons in suspicious places.
- You or someone else is threatened with violence.
- You or someone you know is a victim of violence.
- Someone is harassing/stalking you or someone you know.
- A stranger entering your co-worker’s workspace when you know they are gone.
- A person screaming (it may indicate they need help).
- Anyone looking into car window or trying door handles.
- The sound of breaking glass or other loud noises that may indicate an accident or other crime.
- Persons loitering around the building.
- Someone forcing entry into the building, car or vending machine.
- Anytime you feel unsafe or notice something that does not appear right.
Information Needed by Security
- What happened?
- When?
- Where?
- Is anyone injured?
- Vehicle license number
- Direction of travel
- Description of persons (including clothing)
- When describing suspects, notice age, race, sex, height and weight. Compare your weight and height with the suspect. Pick out some unique characteristics that will help you identify the suspect in the future.
Security Response
If a crime or emergency occurs on the Hilo campus, call the security desk or local law enforcement agency.
Security officers are available 24 hours a day at the Hilo Campus. In response to a call, security officers will take the required action, dispatching an officer to file an incident report and/or asking the victim to report to the local law enforcement agency for further investigation.
Security incident reports may be forwarded to Vice Chancellors and Department Heads for review and potential action when appropriate. Security officers will investigate, or assist the local law enforcement agency if necessary, and report when it is deemed appropriate or requested by the victim. Additional information obtained via the investigation will also be forwarded to the appropriate administrators.
Emergency Notification and Response
Emergency Response
UH Hilo’s Emergency Operations Plan includes general information about situational and operational requirements, and incident priorities and responsibilities. Individual departments are responsible for developing contingency and continuity of operations plans for their staff including specific areas of responsibility. UH Hilo conducts annual assessments of our Emergency Operations Plan, including tabletop discussions, field exercises, and tests of the emergency notification systems. These tests are designed to evaluate the emergency response plans and capabilities of the institution.
UH Hilo Campus Security staff has received training in the National Incident Management System, Incident Command System and are able to respond to incidents on campus. When a serious incident occurs that poses an immediate threat to the UH Hilo community, first responders to the scene are usually UH Hilo Campus Security Officers, Hawaiʻi Police Department (HPD), Hawaiʻi Fire Department (HFD), and Hawaiʻi Emergency Medical Services Department (EMS). These agencies respond and work together to manage the incident. Depending on the nature of the incident, other UH Hilo departments and local or federal agencies may also be involved in incident response.
General information about the emergency response and evacuation procedures for the University is publicized each year in the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report, as part of our Clery Act compliance efforts, and is available on the University website.
Detailed information and updates to the Emergency Operations Plan and UH Alert System are available on the following websites:
Notification About an Immediate Threat
In the event of an immediate threat, UH Hilo Campus Security, the Office of Administrative Affairs, and UH Hilo Public Relations staff receive information from various offices/departments on campus, such as the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EHSO), or from the County of Hawaiʻi Department of Emergency Management and/or the State of Hawaiʻi Civil Defense Agency.
If UH Hilo Administration or Campus Security confirms that there is an emergency or dangerous situation that poses an immediate threat to the health or safety of some or all members of the UH Hilo community, Campus Security, Administration, and Public Relations offices will collaborate to determine the content of the message and will use some or all of the systems described below to communicate the threat to the UH Hilo community or, if the threat is limited to a particular building or segment of the population, to the appropriate segment of the community. Notifications are issued immediately, accounting for the safety of the community, unless issuing a notification will, in the judgment of the first responders (including, but not limited to UH Hilo Campus Security, HPD, and/or HFD and EMS), compromise the efforts to assist a victim or to contain, respond to, or otherwise mitigate the emergency.
Emergency Alerts & Timely Warnings
In the event of a serious incident that poses an immediate threat to members of the UH Hilo community, the university has various systems in place for communicating information quickly. Some or all of the following communication methods may be activated: social media, network emails, written bulletins, emergency notification units, and text messages. Students, faculty and staff with a UH username and password can sign up for the text message UH Alert service on the UH Alert website. Community members who do not have a UH username or password can receive emergency alerts and updates through our social networking pages, the UH Hilo website, and the Emergency Notification Units spread throughout the Campus.
