Campus Patrol at Vassar College

All policies can also be found in the Pink Book which is available in the Patrol Office or on the Downloads page.

In order to work Campus Patrol you must:

1. Be 18 years of age or older, or obtain written parental consent, and be legally permitted to work.


2. Have your relevant faculties intact and be able to respond effectively.


3. Show the ability and desire to work effectively for Campus Patrol toward the security of campus.


4. Have never violated any Vassar College regulation enforced by Campus Patrol.

When you arrive to work your shift, you must have with you:

1. Your Vassar ID, watch, pen or pencil, and something to write on.


2. Appropriate footwear (this means your shoes must cover your feet, and you must be able to run in them) and clothing (ski-masks or other articles of clothing that may be viewed as threatening by other students are not allowed).


3. It is useful to wear a belt.

While on duty all Campus Patrol employees must:

1. Conduct themselves in a respectful and professional manner.


2. Carry their Vassar ID at all times.


3. Be punctual. They will report to work at least ten minutes before the beginning of the shift.


4. Have all of their equipment on their person at all times.


5. Be free of all substances which may interfere with proper performance of duties.

The following is forbidden when on duty, including during personals:

1. Patrollers should not put themselves in situations in which they are uncomfortable or concerned for their safety.


2. All Patrol-related occurrences are to be kept strictly confidential and must not be discussed with anyone other than the Patrollers involved and the supervisory staff.


3. No Patroller will be overtly disrespectful to any other member of Campus Patrol, the Shuttle or Vassar Security. This rule pertains to activities on and off duty.


4. Purchase, sale, possession, or use of drugs or alcohol, or entering any establishment in which drugs or alcohol are being served or consumed.


5. Working under the influence of any substance (illicit or otherwise). Campus Patrol enforces a zero-tolerance policy. You CANNOT work if you have consumed alcohol, drugs, or any medication that may impair your ability to work within 12 hours of starting a shift.


6. Working in any condition that may inhibit your ability to work effectively (e.g. excessively tired or distracted).


7. Possession of any item which could be legally defined as a weapon.


8. Leaving post without authorization (including entering buildings), except while on personal.


9. Failure to properly execute the role of Patroller by ignoring general duties or those specially instructed by Unit 5 ("dereliction of duties").


10. Leaving campus, except to cross from campus proper to the Town House path, via the Chicago gate or while performing an escort to the Alumni House.


11. Driving or riding in any motor vehicle, including the Shuttle.


12. Use of any device which could inhibit fulfillment of duty, including but not limited to headphones, AM/FM radios, iPods or other music devices, etc.


13. Use of roller blades, skateboards or cross-country skis as they could interfere with a Patroller's effectiveness in responding to an incident.

Any disobedience of these rules will result in suspension and/or termination, depending upon the severity and circumstances of the infraction.

All new employees will be trained during their first shift of Patrol, either by a Staff member or a Patroller who has been promoted to the position of trainer. In addition, Patrollers returning from a leave of longer than one semester must be retrained.

The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) is the agency responsible for issuing Vassar's radio frequency license, and thus we must follow their regulations. Three FCC violations will result in the loss of our license, so we must be very careful of our protocol. The following is far from a comprehensive statement of FCC regulations, but it does cover most of what you need to know.

1. Names should not be used on the radio except under special circumstances. Only if specifically requested by Unit 5 or a member of Security should a Patroller transmit an individual's name over the air.


2. Certain words may not be said over the radio. This category includes anything that is not proper spoken English, including but not limited to expletives, profanity, foreign language, and slang expressions.


3. Terms describing a person's political views, sexual preference, religion, etc. are forbidden, as are inappropriate sounds.


4. Only specific business may be discussed over the radio. "Business" for our purposes is limited to information directly pertaining to the functions of Patrol. Long non-urgent messages should be saved for the end of the shift. If the message cannot wait that long, request a "2-5" for a meeting with Unit 5. Do not tie up the radio with long or non-urgent transmissions, no matter how pertinent they may be and no matter what you hear others saying. If it is not pertinent you should wait until your "2-5" or the end of the shift to tell Unit 5. If brief, it is better to describe a situation rather than to ask to meet with your Supervisor. The codes used on Patrol to aid in quick and effective communication are listed later in this manual, and Patrollers are required to have a working knowledge of them.


