Sound the alarm
USD releases annual security and fire safety report
Spencer Bispham / Contributer / The USD Vista
(TW: Sexual Assault)
Last week, USD released the 2021 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report to the campus community via email. The 27-page document provides information on the Department of Public Safety (DPS), policies for fires, emergency situations, and various crime statistics. There are certain key points that are important for Toreros to understand about this report.
The first is the role that the DPS plays in maintaining a secure and safe environment. When on duty, officers have jurisdiction to enforce school policy almost everywhere on campus: the only area that is excluded is the Pacific Ridge apartment complex.
The Assistant Vice President of DPS, James Miyashiro, summarized the goals of public safety in a statement at the beginning of the document.
“The department and community work to create an environment free from the distractions of criminal activity and disorder, for the pursuit of educational excellence that brings people to the University of San Diego,” Miyashiro said.
Some of the responsibilities that this work entails are routine patrols, enforcing substance violations, and responding to individual incidents or complaints. Employees are also required to complete both emergency preparedness and active assailant training in order to equip them to de-escalate potentially harmful situations. If students are interested in learning more about the training that officers receive or what their responsibilities are, visit their page on USD’s website at www.sandiego.edu/safety.
Another portion of the report that is important for students to understand is USD’s response to sexual assault. On page 9 of the document, sexual assault is defined as “any unwanted physical contact of a sexual nature that occurs either without the consent of each participant or when a participant is unable to give consent freely.” In response to issues of this nature, the document states that “USD will respond promptly and equitably to all reports of Sexual Misconduct or Relationship Violence to ensure the safety of the individuals involved and the USD community” (USD). The data from 2020 indicated there were no reported incidents of this nature on USD’s physical campus, though according to RAINN, more than two thirds of sexual assaults are not reported at all.
USD encourages students to report any kind of sexual assault/harassment to a variety of resources including (but not limited to) its CARE advocates, the University Ministry, Student Health Center, and the USD Women’s Commons. In a change from last year’s report, there is now information listed for support available to the general public such as the San Diego Family Justice Center, San Diego Domestic Violence Hotline, and the Center for Community Solutions.
At the end of the report is where the information about fire safety is found. There is no need to panic- USD has only had three total fires within the past three years. All of them were small and easily-controlled, thanks to the information about what to do when there is a fire. For a full rundown of USD’s fire procedures, head to the webpage www.sandiego.edu/safety, and click on the most recent fire safety report available. As far as general safety goes, students can also find out how to extinguish a fire, who to notify, and what to do in the event of an evacuation.
The Annual Security and Fire safety report has a plethora of information that USD students can benefit from. Though these resources help keep crime rates low on campus, there are still doubts as to whether it is enough.
Sophomore Denise Picazo explained what she feels like on campus during different times of day.
“I would say yes, most of the time I feel safe on campus. Except at night when I’m alone, then I feel paranoid,” Picazo said.
To ensure the safety of everyone on campus, check your USD email for the 2021 Security and Fire Safety Report or read up online about the resources that are available at the University of San Diego. It may seem daunting, but that is only because the information may very well save someone’s life.