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Campus Safety Guide
The university makes every effort to promote safety and reduce criminal activity.
Your actions can determine whether or not you are the victim of a crime. If you observe unsafe conditions, contact the police or the Director of Facilities as soon as possible. Please follow these safety guidelines.
- To contact a police officer on campus and from a campus phone, dial 3000.
- You may also dial (704) 463-3000.
- If there is an emergency on campus, immediately call 911.
- To contact the Misenheimer Police Chief, call ext. 3001 or (704) 463-3001.
Pfeiffer University utilizes the LiveSafe app, a mobile safety communications platform and enables users to provide actionable crowdsourced intelligence gathering for security officials and offers immediate emergency information for students, faculty, and staff. Download the LiveSafe app in App Store or Google Play Store.
Don’t walk alone.
The Misenheimer Police Department provides escorts 24 hours a day year-round. To request an escort, dial either (704) 463-3000 from a non-campus phone or ext. 3000 from a campus phone. Be sure to give the officer a phone number so he/she can notify you in case there is an emergency in progress that might delay the response.
- Keep all doors locked when you are out of your room or asleep.
- Do not remove screens from your windows.
- If you observe a stranger walking around inside the residence hall without an escort or lingering around outside, call the police department immediately.
- Never attach identification information to your key ring.
- If you lose your room key or building key, notify police and Office of Student Development immediately.
- Do not wedge open entrance or stairwell doors.
- Never loan your hall or room keys to anyone.
- Be familiar with all emergency procedures and fire exits.
- If you return to your room and notice that it has been broken into, do not go into the room. Notify the police department immediately.
- Solicitors are not permitted in the halls. If a solicitor comes to your door, contact the police department.
- Never leave anything in the lobby or hallways unattended. It only takes a few seconds for a thief to steal your possessions.
- Keep your shades closed while dressing.
- Don’t walk alone. Call for an escort.
- If you observe or hear anything strange, contact the police department immediately.
- If you observe a strange vehicle on campus, write down the description of the vehicle and its license plate number and contact the police department immediately.
- Avoid remaining in a building alone. Invite a friend to keep you company if you realize that everyone else has left the building.
- If you are being harassed by anyone on campus, get to a phone. If during the day, go to the closest office and contact the police department.
- Stay in well-lit areas when walking at night.
- When walking off campus, always walk with a friend.
- Never walk off campus after dark.
- Do not use athletic fields after dark; this is prohibited.
- When walking to your vehicle or hall, have your keys in hand.
Whistle Safety Program
Whistles are offered to new students, when available.
Video Documentation
Misenheimer police officers utilize multimedia to record crimes and misconduct on campus. The findings are used to settle violation disputes in campus and criminal court.
In cases of severe weather, it is crucial that you know what to do for your safety. The police will notify the residence hall and other campus staff in specific directions.
Follow all directions delivered by university officials during dangerous weather. If evacuation of residence halls is necessary, students will be directed to the basements of the library and of Harris Science Building.
Citations
Officers have authority to write North Carolina state citations and Pfeiffer University campus citations. If you receive a state citation, it must be dealt with at the Stanly County Courthouse located in Albemarle, N.C.
If you receive a campus citation for misconduct, payment must be submitted within two weeks to the Pfeiffer Business Office. To appeal the campus citation an appeal letter must be submitted to the Chief of Police within two weeks of receiving the citation. Appeals will not be accepted after two weeks.
Alcohol
A person under the age of twenty-one may not purchase, attempt to purchase or possess alcoholic beverages. This includes malt beverages, fortified or unfortified wine, liquor, and mixed drinks. Giving your identification to someone else to purchase or attempt to purchase alcoholic beverages is also illegal. Alcohol is prohibited in all public areas on campus. If you are abusing alcohol, please seek counseling immediately.