5. During any incident that involves Patrol or Security, refrain from using the radio for anything but essential transmissions. Personals must wait until the resolution of the incident, as should any path checks and lockup calls to the CRC. During an incident, or at any other time, Security or Unit 5 may announce a "Code 2," indicating that you must maintain radio silence until further notice, unless it is an emergency. If a "Code 2" is broken for a non-urgent transmission disciplinary action can be taken, pursuant to Section II item i of the Code of Conduct.


6. Be accurate and brief on the radio. Give information in as few words as you can without sacrificing accuracy. When describing any situation, give as many relevant details as you can: your location (in terms of compass direction from a major landmark, such as a building); height, sex, build, clothing, skin color, etc., of perpetrators; license number, sticker number, color and make of car, direction headed; and so forth. As a general rule, always give the "description and location" of an incident when responding over the radio.


7. During a radio check, respond with "__ by __," using whole numbers between one and five inclusive. The first digit corresponds to volume and the second to clarity. For example, '5 by 5' means "I read you loud and clear" while "one by five" means "your signal is quiet but clear." If U5 ever calls a "rapid" radio check, please respond as quickly as possible. This radio check is used during possible incidents, while radio traffic needs to be kept to a minimum.


8. Keep your radio with you and at an audible level at all times. This means that the radio, like the rest your equipment, should always be on your person (even when on personal). If a partnered unit has only one radio, they must remain within ten feet of each other at all times.


9. Only the following people may touch a radio: - Unit 5 - an on-duty Patroller - an on-duty Shuttle Driver - an on-duty Security Officer - a Supervisor at any time NEVER LET ANYONE ELSE TOUCH OR TRANSMIT ON YOUR RADIO!


10. When initiating a transmission, identify your unit number and address all communication to Unit 5 (the Evening Supervisor). If Unit 5 does not respond after three tries, call the Campus Response Center (CRC), indicating that you are having difficulty contacting Unit 5. This should not happen under normal circumstances, so do your best to contact Unit 5 first. Patrollers should respond directly if called by Security.


11. If your radio stops working, proceed to the Campus Patrol Office in ACDC to meet Unit 5. If after 20 minutes, you cannot find Unit 5 there, proceed to the CRC (located in Main lobby across from the stairwell), tell the officer your unit number, and politely ask the officer to notify Unit 5 of your status.


12. Avoid placing or carrying your radio in such a way that the transmit button could inadvertently be pressed. Such accidents have happened in the past and have resulted in the entire Patrol/Security force being both privy to private conversations and temporarily without communications.


13. The radios used on patrol are worth over seven hundred dollars apiece. Do not bang, drop, or violently shake the radios. Keep your radio as dry as possible, as water inhibits proper functioning of the microphone. Patrollers are responsible for the condition of their radio, so take great care in handling this piece of equipment.


14. To avoid confusion when stating unit numbers, all units with numbers in the 60's with the exception of Unit 60 should be pronounced as two individual numbers. For example, Unit 61 should be pronounced "six-one."

These rules are strictly enforced by the supervisory staff, and so it is in your best interest to follow them as closely as possible. It does not matter what you have heard anyone else (including Security or Staff) do over the radio. In the event of an illegal transmission without an identifiable source, the entire shift may be suspended. This may seem drastic, and rarely happens, but we cannot permit radio conduct violations.

Campus Patrol protects the Vassar College Community and its property as well as the campus itself. Patrollers should be visible and approachable. Rounds should be thorough and varied. Patrollers may not remain in any one area for more than ten minutes. At the end of the shift all units should turn in a report of all lights out on their post.

At the beginning of every shift you will be given a flashlight, a booth key, a key for the lock on both North Gate and South Gate, a PAAL, and a radio. Your equipment should be on your person at all times and you are required to return all of these materials at the end of the shift to either your Supervisor or your relief. Only on-duty Patrollers and any member of staff may touch your equipment. If any item is missing, you will be contacted by the evening supervisor.

Remember that while performing any of the duties of patrol, you represent Campus Patrol and Vassar College. If, during your shift, you interact with any individual, members of the Vassar community or not, identify yourself as a patroller, inform them of why they've been approached, and at all times remain as polite and courteous as possible.