Students, faculty, staff, and visitors are encouraged to notify Campus Security of any situation or incident on campus that involves a significant emergency or dangerous situation that poses an immediate or ongoing threat to the health and safety of students and/or employees on campus. Campus Security has the responsibility of responding to and summoning the necessary resources to mitigate, investigate, and document any situation that may cause a significant emergency or dangerous situation. In addition, UH Hilo Campus Security has a responsibility to respond to such incidents to determine if the situation does, in fact, pose a threat to the community. If so, federal law requires that the institution notify the campus community or the appropriate segments of the community that may be affected by the situation.
Remember, Campus Safety begins with YOU, so “If You See Something, Say Something.”
Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to report any strange activities or crimes that occur on campus, by calling Campus Security directly at (808) 974-7911. The university will withhold as confidential the names of victims in all emergency alerts and timely warnings.
UH Alert
In accordance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo will endeavor to immediately notify the campus community upon confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation on campus. The university has implemented a comprehensive communications system, UH Alert, to provide prompt warning notifications and alerts of emergencies to the campus community using a variety of methods, including: email notices, text messages, university website and social media postings, Emergency Notification Units, and direct communication through staff members UH Hilo Campus Security can initiate some or all of the notification systems to inform the campus community of emergencies or dangerous situations that have occurred which necessitate caution, evacuation, or other action on the part of students, employees, and campus visitors. Upon confirmation of an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees occurring on campus, University officials will, without delay, and taking into account the safety of the community, determine the content of the notification and initiate the system(s) unless issuing the notification will, in the professional judgment of responsible authorities, compromise efforts to assist a victim, or to contain, respond to or otherwise mitigate the emergency. When the emergency is declared over, and the situation returned to normal, an announcement using the same dissemination methods listed above will be used to declare the “all-clear.” Depending on the nature of the situation, the media will be used to notify the local community. Student Housing Services maintains a parent organization to notify parents of emergency situations and all-clear notices.
Timely Warning
To keep the community informed of security issues, “timely warning” bulletins are issued. A warning may be issued when there is an occurrence of a “Clery” reportable crime or any other crime considered by the institution to represent a threat to students or employees. Typically, a timely warning is issued when a situation poses a threat to students, but it is not an emergency requiring immediate action. This warning may be distributed to the campus community using some or all the following methods of communication: email notices, written bulletins, and social media postings.
Circumstances for which a timely warning will be issued include, but are not limited to, the receipt of a good faith report to the security office or other campus security authorities of a crime reportable under the Clery Act that poses continuing threat to the campus community. The Vice Chancellor of Administrative Affairs and the Director of Security are responsible for determining if a timely warning will be issued. The determination will be made on a case-by-case basis after due consideration of all available facts of the crime, such as the nature of the crime and whether a continuing danger to the campus community exists.
Timely warnings will be issued through the UH Hilo email system to the students, faculty and staff of the respective campus. Timely warnings will contain sufficient information about the nature of an identified threat to assist members of the campus in taking appropriate action to protect themselves or their property. The timely warning will generally include:
- Date and time or timeframe of the incident;
- A brief description of the incident;
- Information that will promote safety and potentially aid in the prevention of similar crimes (crime prevention or safety tips);
- Suspect description(s) when deemed appropriate and if there is sufficient detail;
- Local law enforcement and UH HILO security contact information;
- Other information as deemed appropriate by the Cleary Compliance Officer or designee.
It is important to note that in some cases, security may need to withhold some facts if releasing the information would compromise an ongoing investigation or the identity of the victim.
Crime Log
A daily crime log is at the security desk at the Hilo Campus 24 hours a day and online. The information in the daily crime log includes the case number, classification, date reported, date occurred, time occurred, general location and disposition of each reported crime.
Creating, maintaining, and monitoring the daily crime log
The Director of Campus Security is responsible for creating, maintaining, and monitoring the daily crime log. The daily crime log records all criminal incidents and alleged criminal incidents that are reported to the Campus Security Department
The log is prepared by Campus Security Personnel using a spreadsheet and a manual copy is printed with the most current 60 days of information, and is kept in a binder for public inspection. The Campus Security Staff updates the crime log on a weekly basis. The'Director of Campus Security reviews all Security Incident Reports and CSA reports, and adds the information into the crime log within two business days of receipt., The Director of Campus Security requests law enforcement agencies to submit crime statistics when available. Crime statistics from law enforcement agencies are also entered in the crime loe within two business days of receipt.