Drugs
The university adheres strictly to federal and state laws governing the possession, distribution, or consumption of drugs or other controlled substances. Any person illegally possessing, distributing or using such drugs or controlled substances will be subject to criminal prosecution. If you are using illegal drugs or abusing prescription or over-the-counter drugs, please seek counseling immediately.
Weapons
State law and departmental regulation govern the use of weapons by university officers. Officers shall use their firearms only to:
- Protect their lives or the life of another when there is a clear and immediate danger to life
- Prevent grievous injury to themselves or another when a clear and present danger exists.
The use or possession of firearms or other weapons by anyone while on campus is not permitted even if such persons possess a North Carolina concealed weapons permit.
If you become aware that a person has a weapon on campus, do not approach them. Instead, notify the police immediately.
Counseling is available on campus for all persons that need assistance. Visit our office in Stokes Student Center Mon.-Fri. between 8-5 or make an appointment by email or by calling (704) 463-3439.
If you do not feel comfortable with seeking assistance on campus, please contact an outside agency for help:
Crisis Council Inc.
24-Hour Crisis Line
(800) 551-5497
(704) 985-1966
Sexual assault and harassment are very serious crimes that should not go unreported. If you do not report it to the police department, be sure to report it to someone of authority on campus.
If you are a victim of a sexual assault, try to remember these rules:
- Contact the police immediately.
- Do not take a shower or douche.
- Do not wash the clothes or bedding on which the incident may have occurred. Put all articles of clothing that you had on during the assault in a paper bag.
- Try to write down what the assailant looked like and any other information that might be important to the police.
- If the attack occurs off campus, contact the local law enforcement agency where the attack occurred.
- Even if you do not report a sexual attack, be sure to seek medical treatment and counseling.
These few rules are very important when trying to convict a suspect.
- If you are a victim of sexual harassment, contact the police and fill out a report. A person cannot be convicted of harassment unless each incident is documented.
- Both sexual assault and harassment are very serious. If you are a victim of one of these crimes and do not report it, you are not only hurting yourself but also the next person that is attacked.
Blind (Anonymous) Reporting of Sexual Assaults
The police department offers blind (anonymous) reporting of sexual assault incidents that occur on or around campus. All faculty and staff members (clergy and counselors excluded) with knowledge of a sexual assault that occurred on or near campus (whether or not the victim was a student) are required by Clery Act (formerly the Campus Security Act) to report the incident to campus police immediately.
You can report an assault using the blind reporting form if you prefer this method of reporting.
Stalking
If you are a victim of stalking, file a report with the university and police of all incidents and preserve all electronic communications as evidence.
Investigation
All reports of sexual assault, harassment, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking are investigated and then adjudicated before a trained Campus Conduct Board. Both parties will be advised of their rights throughout the process and will be informed in writing of the decision of the board and the appeal process.
This board’s level of evidentiary proof for hearings shall be a preponderance of the evidence.
Education
Pfeiffer University has policies in place for students and employees as well as ongoing educational programming to address sexual assaults, domestic and dating violence stalking and all types of harassment. The Pfeiffer community is one in which all persons should be able to participate without fear.
Domestic Violence Orders
If you have a domestic violence order issued, the police department must be notified and have a copy of the order so it may be enforced.
If you have an order issued please contact the chief of police as soon as possible at ext. 2567.
Sexual Assault Victim’s Bill Of Rights
If a sexual assault does occur the victim has the following rights:
- Both accuser and accused have the right to have others present during any questioning.
- Both parties will be informed of the outcome of any disciplinary proceeding.
- The survivor has the option of reporting the assault to law enforcement or handling the disciplinary actions through the campus judicial system.
- Counseling is available on campus through Health and Counseling Services for all persons that need assistance. Visit our office in Stokes Student Center Mon.–Fri. between 8–5 or make an appointment by email or by calling (704) 463-3439. If you do not feel comfortable with seeking assistance on campus, please contact an outside agency for help: Crisis Council Inc. 24-Hour Crisis Line (800) 551-5497 or (704) 985-1966.