Escorts: If a student asks you for an escort,

1. Request permission from Unit 5 to perform the escort, providing your current location and the destination.


2. Report 10-50 upon completing the escort.


3. If performing the escort has taken you off your post, proceed directly back to your post and notify Unit 5 when you are there. If Unit 5 asks you to perform an escort,


4. Proceed directly to the starting point of the escort, as indicated by Unit 5.


5. Report that you are on duty for that escort once you begin, and follow the second two steps of the procedure above.

Note: A patroller may not go off campus while performing an escort, with the Alumni House being the only exception. A patroller may not enter buildings during an escort, except under special circumstances in which the escort requires it. Securing Buildings: Patrollers are responsible for securing the exteriors of the academic buildings on campus.

1. Check all accessible means of entry (i.e. doors and windows).


2. If you find an insecure entrance, notify Unit 5 of the insecure entrance and, if you feel safe doing so, request permission to enter and secure the building.


3. After entering the building, check all doors and rooms. Check for signs of forced entry*.


4. Be alert to the fact that there may be intruders in the building.


5. Identify yourself as a member of Campus Patrol to all occupants of the building (e.g. cleaners, students, professors, etc.).


6. Attempt to secure the doors and windows.


7. Notify 10-50 (assignment completed) and inform Unit 5 of your findings, meaning who was in the building and the state of the door or window through which you came.

Notes:

1. Only use legitimate means in gaining access to securable buildings (i.e. do not force doors).


2. Do not secure buildings during incidents.


3. Never climb fire escapes.


4. Do not attempt to gain entry through windows that are dangerous to reach.


5. Do not tug on alarmed doors.


6. Several buildings on campus are not secured by Campus Patrol. See the appendix for which buildings can be secured (and at what times).

*If you find any sign of forced entry, immediately notify Unit 5 and safely exit and distance yourself from the building. Keep an eye out for any suspicious individuals exiting the building who may be responsible for the break-in.

Suspicious Individuals:
Campus Patrollers should also be on the lookout for suspicious activities, which include but are not limited to injury or harassment of another individual, theft or damage of property, or the presence of a weapon. Report all vandalism immediately to Unit 5, and if possible, report the description of those responsible. If they should attempt to leave the scene before Security arrives, try to maintain visual contact and relay their location to Unit 5. NEVER APPROACH A SUSPICIOUS INDIVIDUAL.

Non-Students (after 10 PM):
Vassar College is a closed campus after 10:00 pm, and according to the student handbook, members of the college community must show their Vassar ID cards at the request of any member of the community. Only current Vassar students, faculty, administrators, employees, and children or guests thereof are permitted to be on campus from 10pm to 7am. Guests must be accompanied by their hosts at all times and must have a guest pass.

If you come across "possible non-student" (anyone who is acting disoriented, lost, or exhibiting any other such behavior indicating that this individual may not be a student):

1. Inform Unit 5, giving a location, physical description, and description of their behavior, and wait for instructions.


2. If you suspect they are carrying a weapon, stay away and inform Unit 5 immediately. This individual is now considered a suspicious individual, and no longer just a possible non-student.


3. Do not approach the possible non-student. Unit 5 will inform Security, who will handle the situation. Maintain a safe distance, keep visual contact with the individual, and notify Unit 5 of any status changes.

Patrollers may enter Patrol booths periodically to warm up or rest, but must remain alert and aware of all that occurs in their prescribed areas. A Patrol Unit may use any booth on his or her post. Patrollers should be in their booths no more than ten minutes per half hour, with no more than ten consecutive minutes of stationary activity during the whole shift (e.g., you cannot "stack" booth time). Whether inside or outside your booth, ten minutes in any one area constitutes booth time. All booth lights should be left on at all times, as this helps to light many areas of campus. If the bulb is out, note the booth's location in your lights-out report. Patrollers who are working the last shift should turn off the heaters, lock the booths, and return to the office at the end of the shift.

The proper functioning of the emergency phone system is dependent on prompt response to activated emergency phones by the appropriate parties. Because of this, all units may be expected to respond to the scene of an activated emergency phone. Please familiarize yourself with the locations of the emergency phones on your post. They are bright yellow boxes that stand beneath a blue light, which should stand out during all hours of the day. In addition to reporting activated emergency phones, all patrollers are expected to notify Unit 5 if any of the accompanying blue lights are out, so as to facilitate a prompt repair. Security tests the emergency phone system Mondays after 12:00am, so if you encounter an activated phone during this time, don't call it in, but simply look around the area for anything out of the ordinary.