Crimes are recorded in the crime log by the date they are reported. Each entry is assigned a reference case number based on the source and year (i.e., CSA-2020) and includes the required crime log elements (nature of the crime, date reported, date and time occurred, general location, disposition). The Director of Campus Security reviews the crime log and reconciles to the Security Incident Report number. CSA reports, and law enforcement statistics are added as they are reported. In the event that the Campus Security Director is absent, the Shift Supervisor will be responsible to enter information in the crime log. Clery crimes recorded in the crime log are also entered in the Incident Report file. The Incident Report file is used to gather statistics that are required for inclusion in the ASR and the annual web-based data collection survey. In addition, the crime log for the most recent 60 days of information is available for public inspection at the Campus Security Office between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Requests for logs older than 60 days must be ma{e in writing, and will be accommodated within five business days of the written request.
Collecting, classifying and counting crime statistics
The University of Hawai’i at Hilo’s Campus Security Department and Director of Campus Security are responsible for collecting, classifying, and counting crime statistics. Crime statistics are gathered and entered into a spreadsheet by the Director of Campus Security. The spreadsheet is used for collecting and compiling statistics used in the Annual Security Report (ASR) and statistics submitted to the U.S. Department of Education through an annual web-based data collection survey. An Incident Report is the formal documentation of an incident prepared by Security personnel on a daily basis. Crimes can be reported to Campus Security, Campus Security Authorities (CSA’s), and personnel from local law enforcement agencies (i.e., Hawai’i Police Department. Information used to prepare the crime statistics consist of Security Incident Reports, CSA reports, and law enforcement agency crime statistics.
Students, employees, and visitors can report all crimes, emergencies and public safety related incidents to Campus Security by phone, by using an Emergency Call Box (ECB or the UH Hilo website. Once the personnel submit the SID Security Incident Report to their shift supervisor, the (USO II will review and approve the report. If edits are required, Shift Supervisor will send the report back to the Security Officer for correction before the report is approved. Security personnel must correct errors on their next working day. A read-only access of these records is given to the Director of Campus Security for purposes of counting and classifying crime statistics, and is also responsible for final review of all Security Incident and Clery Reports. A Clery Act guide book is provided to Campus Security personnel to ensure accurate recording and classification of Clery Act crimes.
Campus Security personnel are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond to crimes on campus. Security Officers will take the required action by dispatching a security officer to the victim’s location or by asking the victim to meet at the Security Office to file an Incident Report.
The Director of Campus Security receives CSA reports as the incidents are reported CSAs (i.e., Title IX, Human Resources, advocates, and other designated officials) must immediately notify the Director of Campus Security regarding any Clery Act crime that has been reported to them. CSAs can complete and submit the form to the Campus Security Office via the UH Hilo website, email, mail, or in person. CSAs such as the Office of Title IX generate crime reports from their software and provide the report information to the Director of Campus Security.
CSAs are provided with Clery Act Handouts and PowerPoints to assist them with understanding the roles and responsibilities of a CSA. The Clery Coordinator also sends an annual email reminder to all CSAs to collect any crime statistics from the prior calendar year and to ensure that all Clery crime reports have been received and evaluated for inclusion in the ASR. The Clery Coordinator (DOS) then reconciles responses with all Clery reports received during the prior calendar year. The Clery Coordinator meets individually with any CSA or advocate when it is necessary to review reports, reconcile statistics, and ensure proper documentation of Clery reports from the prior year’s statistics.
On an annual basis, the Director of Campus Security sends a letter requesting prior calendar year crime statistics from law enforcement agencies. The Director of Campus Security retains a listing of law enforcement agencies in the state of Hawai’i and other cities (related to school-sponsored student travel). The letter contains a statistic form that the law enforcement agency can fill out. Law enforcement agencies are to complete the form and respond to the request by April 30th. Responses received via mail or e-mail are reviewed by the Director of Campus Security for inclusion in the ASR.
The Director of Campus Security utilizes a Daily Crime Log / confidential spreadsheet when recording the crime statistics used in the ASR and the web-based data collection survey. The Director of Campus Security updates the Daily Crime Log on a weekly basis for any Clery reports received. The Daily Crime Log contains information such as the date the crime was reported, date and time the crime occurred, crime location, victim initials, and other pertinent information available. Each time a crime is documented in the Daily Crime Log, the Director of Campus Security reviews and reconciles data to the report or statistics provided by CSAs or law enforcement agencies. If errors are identified, the Director of Campus Security contacts the source of the report or statistics to resolve the issue.