- In severe situations, if the survivor needs to change the academic or living environment, the university will utilize all avenues to accommodate the survivor. This will be coordinated through the Dean of Student Development.
Members of the village and university community are urged to notify the police department immediately of any criminal activity or other emergencies that occur within the incorporated limits of Misenheimer, including the university. Police officers will respond quickly and initiate whatever action is necessary to resolve the emergency, including the activation of outside police, fire or medical agencies when appropriate.
The emergency telephone number off-campus is 911 and on campus is ext. 9-911 (Stanly County Communications). For all other calls, dial extension 3000 if on the campus of Pfeiffer University and (704) 986-3700 when off-campus. All crimes reported to the police department will be investigated until an arrest is made, leads are exhausted or the victim decides not to prosecute or cooperate. Reports will be used to calculate annual statistical information.
Reporting Of Crime Off-Campus
The campus community will also be notified within forty-eight hours should the university become aware of any crime of a severe nature that takes place near campus or at off-campus functions that are sponsored by Pfeiffer.
Notification of campus crime and dissemination of campus security statistics:
- A log of campus crime will be posted on the campus safety board the first week of every month. This log will indicate what crimes have taken place the month before the posting. If a crime of a severe nature occurs, a notice will be posted within forty-eight hours after being reported.
- The Clery information will be disseminated in the following formats:
- a) In a complete book with extensive information, including charts and graphs. The book will be given to the president, vice president for institutional research, dean of student development, vice president for academic affairs and the admissions office.
- b) In a pamphlet that will be handed out at registration; copies will also be kept in key offices around campus so the community can obtain the information anytime during the year.
- c) Safety and statistical information are also located on the Pfeiffer University website (pfeiffer.edu).
When and Why Officers Stop and Question
Sometimes it is necessary for police officers to stop a person and make an inquiry such as:
- What is your name?
- What is your address?
- Do you have any identification?
The Misenheimer Police Department strives to provide service to everyone in the community fairly and equally. This page explains what to expect if a police officer stops you for questioning and also provides some guidelines on how to respond to the questioning process. (This is not a legal advisory.)
Why Questions?
When police officers question a person, there are underlying reasons. They may be checking on a complaint phoned in by someone in the community. They may have received a report of criminal activity, and your presence might indicate that you are a potential witness who could provide valuable information in an investigation. In some cases, an officer may think you are having trouble and need assistance.
The best way for them to clarify the situation is to ask questions. Officers have a responsibility to properly investigate all situations. Their questions are not necessarily an accusation, and your cooperative response can alleviate potential conflict.
If the Police Stop You on the Street
Problems may arise when it appears an officer has stopped to question you for no reason at all. Time may be crucial in investigating a possible crime, and police officers are trained to evaluate a situation and act if they have a reasonable suspicion that you may be involved in an incident. We ask that you cooperate.
Village of Misenheimer Community/Campus Watch Program
In line with the department’s commitment to community-oriented law enforcement, we established a Community Watch Program in the Spring of 2004. To receive more information about community watch, please contact Chief McGinnis.
Crime Statistics and Dissemination Policy
The following information is compiled in accordance with federal regulations for both the university and all persons that are affiliated with the university. This information is open to the public, and all persons are encouraged to read this material and ask questions. Printed materials are distributed on campus and available to prospective students and others. Community members are made aware of recent crimes and crime trends on or around the university campus by police department personnel by use of the university police information board, informational fliers, Contact Now timely notifications, social media, and the university email system. All of these statistics are updated and disseminated annually to the university community, potential students, and others who request them.
