Crisis Resources

CRIME STATISTICS

While LeTourneau University has historically enjoyed a very low occurrence of criminal activity and while we believe firmly that God has provided His protection on our campus, we also believe that He has honored our steadfast efforts to develop good crime prevention protocols for the security of our campus resources and community.

Each year, the University Police Department researches the latest developments in the Campus Crime Statistics Reporting Act in order to be assured of accurate reporting in all the required survey categories.

The Campus Crime Act (Clery Act), signed into law in 1990 by President Bush, includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus, in certain off-campus venues and property owned or controlled by LeTourneau University as well as properties owned or controlled by the University.

View records of recent criminal and hate offenses on campus from the Office of Postsecondary Education website, or contact University Police at 903-233-4441 to request a copy. View the latest timely warnings to stay informed regarding the most recent crimes reported on or near campus.

CRIME RESOURCES

Do what you can to avoid being a victim. Check out the following government sites to learn more about preventing and handling various crimes and emergencies.

• Deter. Detect. Defend: Identity Theft Information from the FTC
• FBI: Be Crime Smart
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security

 In the event that a situation arises, either on or off campus, that, in the judgment of the Chief of Police, constitutes a growing, present or on-going threat to the safety of the LETU community, a campus-wide warning will be issued.

Emergency Warnings will be issued for developing or immediate threats to the campus community via the University Electronic Campus Communications System (ECCS) to students, faculty and staff who have signed up for this free notification service. All emergency warnings will also be transmitted through university email. Emergency warnings may also be placed on the university website, at www.letu.edu.

Timely Warnings will be issued for developing weather circumstances or to inform the LETU community concerning incidents or trends occurring on or around campus that may pose potential threat to the community but fall short of an immediate threat (such as the escalation of purse-snatching thefts or burglaries in a near-by neighborhood or in an area known to be frequented by a substantial number of LETU community members).

Either Emergency Warnings or Timely Warnings may also be posted on dormitory and work-area bulletin boards and other areas where they will be easily noticed.

Anyone having information warranting an Emergency Warning or a Timely Warning should report the circumstances to the University Police Department by phone, at 903-233-4444, or in person at the UPD office, 624 Harris Drive.

The following information outlines the crime advisory procedures regarding security awareness programs, crime prevention programs and off-campus criminal activity, as well as sexual assault awareness, prevention and response.

SECURITY AWARENESS PROGRAMS

During orientation at the beginning of each academic year, students are informed of services offered by the University Police. Information provided outlines various ways to maintain personal safety and residence hall security. Students are told about crime on-campus and in surrounding neighborhoods. Similar information is presented to new employees. Crime Prevention Programs and Sexual Assault Prevention Programs are offered on a continual basis. Periodically throughout the academic year, University Police, in cooperation with other university organizations and departments, present crime prevention awareness information. Topics include: sexual assault; family violence; dating violence; substance abuse; theft and vandalism; educational sessions on personal safety; and residential safety & security. Printed literature on these subjects is also available at UPD offices, 624 Harris Dr.

A common theme of all awareness and crime prevention programs is to encourage students and employees to be aware of their responsibility for their own security and the security of others. In addition to seminars, information is disseminated to students and employees through crime prevention awareness packets, security alert posters, displays, videos and articles and advertisements in LeTourneau University's YellowJacket newspaper.

When time is of the essence, information is distributed to the LETU community through ECCS text and e-mail alerts, as well as via voicemail and low-tech methods such as bulletin board postings.

CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS

Crime Prevention Programs on personal safety and theft prevention are sponsored by various campus organizations throughout the year. University Police personnel facilitate programs for students, parents, faculty and staff. Student organizations and community organizations, along with Student Affairs resident directors and resident advisers can be provided with a variety of educational strategies and tips on how to protect themselves and their constituents from sexual assault, theft and other crimes.

Tip: To enhance personal safety, and especially after dark, walk with friends or someone from class that you know well, or call the University Police for an escort.