Emergency Response & Evacuation Testing Procedures
An evacuation (fire) drill is coordinated by UH Hilo Student Housing Services staff in collaboration with UH Hilo Fire Safety Program each semester for all student housing facilities. Thus, the emergency response and evacuation procedures are tested at least twice each year (during fall and spring semesters). Students learn the locations of the emergency exits in the buildings and are provided guidance about the direction they should travel when exiting each facility for a short-term building evacuation.
During evacuation tests, drills may be announced or unannounced. The purpose of evacuation drills is to prepare building occupants for an organized evacuation in the case of a fire or other emergency. At UH Hilo, evacuation drills are used to educate and train occupants on fire safety issues specific to their building. During the drill, occupants practice drill procedures and familiarize themselves with the location of exits and the sound of the fire alarm. In addition to educating the occupants of each building about the evacuation procedures during the drills, the process also provides the university an opportunity to test the operation of fire alarm system components. Evacuation drills are conducted by the UH Hilo Department of Campus Security and the Student Housing Services department to evaluate emergency plans and responses. Each test is documented, including the date, time, description of the exercise, and whether it was announced or unannounced.
Emergency Response Guidebook
The safety and security of the students, faculty, staff and visitors at UH Hilo is always a priority, and we should all be prepared to keep our campus safe. This information is disseminated to assist you in your ability to respond to several types of emergencies. Please familiarize yourself with the procedures in this guidebook. In the event you are faced with an emergency, it will serve as a quick reference for effective action. If there are any questions or comments regarding this guidebook, please contact: Campus Security Office at (808) 974-7911 or 7911. This emergency guidebook (PDF) was created by the UH Hilo Campus Security Department.
Criminal Activity
Crime in Progress
- Do not attempt to apprehend or interfere with a suspected criminal except in cases of self-protection.
- If safe, get a good description of the criminal. Note size, height, weight, gender, color of skin, hair, facial hair, eyes, age, clothing, distinguishing characteristics or marks, and method and direction of travel. If there is a vehicle involved, note its license plate number, make and model, color, and outstanding characteristics.
- In an emergency, dial 9-1-1. For UH Hilo Campus Security, use the closest Emergency Call Box (ECB) or call (808) 974-7911 for help. Inform the dispatcher of your situation, provide your name and location, and then remain where you are until contacted by a security officer.
- If you are involved in a monetary theft, you should:
- Not resist — do as the perpetrator says.
- Give up the money immediately.
- Wait until the perpetrator departs, then contact the Hawaiʻi Police Department or Campus Security immediately.
- Attempt to get a good description of the perpetrator and direction of flight. Write down any information about the suspect that you can remember (see above).
- Ask any witness(es) to remain for the arrival of Campus Security and/or HPD.
- In the event of a civil disturbance, continue with a normal routine as much as possible. If the disturbance is outside, stay away from doors and windows.
- Do not interfere with persons creating the disturbance, or with law enforcement authorities on the scene.
Crime Reporting Policy
Crimes and other emergencies can be reported directly to Campus Security by dialing (808) 974-7911 or extension 47911 from any phone on campus, by using an Emergency Call Box (ECB), or through the UH Hilo Campus Security App. Crimes can also be reported directly to the Hawaiʻi Police Department by dialing 911. We encourage the community to report crimes immediately and accurately to Campus Security for issuing emergency alerts and timely warnings.
The Campus Security Department accepts reports of criminal activity in confidence; crimes of sexual violence may be reported by a third party and/or anonymously. The UH Hilo website has a Silent Witness and anonymous reporting option where an individual can report a crime, incident, or sexual assault anonymously. Additionally, anonymous reports can be made through the UH Hilo Title IX Office, Confidential Advocate, and UH Hilo Counseling Services.
Campus Security requests that all campus counselors encourage their clients, when appropriate, to report criminal violations on a voluntary, confidential basis for inclusion in the annual disclosure of crime statistics. However, pastoral and professional counselors are exempt from reporting obligations and may choose to withhold statistics at their discretion.