Category | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
Murder/Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rape | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Fondling | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Statutory Rape | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Robbery | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kidnapping | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Aggravated Assault | 0 | 0 | 0 |
**Burglary | 3 | 4 | 4 |
Motor Vehicle Theft | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arson | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Domestic/Dating Violence | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Stalking | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Arrests or Citations for: | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
Alcohol Violations | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Drug Violations | 4 | 3 | 5 |
Weapons Possession | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Campus Disciplinary Referrals | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
*Alcohol Violations | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Drug Violations | 4 | 3 | 5 |
Weapons Possession | 0 | 0 | 0 |
** Includes any act of larceny after illegal entry from a public building.
While these statistics reflect the relative safety and security of the Pfeiffer campus, it is imperative that all members of the campus community actively assist in reporting problems and incidents so that the quality of the environment may be maintained.
The following definitions of these crimes are based on the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report:
- Murder and Nonnegligent Manslaughter – The willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another.
- Negligent Manslaughter – The killing of another person through gross negligence.
- Forcible Sex Offenses – Any sexual act directed against another person, forcibly or against that person’s will. This includes forcible rape, forcible sodomy, sexual assault with an object, and forcible fondling.
- Robbery – The taking, or attempting to take, of anything of value under confrontational circumstances from the control, custody, or care of another person or persons by force or threat of force or violence and by putting the victim in fear of immediate harm.
- Aggravated Assault – An unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. This type of assault usually is accompanied by the use of a weapon or by the means likely to produce death or great bodily harm. (It is not necessary that injury results from an aggravated assault when a gun, knife or other weapon is used which could and probably would result in serious personal injury if the crime were successfully completed.)
- Burglary – The unlawful (forced or non-forced) entry of a structure or building to commit a felony or theft. For reporting purposes this definition includes the unlawful entry with intent to commit a larceny or felony; breaking and entering with intent to commit a larceny; housebreaking; safecracking; and all attempts to commit any aforementioned.
- Motor Vehicle Theft – The theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle. (Classify as motor vehicle theft cases where automobiles are taken by persons not having lawful access even though the vehicles are later abandoned, including joyriding.)
- Arson – Any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another, etc.
- Arrests for Liquor Law Violations – The violations of laws or ordinances prohibiting the manufacture, sale, purchase, transportation, possession of intoxicating liquor; maintaining unlawful drinking places; bootlegging; operating a still; furnishing liquor to a minor or intemperate person; using a vehicle for illegal transportation of liquor; drinking on a train or public conveyance; and all attempts to commit any of the aforementioned. (Does not include “driving under the influence” or “drunkenness.”)
- Arrests for Drug Abuse Violations – Violations of state and local laws relating to the unlawful possession, sale, use, growing, manufacturing, and making of narcotic drugs. The relevant substances include opium or cocaine and their derivatives (morphine, heroin, codeine); marijuana; synthetic narcotics (Demerol, methadone); and dangerous nonnarcotic drugs (barbiturates, Benzedrine).
- Arrests for Weapons Possessions – The violation of laws or ordinances dealing with weapon offenses, regulatory in nature, such as: manufacture, sale, or possession of deadly weapons; carrying deadly weapons, concealed or openly; furnishing deadly weapons to minors; aliens possessing deadly weapons; and all attempts to commit any of the aforementioned.
- Disciplinary Referrals for Weapon Law Violations – The violation of laws or ordinances dealing with weapon offenses, regulatory in nature, such as: manufacture, sale, or possession of deadly weapons; carrying deadly weapons, concealed or openly; furnishing deadly weapons to minors; aliens possessing deadly weapons; and all attempts to commit any of the aforementioned.
- Disciplinary Referrals for Drug Abuse Violations – Violations of some misdemeanor state and local laws relating to the unlawful possession, sale, use, growing, manufacturing, and making of narcotic drugs. No felonious violations will be referred for disciplinary actions only. The relevant substances include opium or cocaine and their derivatives (morphine, heroin, codeine); marijuana; synthetic narcotics (Demerol, methadone); and dangerous nonnarcotic drugs (barbiturates, Benzedrine).
