Safety and Security a Priority at SCC

02/23/2015

SCC officials continue to work closely with the West Burlington Police Department (WBPD) to understand the events stemming from the report received Monday of two people alleged to have guns in a backpack on campus.

WBPD shared with SCC officials that after further investigation, the tip given to SCC officials on Monday contained second-hand information involving an instance that was alleged to have happened last week.

Monday’s incident is not related to last week’s safety alert involving a threat to an instructor on www.ratemyprofessors.com.

“Thankfully neither incident resulted in any harm to person or property,” says SCC President Michael Ash.

However in light of the recent incidents, Ash says SCC will continue to take precaution by increasing the physical security presence on the West Burlington campus. SCC has issued a request of the West Burlington Police Department to conduct regular patrols on SCC’s West Burlington campus, and SCC officials have increased hours of coverage by its contracted security company.

In addition to increased security officer presence, SCC has also invested in a number of safety and security initiatives and equipment over the past three years.

Ash explains that the College has increased the number of security cameras on its sites since 2012.  Plans are under way to install keycard electronic door lock systems for all SCC sites over the coming year, and SCC staff ID badges are scheduled to be issued to faculty and staff this Friday. The College has developed a campus emergency guide with protocols for various emergency and disaster scenarios, and has conducted active shooter training sessions for faculty and staff.

“We’ve made excellent progress in recent years with how we address safety and security issues. Some of what we’ve learned through our training has been deployed in response to the incidents of the past few weeks.”

Ash stresses that SCC takes the safety and well-being of staff and students very seriously, and officials will always err on the side of caution.

“Even though Monday’s incident may not have been quite as dire as first reported, situations like these happen fast and details can be hard to come by. Given what we knew at the time, we felt the need to contact law enforcement and notify our students and staff.”

He adds that safety and security plans must constantly evolve. “We’ve identified opportunities for improvement and will continue to refine our processes.”

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