Campus Security Authority
“Campus Security Authority (CSA)” is a Clery Act-specific term that encompasses four groups of individuals and organizations associated with an institution. An official is defined as any person who has the authority and the duty to take action or respond to particular issues on behalf of the institution.
- CSA Reporting Form (PDF) (form fillable version: open in Adobe Acrobat Reader to include digital signature)
CSA Defined
- All individuals who work for UH Hilo's Campus Security Department are campus security authorities.
- Any official of an institution who has significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including, but not limited to, student housing, student discipline and campus judicial proceedings, student athletics, and personnel who are in positions of responsibility over students at off campus and on campus events and activities.
- Any individual or organization to whom or to which the campus community has been directed to report criminal incidents in addition to the security department personnel.
- Any individual who has responsibility for campus security but who does not constitute a campus security department (e.g., an individual who is responsible for monitoring the entrance into institutional property). Include individuals such as those who provide security or monitor access into a campus facility; act as event security, such as for sporting events or large registered parties, or escort students around campus after dark (including other students).
Because official responsibilities and job titles vary significantly on campuses, the law does not state a list of specific job titles. To determine specifically which individuals or organizations are campus security authorities for your institution, consider the function of that individual or office. Look for officials (i.e., not support staff) whose functions involve relationships with students. If someone has significant responsibility for student and campus activities, he or she is a campus security authority. Note that whether or not your institution pays an individual is not a factor in determining whether that individual is a CSA. Be sure to keep your CSA list current so that you do not omit any individual or organization that fits the definition of a CSA.
Examples of individuals (outside of the security department) who generally meet the criteria for being campus security authorities include
- a dean or director who oversees student housing, a student center, student affairs, student discipline, or student extracurricular activities
- a director of athletics, all athletic coaches (including part-time employees and graduate assistants)
- a faculty advisor to a student group
- a coordinator or director of a student group
- a student resident advisor and assistant
- a student who monitors access to dormitories or buildings that are owned by recognized student organizations
- a Title IX coordinator
- an ombudsperson (including student ombudspersons)
- a director of a campus health center and counseling center
- victim advocates or others who are responsible for assisting with housing relocation, disciplinary action or court cases, etc.
- members of a sexual assault response team (SART) or other sexual assault advocates
- officers from local law enforcement who are contracted by the institution to provide campus safety-related services
- a physician/nurse in a campus health center
- a counselor, including peer counselor (except for professional or pastoral counselors addressed later in this chapter)
- a health educator, including peer health educators
Examples of individuals who would not meet the criteria for being campus security authorities include
- a faculty member who does not have any responsibility for student and campus activity beyond the classroom
- clerical or cafeteria staff
Institutions are advised to reevaluate the CSA status of all employees (including student employees) on at least an annual basis and document the rationale of the determinations. Please note that, while there may be some overlap, persons considered to be CSAs for Clery Act reporting are not necessarily the same as those defined as “responsible employees” for Title IX.
What a CSA does
The function of a campus security authority is to report those allegations of Clery Act crimes to the official or office designated by the institution to collect crime report information, such as the campus security department or a designated CSA. CSAs are obligated by law to report to the Campus Security Office allegations of Clery Act crimes that are reported to them in their capacity as a CSA. CSAs must report third party allegations only if the reporting party is a reputable source such as an outside counseling agency, doctor, or anyone in a position of similar responsibility.
What a CSA does not do
- CSAs are not responsible for investigating any incident.
- CSAs are not responsible for reporting incidents that they overhear students talking about in a hallway conversation.
- CSAs are not responsible for reporting incidents that a classmate or student mentions during an in-class discussion.
- CSAs are not responsible for reporting incidents that a victim mentions during a speech, workshop, or any other form of group presentation.
- CSAs are not responsible for reporting incidents that the CSA otherwise learns about in an indirect manner.
- A campus security authority is not responsible for determining authoritatively whether a crime took place; that is the function of law enforcement personnel.
- A campus security authority should not try to apprehend the alleged perpetrator of the crime. That, too, is the responsibility of law enforcement.
- It is also not a CSA’s responsibility to try and convince a victim to contact law enforcement if the victim chooses not to do so.