Duties: Patrol units are responsible for a "post," a designated area of campus. To ensure the greatest coverage of the campus, certain posts have higher priority than others. These posts must be filled every shift; this may require a Patroller to work a different post than he or she is scheduled to work. The priorities are posted in the Campus Patrol office, but may vary on special occasions. What follows are general descriptions of the regions covered by each post in order priority, in addition to certain areas on each post deserving of particular attention. Refer to the map in the Campus Patrol office for specific post boundaries.

• Unit 53 covers the northwestern area of campus. Its priorities are the Quad and the Pine Path, whose status must be reported hourly.


• Unit 54 covers the southern area of campus, including the Science Quad, Sunset Lake, and the New Hackensack Building. Priorities for this post are South Lot, South Gate, and the Sunset Lake Path, whose status must be reported hourly.


• Unit 56 covers the Town House area. The priority for this post is the Town House Path, the status of which must be reported every half hour.


• Unit 58 covers the middle section and northern areas of campus, from Noyes House down to north of Sunset Lake.


• Unit 59 covers Walker Field House, the Terrace Apartments and the New Observatory.


• Unit 60 covers the middle section and Sunset Lake.


• Unit 61 covers the area of the Chapel Lawn down to South Commons.


• Unit 67 covers the northwestern area of campus, from North Lot down to the Chapel Lawn.


• Unit 74 is a bike patrol unit that covers the entire campus.


• Unit 79 is a special duty unit that will be assigned at the discretion of Unit 5.

Special Units

• Unit 5 is the on-duty Patrol Supervisor.


• Unit 50 is the off-duty Director of Patrol.


• Unit 51 is the off-duty Associate Director of Patrol.


• Unit 52 is any off duty Senior Supervisor.


• Unit 70 is a Senior Supervisor who may be on duty for training purposes.


• Unit 72 is any off-duty Supervisor.


• Unit 77 is a special duty unit that locks and secures several buildings each night.

The Lockup unit is responsible for locking and checking a number of buildings around campus, designated as Unit 77. Lockup is divided into two shifts, each responsible for its own set of buildings.

First shift lockup checks and/or locks buildings in the "middle section" and the "back of Main." The middle section includes Pratt House, the Old Observatory, Swift Hall, Metcalf House, Ely Hall and the AULA, and the back of Main includes the Development offices, the Old Laundry Building, the Computer Center, the ALANA Center (which will be checked again by second shift lockup), the Shiva and Powerhouse Theatres, Doubleday Art Center, the Admissions Building, and the Vogelstein Center for Drama and Film.

Second shift lockup is responsible for the Wimpfheimer Nursery School, Kenyon Hall, Chicago Hall, Sanders Classroom, Baldwin House, the ALANA Center, New England Building and Rockefeller Hall. When not locking buildings, the lockup unit functions as any other patrol unit and may be called upon to respond to a situation. Due to the large number of buildings and the unique set of responsibilities that comes with this position, lockup is a promotion for patrollers who exhibit exceptional dedication and competence. Lockup promotions are determined on a semesterly basis by Staff.

Campus Patrol runs from 6/7pm to 2am Sunday through Thursday and from 6/7pm to 3am on Friday and Saturday. From October break through Spring break, Patrol begins each night at 6pm. Campus Patrol runs in three shifts: 6/7pm-9pm, 9pm-12am, and 12am-2/3am. No units are partnered during first shift.

If an incident continues after a shift has ended, Patrollers are expected to continue working until the incident is over. Patrollers will be paid for any additional time in such a situation.

Campus Patrol pays $7.50 per hour for shifts before midnight and $8.00 per hour after midnight. On the weekends, the pay for the 12-3 shift is $8.75 per hour. The special duty pay rate (for duties such as lockup and training) is also $8.75 per hour. Paychecks will be delivered to your mailbox every other Friday. Contact Student Employment if you would like to have your paycheck direct deposited.

Patrollers must sign up for a minimum of one weekday shift and one weekend shift. Patrollers are required to work only every other weekend. No Patroller can sign up for more than one weekend shift or two weekday shifts without permission from a member of Staff. Patrollers are responsible for these hours for the entire semester. Changes can be made with the permission of the Evening Supervisor, but a week's advance notice must be given.

Patrollers cannot sign up for more hours than are allotted by the college for their class year. Those maximums are: Freshman -- 8 hours, Sophomores -- 9 hours, and Juniors and Seniors -- 10 hours. Remember, since weekend shifts are every other week, they count as half toward one's maximum hours (i.e. the 7-9 shift would count as one hour). Patrollers are encouraged to substitute as much as they so desire. These hours do not count toward a Patroller's maximum hours. However, keep in mind that if you are on financial aid, exceeding your allotment will result in your financial aid package being changed. If you have any questions contact Student Employment.

Each unit is entitled to one personal break during each shift, known as a "10-5." Personals must be requested from Unit 5 while still on post or at the completion of an off-post escort. A personal may not exceed fifteen minutes. While on personal, leave your radio on and answer if you are called. Patrollers may not leave campus while on personal. Two person units with one radio must take their personal together and observe the ten foot rule while on personal. Patrollers must be on post when reporting back from personal.

You may request one brief personal per shift at a different time from your regular personal. Brief personals may not exceed three minutes.

Campus Patrol relies on the regular attendance of its employees to guarantee that its functions are carried out as effectively as possible. Therefore, certain rules have been established to ensure that Campus Patrol will not find itself lacking the resources necessary to patrol the campus properly.

If a Patroller can neither work their hours, nor find a substitute as described below, they will receive an absence. Each Patroller is allowed three absences per semester. Any Patroller receiving a fourth absence will be dismissed from Campus Patrol for the semester. In the event that a Patroller cannot report to Campus Patrol for their scheduled shifts, he or she responsible for finding a substitute. If a Patroller is able to find a substitute for their designated hours, then he or she will not receive an absence.

All Patrollers are required to arrive at least fifteen minutes before the beginning of his or her shift. If a Patroller arrives late for a shift, they will receive a lateness, which counts as one half an absence, and towards the total number of absences accrued. You may receive a late up until the hour that the shift begins (6/7pm, 9pm, 12am); after that you will receive a full absence.

E-mail routers will be set up each semester to be used to find substitutes. To use the e-mail router, send a request for a substitute to patrolsub@vassar.edu with as much advance warning as possible, and it will be forwarded to all Patrollers who have requested to be on the list. This list is only for sub requests. Extreme misuse of patrolsub can result in disciplinary action. Should you agree to work a shift, you will be held responsible for that shift as if it were your own. This means that if you fail to work those hours you agreed to work, you will receive an absence.

All Patrollers are encouraged to substitute as much as is desired or is possible. If you do not have hours for a shift but would like to work, you should report to the Patrol office at least fifteen minutes before the beginning of the shift and notify Unit 5 of your desire to work. Depending upon the number of posts open, priority and lottery, you may be allowed to fill an otherwise unfilled post. If you sub in two weekday shifts or one weekday 12am shift, whether it be a blind sub or a previously arranged sub, a weekday absence will be rescinded. If you sub in two weekend shifts or one weekend 12am shift under either of those conditions, a weekend absence will be rescinded. A sub on third shift Friday or Saturday will cancel an entire weekend or weekday absence. You may also stockpile these subs in advance of an absence. If certain circumstances require that you miss a required shift, you can make up the absence in full that same day if you either contact that night's supervisor or patrol@vassar.edu by 5pm that evening.

If you miss your hours due to illness please notify the Evening Supervisor before your shift and bring in a note from Baldwin within 24 hours. Your absence will then be revoked. If unusual circumstances (such as an athletic event or performance) cause you to miss a shift, contact patrol@vassar.edu or speak with a Senior Supervisor during posted office hours.

If you decide that you can no longer work for Campus Patrol, please submit a written resignation to the Director.

In addition to engaging in anything specifically forbidden by the Campus Patrol Rules of Conduct while on duty, the following are grounds for immediate dismissal:

1. Four absences.


2. Conviction of a felony, or any violation of a Vassar College rule or regulation of which Campus Patrol is expected to aid in the enforcement. This rule pertains to activities on and off duty.


3. Failure to demonstrate the desire or ability to work effectively for Campus Patrol toward the security of the campus.

A Supervisor may elect to suspend or dismiss the patroller on any grounds outlined in this manual. This is left strictly to the discretion of the Director in consultation with the Evening Supervisor. In the event that a Patroller is dismissed, they will be notified with all due haste. Patrol staff reserves the right to refuse future employment for those dismissed for serious infractions.