Frequently Asked Questions about CSA's

1). What makes me a Campus Safety Authority (CSA)?
 
You are considered a CSA if your job on ULM's campus fits any one of these descriptions:

 1. an individual who has responsibility for campus security

 2. an individual specified by the university to which students should report criminal offenses

 3. a university official with significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including but not limited to student housing, student discipline and campus judicial proceedings.

 
 2). What are my responsibilities as a CSA?
 
CSAs must report criminal incidents which occur on ULM's campus or university-affiliated property to the ULM Police Department.

The crime must occur at one of the following locations:

• on-campus, including student housing

• off-campus, but on ULM-affiliated property (e.g. ULM Farm, Pharmacy/Bienville Building, Satellite pharmacy campuses located in Shreveport and Baton Rouge, etc.)

• public property streets (streets adjacent to the main campus)
  

3). What crimes do I need to report?

• Homicide
• Aggravated Assault
• Sexual Assault
• Robbery
• Burglary
• Motor Vehicle Theft (Stolen vehicles)
• Arson
• Weapon Violations (e.g. Possession, Brandishing)
• Alcohol Violation (e.g. Minor in possession)
• Drug Violations
• Hate Crimes

Definitions of these crimes can be found here

 
4). Why is this necessary?
 
The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) requires the university to collect and report crime statistics as they relate to the campus.

Keeping accurate crime statistics helps the ULM Police Department know where to provide prevention programs and safety awareness programs to help keep the campus safe.
 
The intent of including non-law enforcement personnel such as CSAs is to acknowledge that many individuals, and students in particular, are hesitant about reporting crimes to the police, but may be more inclined to report incidents to other campus affiliated individuals.
 
The university can be sanctioned and fined by the U.S. Department of Education if found to be in non-compliance with the Clery Act reporting requirements. 
 
5). How do I report incidents to the ULM Police Department?  
 
You are highly encouraged to immediately call the ULM Police to report any crime or suspicious activity, anytime, 24 hours a day:

 • Police Emergency from any university phone: 5350
 
 • Notification through ULM Safe App
 
 • Police Emergency from any university phone: 911
 (connects you to the Ouachita  Parish 9-1-1 Center - ask for ULM Police)
 
 • Police Business Line: 318-342-5350

 

6). What happens after the police department receives a complaint from a CSA?
 
The University Police collect all incidents received from CSAs.  The incidents are reviewed for duplication and to verify if each incident is Clery Act reportable.  The incidents are then classified into their proper crime and geographical categories, then added to ULM's Clery Act statistics database.

 

7). What if I am unsure if an incident is a crime? Should it be reported under the Clery Act?

Please report any crime with as much detail as possible about the incident. The crime analyst will determine if it is a Clery Act reportable crime.

 

8). If the University Police aren't going to investigate these crimes, what is the purpose of reporting incidents to the police department?

 

ULM Police will always try to investigate all reports of crime that are received. That is why making a report as quickly as possible  is critical. The focus of all reporting is to ensure that crime victims receive aid, protection, police and support services.

 

Nationally, many crimes do not get reported to the police.  By collecting data from other sources, ULM Police can determine a more accurate number of crimes on campus.

 

9). Are there exemptions to CSA reporting incidents?

 

Certain individuals who have significant responsibility for student and campus activities are exempt from disclosing information:

• Pastoral counselor - a person who is associated with a religious order or denomination, is recognized by that religious order as someone who provides confidential counseling, and is functioning within the scope of that recognition as a pastoral counselor.

 

• Professional counselor -  a person whose official responsibility includes providing mental health counseling to members of the institutions community and who is functioning within the scope of his or her license or certification.  This definition applies even to professional counselors who are not employees of the institution but are under contract to provide counseling at the institution.

 

10). What happens if I do not report criminal incidents to the University Police Department?

 

The U.S. Department of Education is charged with enforcing the Jeanne Clery Act and may level civil penalties against institutions of higher education up to a $35,000 fine per violation and suspension of Federal Financial Aid programs.