Note: This is the first installment of exclusive research featured in the Campus Safety Yearbook. Results for K-12 and hospital campuses, as well as technology and officer salaries will be released on CampusSafetyMagazine.com throughout the month of November.
Nearly half of university/college police or security departments don’t have enough staff or weapons to appropriately respond to incidents, according to Campus Safety magazine’s “How Safe Is Your Campus?” survey. That said, four in five say their institutions’ top administrators take public safety seriously.
Results from the exclusive survey, which also cover wages, officer morale, active shooter/bomber response preparedness, sexual assault policy, alcohol policy, resources and emergency management issues, appear in the publication’s second annual Yearbook.
View “How Safe Is Your Campus?” Survey Results: Universities
Some highlights from the study include:
- One in three respondents say their police and/or security personnel aren’t paid a fair wage for their duties.
- 35 percent either disagree somewhat or strongly with the statement: “If an active shooter or bomber came onto my campus, my department and my institution would be able to respond effectively.”
- More than four in five (82%) strongly agree or agree somewhat that their departments’ relationships with other jurisdictions are well developed and fully functional.
Administrators Take Campus Public Safety Seriously
A significant percentage of college and university respondents indicate they are receiving good support from campus administration. Four out of five (80 percent) say their top administrators take safety and security on campus seriously, and 65 percent say they have enough authority to carry out their responsibilities appropriately. Still, that leaves more than one in four who either disagree somewhat or strongly with the statement: “I have enough authority to do my job well.”
Lack of resources is another challenge, which, in light of the current economic recession, it’s not surprising. Two in five say their institutions don’t dedicate enough money, resources and personnel to campus safety and security efforts and technology. Still, 60 percent expect that the same or more resources will be dedicated to safety and security in 2011.
Emergency Preparedness Gets High Marks
University respondents generally express a high level of satisfaction with most aspects of their campus’ emergency management programs.
Hazmat incident preparedness is the one significant weakness, however. Nearly a third of respondents (29 percent) either disagree somewhat or strongly with the statement “My campus is adequately prepared for a hazmat incident.” One in five survey takers are not satisfied with their institution’s emergency/crisis plans (20 percent) or weather emergency/ natural disaster preparedness (21 percent).
View “How Safe Is Your Campus?” Survey Results: Universities
Related articles:
- “How Safe Is Your Campus?” Survey Results: University
- “How Safe Is Your Campus?” Survey Results: Officer Salaries
- Anonymous Survey Respondent Quotes
- It’s Good to No Longer Be the ‘Problem Child’ on Campus
View the PDF version of “How Safe Is Your Campus?” Survey Results: Universities
