Public Safety Policy
Patrol and Emergency Services
Wheaton College Public Safety (located at Chase Service Center) is a department dedicated to the protection of life and property and to the prevention of crime, fire, and accidents. Uniformed officers are on duty 24 hours-a-day patrolling campus buildings, streets and parking lots. Public Safety serves to protect the College’s students, employees, and property, checking for suspicious circumstances and safety hazards. Officers will respond immediately to any report of crime, fire or major medical emergency. Officers also issue notices to appropriate personnel when unsafe conditions exist.
All academic buildings are secured during evenings and weekends. Athletic and recreational areas are secured overnight. Access to these buildings and areas while they are secured is only allowed for authorized faculty/staff members and students who are authorized by those faculty/staff members. Public Safety Officers perform regular “walk-throughs” of all buildings every night.
Officers also perform vehicle patrols of parking lots and surrounding areas.
Students found in locked College-owned buildings after-hours (or during break periods) will be fined $50. Unauthorized entry into any construction area may result in a $500 fine. Students found on roofs of College facilities or residences may be fined $250. These are all examples of trespassing and may be referred to local police for prosecution in deemed necessary.
Students are not allowed to camp or sleep outdoors on Wheaton College’s campus property in Wheaton, Illinois.
Reporting Crimes and Incidents
The College encourages accurate and prompt reporting of all criminal actions, emergencies, or other incidents occurring on campus, on other property owned or rented by the College, or on nearby public property to the appropriate administrator and appropriate police agencies. Such a report is encouraged when the victim of a crime elects to, or is unable to, make such a report.
All crimes occurring on or near Wheaton College property should be reported immediately either to the Wheaton Police Department by calling 911, or to Public Safety at 630.752.5911. Dispatchers are available at either number 24/7.
If there is a crime in progress or if there is some other situation posing an imminent danger, call the Wheaton Police Department at 911 and, if possible, notify Public Safety as well.
Students, faculty, staff, and visitors may also report crimes to any of the campus security authorities listed below. When doing so, the campus security authority may also encourage the reporter to report the situation to the Wheaton Police Department. A Crime Reporting Form is also available on the Public Safety webpage for all Campus Security Authorities (CSA) to report crimes to the Clery Compliance Officer. All Campus Security Authorities are made aware of this form and are provided links to the form in all CSA training materials and related communications.
Wheaton College has designated many employees and student workers as Campus Security Authorities (CSA), based on their functions and responsibilities at the college. These individuals are responsible for receiving reports of crimes or other inappropriate behaviors and to handle those reports according to Wheaton College policy and the parameters of the law. Although crimes may be reported to any CSA, or directly to the police, the College would prefer that crimes also be reported to one of the following:
- Dean of Residence Life – 630.752.5427
- Vice President for Student Development – 630.752.5026
- Director of Athletics – 630.752.5079
- Director of Equity & Title IX Coordinator – 630.752.7885
- Associate Dean of Student Wellness – 630.752.5797
- Director of Wheaton in Chicago – 630.752.5730
- Director of Wheaton College Field Station – 605.342.6634
- Director of HoneyRock – 715.479.7474
- Director of Student Health Services – 630.752.5072
- Director of Global Programs and Studies – 630.752.7309
- Chief Human Resources Officer – 630.752.5060
- Chief of Public Safety – 630.752.5911
Anonymous incident reports may be made through the Office of Equity and Title IX via the online reporting form.
Pursuant to the College's sexual misconduct policy, when an employee who is not a confidential resource becomes aware of an alleged misconduct under that policy (including, but not limited to, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking), the employee is required to report that information, including the status of the parties, if known, to the Equity and Title IX Office.
A victim of any other type of crime who does not want to pursue action within the College's disciplinary system or the criminal justice system is encouraged to make a confidential report to Public Safety or any campus security authority. Upon the victim's request, a report of the details of the incident can be filed with the College without revealing the victim's identity. Such a confidential report complies with the victim's wishes and helps the College take appropriate steps to ensure the future safety of the victim and others. With such information, the College can keep an accurate record of the number of incidents involving members of the campus community, determine where a pattern of crime may be developing, and alert the community as to any potential danger. These confidential reports are counted and disclosed in the annual crime statistics for the College.
Expectations of Student Interaction with Public Safety
Public Safety employees work to protect and serve the Wheaton College Community. Students are expected to interact with Public Safety Officers respectfully, including prompt and courteous compliance with all lawful requests. For example, students are required to provide their student ID upon request from a Public Safety Officer.
Any student who fails to cooperate with or show proper respect to a Public Safety Officer will be subject to disciplinary action. For example, students who harass Public Safety Officers or tamper with their vehicles or equipment (e.g. pranking, water ballooning, egging, or throwing snowballs, etc.) will be fined up to $500 and be subject to disciplinary action. Harassing and assaulting an Officer constitutes a crime and can carry legal consequences.