AVC Sheriff's Office: Information
This information complies with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure for Campus Crime and Awareness and Safety.
Campus Crime Awareness
The Antelope Valley College Safety and Security Office is committed to the safety of our students, employees and visitors. The office has the responsibility to compile campus crime statistics to keep our community and institution informed of all incidents that concern safety and security matters in keeping with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act.
The AVC Safety and Security Office will inform the community as to our institutional procedures concerning crime prevention, sexual assault and other matters of related importance. You may obtain a copy of this report at the Safety and Security Office or from this Web site (below).
Annual crime statistics are issued each January through the office of the Vice President of Student Services. Notice to prospective students is made with information included in orientation through student services personnel. Also, a notice of the report is published in the Schedule of Classes, which is distributed throughout the college district.
The Vice President of Student Services annually reports to the campus Safety and Security Office all judicial referrals alleging liquor, drug and weapons law violations that did not result in criminal filings.
Enforcement Authority
Campus security personnel are trained to meet the needs of a campus environment. The college is within the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, 661.948.8466.
Reporting Crimes or Other Emergencies
Criminal actions and other emergencies occurring on campus should be reported immediately to the Safety and Security Office by telephone, “blue light” emergency telephone, in person at the campus Safety and Security Office, or by contacting a security officer on patrol.
The office will respond by taking the following action(s) as necessary:
- Dispatch security personnel and/or sheriff’s deputies, firefighters, paramedics and other emergency personnel to the scene of the reported incident;
- Investigate the incident;
- Take appropriate action(s) to identify, apprehend and prosecute the person(s) responsible;
- Notify or request the assistance of law enforcement and/or other agencies as necessary, and;
- Take action(s) and/or make appropriate notifications.
Off-Campus Crimes
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is the primary responding law enforcement agency to any area off campus. The sheriff’s department maintains crime reports and statistics for these locations; however, they are included in this report as required by law.
Security and Access to Campus Facilities
The Safety and Security Office provides 24-hour patrol of college property, buildings, parking lots and administrative buildings. All state laws and applicable federal codes are enforced on the campus, including all code of conduct issues established by the Board of Trustees.
Officers are responsible for reporting and responding to crimes; issuing parking citations; responding to medical emergencies, accidents; reports of fire; as well as other incidents that require security assistance.
Most, but not all, campus educational facilities are open to the public during business hours. Certain facilities may be restricted as to hours or access requirements. These restrictions are posted at each location or are available upon request.
Members of the Safety and Security Office and campus community continually evaluate security and safety conditions on campus. Concerns, such as lighting or overgrown foliage, are recommended for correction as they are identified.
The campus community is encouraged to report any safety concerns, exterior lighting, or emergency telephone malfunctions to the Safety and Security Office, 661.722.6399, or campus Facilities Department, 661.722.6300, extension 6288.
Crime Prevention and Security Programs
The Safety and Security Office has programs that serve to raise the level of safety awareness of the campus community. They consist of:
- Campus escort programs, and;
- Campus Safety and Security Office lobby phone and waiting area.
Written information on these and other topics are available from the campus Safety and Security Office.
Personal Safety Escort Program
Personal safety escorts are provided to locations on campus or to parking lots during all hours of operations. For a personal safety escort, please call 661.722.6399.
The Safety and Security Office will provide timely notification to the campus community when a crime or incident occurs that presents a possible threat to campus safety. Crime alert bulletins describing recent crime trends or dangerous incidents are distributed on e-mail and posted campus wide. Crime alert bulletins are issued once relevant information is available. Notifications are made to the college Public Relations Office, the office of the Superintendent/President, the Vice President of Student Services, local law enforcement and other agencies as appropriate.
Antelope Valley College Alcohol & Drug Policy
Possession, use and sale of alcoholic beverages on campus are strictly forbidden. The district has a “zero tolerance” policy in reference to the possession of open or unopened containers of, the use of, or being under the influence of any intoxicating beverage.
