|
News & Events
AVC Safety and Security
Recently, there have been concerns and questions raised about Antelope Valley College’s police and security.
Some of the concerns stem from the college’s decision to stop patrols of neighborhoods around the Lancaster campus. The reason for this action is outlined below.
Fact 1: AVC never properly established a police department.
In 2002, just a few months after 9-11, the campus began to examine its safety and security measures. In May 2002, the Board of Trustees approved an administration request to apply for a U.S. Department of Justice grant to establish a campus police department. It was hoped the federal government would support the request to fund a police chief and five full-time armed police officers. AVC never received the grant.
A few months later, the district approved the creation of a director of campus security. Four years later, two full-time district police officer positions were added to supplement the service provided by a contract security firm. Reserve police officers were brought on as well.
During a recent review, it was determined AVC’s Board of Trustees never took action to formally create a campus police department as provided for under state Education Code. As a result of that review, district legal counsel advised us in January 2008 that we do not have a police department nor did one ever exist since the governing board never took action to create such a department. Thus, with no police department there can be no police officers, which is why we now refer to our armed employees in that area as security officers. We continue to contract with a security firm for additional unarmed officers.
Fact 2: The action to drop neighborhood patrols was due to recommendations by legal counsel and the district’s insurance carrier.
One of the rumors is that our action to drop patrols was due to the failure of the Community College Initiative, Proposition 92, on the Feb. 5 ballot. That’s false. Legal counsel issued an opinion on our police/security issue in January.
At that time, both the college’s legal counsel and insurance carrier advised the district that, due to liability issues, none of our security officers should go beyond district property in the performance of their duties. The administration took fiscally responsible action to protect the district from undue liability risk, while continuing to serve the needs of our students, faculty and staff.
Fact 3: There have not been any rapes at AVC.
At the Feb. 10 board meeting, a neighborhood watch captain claimed that “students” had been raped near the campus. Then, in the Feb. 22 Valley Press, a second neighborhood watch captain asserted that the change in our campus security is “an open invitation for more rapes…at the college.”
The truth is, there have not been any rapes at AVC. There have not been any rapes reported on the campus crime statistics filed with the federal government. In checking with AVC officials whose history dates back to the 1950s and 1960s, no one recalls any rape at AVC. The college’s crime statistics for the most recent three years are posted elsewhere on this Web site:
http://www.avc.edu/studentservices/security/campus-safety-and-security-information.htm
Fact 4: AVC provides a safe learning environment.
We appreciate the fact that AVC is an integral part of the community. We take pride in knowing that we help thousands of people each year to gain education and job skills. As students come to our campus, we have a responsibility to assure a reasonable level of safety and security. In fact, since the beginning of the year, we’ve added another three contract security personnel to patrol the campus. Our students and employees continue to enjoy the benefits of a campus security force, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
We are continually grappling with the realities of living within our means while striving to meet the demands of a rapidly growing student population. With that in mind, it’s simply not AVC’s responsibility to provide police protection beyond the campus.
AVC did extend service to the neighborhood as a courtesy. However, things have changed dramatically in light of the recent legal opinion and recommendation from our insurance carrier.
Meanwhile, AVC is in the process of hiring an Interim Director of Campus Security to oversee campus safety and further evaluate our security situation in light of these recent developments. In the meantime, the Board of Trustees is slated to discuss the matter of campus security at its March 10 meeting, slated for 6:30 p.m. in the Board Room, SSV 151.
<< Back |