- Disciplinary Referrals for Liquor Law Violations – The violation of laws or ordinances prohibiting: the manufacture, sale, transporting, furnishing, possessing of intoxicating liquor; maintaining unlawful drinking places; bootlegging; operating a still; furnishing liquor to a minor or intemperate person; using a vehicle for illegal transportation of liquor; drinking on a train or public conveyance; and all attempts to commit any of the aforementioned. (Drunkenness and driving under the influence are not included in this definition.)
Anonymous Tips
In providing a safe environment to all persons at Pfeiffer University, the Misenheimer Police Department needs your assistance. If you have any information regarding criminal activities, safety concerns, or ongoing investigations, please contact the department via e-mail markus.lambert@pfeiffer.edu or by phone, (704) 463-3001. Your identity will not be revealed.
Identity Theft
What is identity theft?
The Federal Trade Commission is your national resource for identity theft information. Please visit their website, http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/ for additional information and suggestions.
You can also find useful information on the U.S. Department of Education’s website.
Identity theft occurs when an unauthorized individual acquires some of your personal information — your bank and credit card numbers, your income, your social security number, or even something as simple as your name, address, and telephone numbers — and uses it to commit fraud or theft. Specifically, the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998 makes it a federal crime when someone “knowingly transfers or uses, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person with the intent to commit, or to aid or abet, any unlawful activity that constitutes a violation of federal law, or that constitutes a felony under any applicable state or local law.”
How can a thief get my information?
Identity thieves may use a variety of methods to secure personal information about another individual, including:
- Stealing wallets and purses containing your identification and credit and bank cards.
- Stealing your mail, including your bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, telephone calling cards, and tax information.
- Completing a “change of address form” to divert your mail to another location.
- Rummaging through your trash for personal data in practice known as “dumpster diving.”
- Using the personal information you share on the Internet.
How can I manage my ID information?
Manage your personal information cautiously and wisely by taking the following steps:
- Only carry the identification and cards you need at any given time. Carry only the identification information and the number of credit and debit cards that you’ll need.
- Do not make Internet purchases from sites that are unsecured (check for a padlock icon on the site to ensure its safety).
- Avoid writing a PIN number, social security number (SSN) or passcode on any of your credit cards or on anything you plan to throw out.
- While purchasing in person, keep your eye on the cashier – never look away while your card is being processed. Never leave your receipts behind after making a purchase. Destroy all carbons.
- Be sure someone you trust collects your mail in your absence. If you are leaving town for a week or more, ask the post office to hold your mail until your return. Deposit outgoing mail in post office collection boxes or at your local post office, rather than in an unsecured mailbox. Promptly remove mail from your mailbox. If you’re planning to be away from home and can’t pick up your mail, call the U.S. Postal Service at (800) 275-8777 to request a vacation hold.
- Secure your social security card in a safe place at home; do not carry it in your wallet.
- Create passwords or codes that are not obvious; avoid using your birth date, your mother’s maiden name or your pet’s name. Place passwords on your credit card, bank, and phone accounts. Avoid using easily available information like your mother’s maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your SSN or your phone number or a series of consecutive numbers.
- Secure personal information in your home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help or are having service work done in your home.
- Be aware of “shoulder surfers.” Shield your numbers when using an ATM or making a purchase at a department store.
- Order a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus Equifax, Experian, and Transunion once a year. By checking your report on a regular basis, you can catch mistakes and fraud before they wreak havoc on your finances. Consumers should monitor their credit reports and are authorized one free copy per year. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com for more information.
- Pay attention to your billing cycles. Follow up with creditors if your bills don’t arrive on time. A missing credit card bill could mean an identity thief has taken over your account and changed your billing address to cover his tracks.
Stay Safe
For more information about safety procedures, visit the following pages:
We appreciate your efforts to keep our campus safe and peaceful.
Chief of Police
Sgt. Markus Lambert (Interim Police Cheif)
(704) 463-3001
markus.lambert@pfeiffer.edu