Campus Police

Davidson campus police are sworn law enforcement officers and hold all the same powers as North Carolina municipal and county police officers granted under state statute 74-G.

They maintain close relationships with other area police departments and work closely with the Davidson Police Department on community outreach initiatives and crime prevention.

Campus police employ a community-oriented policing and problem solving approach to law enforcement and crime prevention. Community-oriented policing is a philosophy, a management style and an organizational design that promotes police-community partnerships and proactive problem-solving strategies.

Hours and Contact Information

Campus police officers are on duty 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The Public Safety and Campus Police office, located in the basement of Tomlinson Hall, is open from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. weekdays for administration and parking services.

• To contact the office, call 704-894-2178 or for non-emergency situations 704-892-7773.
• For emergencies, call 911.

Patrol

The patrol section of campus police is composed of uniformed personnel that cover two shifts, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It includes patrols by vehicle, bicycle and foot with the goal of increased efficiency, police visibility, and crime deterrence.

Personnel Development and Training

Certified instructors within the department hold staff training and development bi-weekly, and in accordance with the N.C. Training and Standards Commission. Topics include how to approach, deal with, or handle violence in the workplace, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, crisis intervention, gay, lesbian, and transgender persons, domestic violence, criminal investigations, maximizing individual performance, and cultural diversity. Officers also learn skills in customer service, team building, response to terrorism, and more.

Investigations

The Chief of Campus Police is the primary investigator of serious crimes, though all campus officers are capable of conducting criminal investigations. Campus police work closely with Davidson Police Department detectives and other law enforcement agencies. Campus police also assist in administrative and internal investigations involving students, staff and faculty members. They enter all offense and incident reports into an automated records management system, and monitor and post crime trends and patterns in the campus community.

Operations

The operations section of the department aims to maintain and improve processes for customer satisfaction, employment conditions, efficiency and equipment monitoring, as well as administrative records keeping and oversight.

Communication and Dispatch

The nearest emergency dispatch center is located at 21440 Catawba Avenue in Cornelius, and campus police are dispatched immediately when a report of a crime or incident is received. When a report involves a felony, such as rape or armed robbery, campus police may contact the Davidson Police Department for assistance and response.

Reporting Crimes and Emergencies

To report an emergency or criminal act, dial 911 and dispatch will alert campus police. Or, call from one of the emergency telephones located around campus (outside, they are marked with blue lights, and inside buildings, they are silver). To speak to the officer on duty, call 704-892-7773.

Access to Campus Facilities

Davidson maintains a controlled-access system for campus buildings as an additional security measure, with key-card readers and identification card checkpoints.

Campus identification cards, called "Cat Cards," are required for students and employees to gain entrance into campus facilities, obtain services, and attend special events. Entrance to residence halls is limited to college members who have a valid, activated Cat Card.

Through the Cat Card system, the college maintains an active-user database, and supports efforts to maintain campus security, including:

• All residence halls remain locked 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with Cat Card access.
• Any non-college entities authorized for contractual repairs and clean up service must contact the Campus Police for entrance.
• Campus Police maintain lock-up schedules for each academic and administrative building.
• After-hours entry into academic buildings must be pre-approved by an appropriate administrator.