All state laws dealing with alcohol, and state and federal laws regarding the possession, use and sale of illegal drugs are enforced by the campus Safety and Security Office. Violators may be subject to fine, imprisonment, and/or expulsion from the campus.
Antelope Valley College complies with the requirements of the Higher Education Act, Section 120 (a)-(d) with the following:
- Informational brochures for all students and employees that articulate Campus Drug (describes the campus as a drug-free workplace) and Campus Alcohol Policies, and;
- Publication of drug and alcohol policies in the college Catalog each year and the Schedule of Classes each term.
Antelope Valley College Policy on Sexual Assault
Antelope Valley College does not tolerate sexual assault in any form. This policy applies to all registered students and all faculty, staff, student assistants, and volunteers employed at Antelope Valley College.
Definition
Sexual assault (as defined in Section 67385 of the California Education Code) includes, but is not limited to, rape, forced sodomy, forced oral copulation, rape by a foreign object, sexual battery, and threat of sexual assault.
Purpose
To inform the campus community of the standards of acceptable behavior and procedures when those standards are violated.
Procedures
Every allegation of sexual assault will be taken seriously. Where there is reason to believe that a crime has been committed or campus regulations prohibiting sexual assault have been violated, the college will pursue criminal charges and strong disciplinary action.
Employees and students will be held accountable under the California Education Code and the AVC policy in regards to disciplinary sanctions, guided by the appropriate collective bargaining unit agreement if applicable. Disciplinary sanctions may include the possibility of suspension or termination from the institution. Also, disciplinary action can be taken against a chartered campus organization or club, if a forced sexual act occurs at an event sponsored by the organization.
The victim of a sexual assault occurring on campus should report the incident to the campus Safety and Security Office, 661.722.6399 or to the local law enforcement agency, if occurring off campus. In either circumstance, sexual assault should be reported to Sexual Assault Response (SARS) team at Antelope Valley Hospital, 661.723.7273.
The victim should make every attempt to preserve physical evidence of the assault. This includes not showering, bathing, douching, changing clothes, or disposing of any damaged clothing or other items that were present during the assault. Victims should not straighten up the area where the assault took place. Victims may be asked to submit to a voluntary medical exam.
Counselors from the Antelope Valley Hospital SARS team are available to accompany victims of sexual assault to medical facilities. Counselors from the AVH SARS will assist victims in notifying law enforcement officials of the circumstances of the sexual assault.
With the victim’s consent, an investigation of the reported sexual assault will be conducted. Also, the victim and/or the college may initiate campus disciplinary action if the assailant is a student, faculty member, or other employee by filing a report with the Office of the Vice President of Student Services, and the Office of the Vice President of Human Resources and Employee Relations, as appropriate, to initiate a campus disciplinary procedure. The accuser and the accused are entitled to the same opportunities to have others present during a disciplinary proceeding. Moreover, both the accuser and the accused shall be informed of the outcome of any institutional disciplinary proceeding brought alleging a sex offense.
Responsibilities
Antelope Valley College will commit available resources to assist and support and accommodate victims of sexual assault. Examples of accommodations may include, but may not be limited to: changes in academic programs or day and night escorts.
Convicted Sexual Offender Registration Laws (Megan’s Law)
Penal Code 290.01 requires sexual offenders to register with college and local police officials. Convicted sexual offenders are required to register under Section 290 if they are enrolled as a student of the college; employed by the college, either full time or part time (includes paid employees or volunteers); or working or carrying on a vocation at the college (e.g. contractors) for more than 14 days or for an aggregate period exceeding 30 days in a calendar year (including paid workers and volunteers).
Persons listed above must register with the campus Safety and Security Office within five working days of commencing enrollment or employment with the college. Registrants are required to notify the Safety and Security Office within five working days of ceasing to be enrolled or employed, or ceasing to carry on a vocation at the college.
Registrants are not permitted to visit campus property for any reason without notifying the campus Safety and Security Office prior to coming on to college property.
Public information regarding sex offenders in California may be obtained by viewing the California Department of Justice Megan’s Law Web site at: http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov