When a crime occurs on campus or on a public area adjacent to campus, the Department of Public Safety may decide to issue a public safety advisory if the situation poses a serious or ongoing threat to the campus community.
Public safety advisories are intended to heighten safety awareness, alert campus community members of potential dangers, and to seek information that could lead to an arrest and conviction of perpetrators of violent crimes or major crimes against property.
The university issues public safety advisories through Ball State email.
Process
The Ball State chief of police or a designee reviews all reports to determine if there is an on-going threat to the community and if the incidents warrant public safety advisories. The university issues advisories subject to the availability of pertinent information concerning the incident.
University Police may consult with other university officials or local law enforcement and safety personnel on a case-by-case basis.
Ball State does not publish the names of crime victims or provide information that could lead to a victim’s identity.
Criteria
The university will issue a public safety advisory if the Department of Public Safety determines an incident meets all of the following conditions:
- a reportable crime, under the Clery Act, has been reported: criminal homicide, sex offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson, hate crime (includes any of the previously mentioned offenses, as well as cases of larceny or theft, simple assault, intimidation, or destruction of property motivated by bias)
- the crime was reported to university officials
- a crime occurred on campus or the public property surrounding the campus
- there is a continuing danger to the campus community and issuing the public safety advisory will not compromise law enforcement efforts to address the crime
- any non-Clery crime occurring on campus or on public property adjacent to campus that, in the opinion of the director of public safety or a designee, constitutes a serious or continuing threat to the campus community
The Department of Public Safety determines cases of aggravated assault and sex offenses on a case-by-case basis.
Examples
Would the university issue a public safety advisory in the following scenarios?
Yes. University Police confirmed a report of an explosion in an on campus building and it is determined that a continued threat may still exist.
Maybe. University Police received a report of a sexual assault in a residence hall. This crime occurred on campus, and even if the people involved knew one another, there could be a continuing threat. If there is an advisory, the university will not provide the name of the victim nor the residence hall. Doing so could lead to the identification of the victim.
No. Someone was assaulted south of the Village, and police arrested the assailant. The crime occurred outside of the Clery reporting area, and the assailant was arrested, so no continuing threat exists.