Examples of Collecting Crime Information
- Scenario 1: A resident assistant (RA) who has been identified as a CSA is told by a fellow student that she has been raped and is seeking emotional and medical support. The resident assistant should forward the report to the institution’s designated official for inclusion in the statistics regardless of whether the victim chooses to file a report with law enforcement or press charges. Note: The RA must advise the victim that the crime will be reported and that no information regarding the victim will be disclosed unless the victim provides written approval for the CSA to do so.
- Scenario 2: A student mentions to her boyfriend that a number of rooms on her dorm floor were broken into during the previous night’s football game. Later that day, her boyfriend tells the athletics director (AD) what he heard. The AD asks which dorm it was and what, if anything else, the boyfriend knows about the incident. The AD should document the information and forward it to the school’s campus security department or the institution’s designated official for inclusion in the statistics per the university's crime reporting policy.
- Scenario 3: Ms. Jones, Director of Student Housing, gets a call from the director of a counseling center in town. The caller wants to let the director know that four students from the school sought assistance at the center and told the center’s counselors that they had been sexually assaulted on campus and were seeking emotional support. They did not want police investigations. Even though these are third-party reports, Ms. Jones, believing the report was made in good faith, documents all of the information she was given and forwards the reports to the person or office responsible for collecting Clery Act crime reports at her institution. At UH Hilo, that is the Campus Security Office.
- Scenario 4: Jane, a resident advisor, is attending a “Take Back the Night” rally at her school. She attends the event as a participant and is not involved in providing any counseling services. As part of the event’s programming, a student gives a speech in which she says that she was raped on campus last year. In response to hearing the speech, three other students decide to address the crowd and disclose their own experiences being sexually assaulted. After the event, Jane returns to her room where a student from her housing facility knocks on her door and tells her that she was sexually assaulted at an on-campus party in another housing facility three months ago. Jane should forward the report of the incident that was reported to her as she was acting in her capacity as an RA for her housing facility. Jane should not report the sexual assaults that she heard discussed at the" Take Back the Night" event.
Exemption for Pastoral and Professional Counselors
To be exempt from disclosing reported offenses, the individual must be acting in the role of a professional counselor: one who provides mental health counseling to members of the institution's community. State licensing requirements for professional counselors typically include completion of a minimum of 3,000 hours of post-master’s degree supervised clinical experience, performed within two years before a license is awarded. If an unlicensed counselor has completed master’s degree course work and is acting in the role of a licensed counselor under the supervision of a licensed professional in order to gain the required supervised clinical experience in a two-year period, he or she would be exempt from CSA requirements. An example is a Ph.D. counselor-trainee acting under the supervision of a professional counselor at the institution.
- Scenario 1: A dean of students who has a professional counselor’s license but is employed by the institution only as a dean and not as a counselor, is not exempt from reporting.
- Scenario 2: If that same dean is employed by the institution as both a professional counselor and an academic counselor and learns of a criminal incident while engaged in academic counseling, that dean is not exempt from reporting the incident.
- Scenario 3: If your institution has an individual with dual roles, one as a professional or pastoral counselor and the other as an official who qualifies as a CSA, and the roles cannot be separated, that individual is considered a CSA and is not exempt from reporting Clery Crimes.
In most cases it is possible for a CSA to fulfill his or her responsibilities while still maintaining victim confidentiality. CSA reports are used by the institution to compile statistics for Clery Act reporting and to help determine if there is a serious or continuing threat to the safety of the campus community that would require an alert (i.e., a timely warning or emergency notification). Those responsibilities can usually be met without disclosing personally identifying information.
Crime Prevention and Awareness Programs
The Security Department and Student Health and Wellness Programs (SHWP) occasionally host workshops and learning events. A current list of courses being offered is available online.
As part of the crime prevention program, campus security offers security surveys for workspaces and buildings.
Securing Campus Facilities
The facilities of all campuses are well maintained. Students, faculty, and staff have access to all academic and administrative facilities. Access to private offices and certain other areas are restricted through the issuance of keys and or access cards. Visitors to the campus have access to those areas officially opened for study, work or related functions. Security patrols the property 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the Hilo campus.
Security Considerations Used in Maintenance
Security works closely with other departments to maintain a safe campus. Security personnel coordinates the repair of locks and doors that are not working properly, check the campus lighting on a regular basis and inform campus operations of all non-working lights. The campus community is encouraged to report all safety concerns to Offices of Security, Campus Operations or Environmental Health and Safety.