OFF-CAMPUS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

When a LeTourneau University student is involved in an off-campus offense, police officers may assist or become involved with the investigation in cooperation with local, state or federal law enforcement. Longview Police and Gregg County Sheriff's Office routinely work and communicate with University Police Officers on any serious incidents occurring on-campus or in the immediate neighborhood and business areas immediately surrounding university facilities. LeTourneau University operates no off-campus housing or off-campus student organization facilities. Many graduate students and some undergraduate students live in the surrounding neighborhoods. While Longview Police or Gregg County Deputies may have primary jurisdiction off-campus, University Police Officers can and do sometimes respond to incidents involving LETU community members that may occur in close proximity to the campus. LeTourneau University Police have direct radio communications with local police, fire and ambulance service providers to facilitate rapid response in support of any emergency situation.

SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS, PREVENTION AND RESPONSE

The University educates the student community about sexual assaults and date rape through mandatory freshman orientations each fall. The Police Department offers sexual assault education and information programs to university students and employees upon request. Literature on date rape education, risk reduction and university response is available through the Office of Student Life and UPD.

If you are a victim of a sexual assault at this institution, your first priority should be to get to a place of safety.
You should then obtain necessary medical treatment. The University Police Department strongly advocates that a victim of sexual assault report the incident in a timely manner. Time is a critical factor for evidence collection and preservation. An assault should be reported directly to a University officer and/or to a resident director or other faculty or staff representative responsible for initiating the University's response to the attack. Filing a police report with a University officer will not obligate the victim to prosecute, nor will it subject the victim to scrutiny or judgmental opinions from officers.

Filing a police report will:

• Ensure that a victim of sexual assault receives the necessary medical treatment and tests, at no expense to the victim.
• Provide the opportunity for collection of evidence helpful in prosecution, which cannot be obtained later.
• Assure the victim has access to free confidential counseling from counselors specifically trained in the area of sexual assault crisis intervention.

When a sexual assault victim contacts the University Police Department, the Longview Police Department will be notified as well. A representative from the Office of Student Affairs will also be notified. The victim of a sexual assault may choose for the investigation to be pursued through the criminal justice system and the University Conduct Council, or only the latter. A University representative from the Police Department or the Office of Student Affairs will guide the victim through the available options and support the victim in his or her decision. Various counseling options are available from the University through the Student Health Center, the Women's Center, University Chaplain's office, Employee Assistance and the Psychological Counseling Center.

Counseling and support services outside the University system can be obtained through the Longview Women's Center and/or Longview Police Department's Crisis Response Team. University disciplinary proceedings, as well as special guidelines for cases involving sexual misconduct, are detailed in the Student Handbook. The Handbook provides, in part, that the accused and the victim will each be allowed to choose one person who has had no formal legal training to accompany them throughout the hearing. Both the victim and accused will be informed of the outcome of the hearing. A student found guilty of violating the University sexual misconduct policy could be criminally prosecuted in the state courts and may be suspended or expelled from the University for the first offense. Student victims have the option to change their academic and/or on-campus living situations after an alleged sexual assault, if such changes are reasonably available.

Anonymous Reporting:

Victims who do not wish to be identified are strongly encouraged to file an anonymous report of the incident to UPD. This ensures that law enforcement is aware of a potential threat to other community members, as well as provides statistical reporting information so that prospective students and employees may make an informed decision about becoming a part of the LeTourneau Nation.

REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS

The Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act (CSCPA) of 2000 provides for the tracking of convicted sex offenders enrolled at, or employed by institutions of higher education. The CSCPA is an amendment to the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Act.

This Federal law, along with the laws of the State of Texas, requires all persons who have been convicted of sexual assault crimes to register their residence and other information with local law enforcement and to also make any post-secondary educational facility with which they become involved as a student or an employee aware of their presence in that institution.

Local law enforcement is additionally required to submit information to the police department of any college or university about the presence of a registered sex offender on such a campus.

Registered sex offenders must register with University Police within ten days of their affiliation with LeTourneau University.

Failure to comply with this law will cause the registrant to be arrested and charged with a felony offense. Other University sanctions will be applied, including:

• Immediate termination of employment for employees
• Immediate dismissal from classes and removal from campus residential facilities

LeTourneau University is required to inform the campus community that a list of sex offenders, if any should be employed or enrolled, will be maintained and available for review at the University Police Department located in the Student Affairs building.

Additionally, the CSCPA further amends the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) to clarify that nothing in the Act can prohibit an educational institution from disclosing information provided to the institution concerning the presence of registered sex offenders.

More information is available online from the Texas Department of Public Safety.