Responsible Office: Human Resources
Policy Administrator: VP for Finance and Administration
Scope: |Faculty |Staff

Approved By: President's Council

Approved Date: 11/1/2011

Effective Date: 11/1/2011

Category: Faculty and Staff

Description/Purpose:

Threats and Random Acts of Violence

Details:

Saint Francis University is committed to provide a safe environment for students to learn and employees to work. The university will not tolerate any form of violence or threat of violence on any campus owned or controlled building. If evidence exists to support an allegation of violence or threat of violence, immediate action will be taken to address the problem in the form of a criminal arrest, disciplinary action, or other appropriate remedy. The use of a Threat Assessment Team will be used where appropriate.

All students, employees, visitors, and others who do business with the university, whether in a university facility or off-campus location are covered by this policy. The PA Criminal Code, Title 18, the employee code of conduct, and student code of conduct shall be used as guidelines in adjudicating violations of law or campus policy. It shall be the scope of this policy to consider mental health related issues relating to criminal behavior or threats to possibly be outside the purview of criminal law or local sanction.

Definitions

Threat Assessment The process of evaluating a threat and the circumstances surrounding the threat and to uncover any facts or evidence that indicate the threat is likely to be carried out.

Behavior Intervention Team (BIT) specific university employees, selected to represent a cross-section of potential need. Appropriate members of the team will be called when an individual engages in a course of conduct or makes a threat that is particular to the involved representatives job responsibility. The Behavior Intervention Team at Saint Francis University will be comprised of a representative from Risk Management, University Police, Human Resources, Counseling, Student Development, and any other appropriate departmental employees necessary to satisfy Team requirements.

Prohibited Behavior

While it is not possible to describe all the actions that might constitute threatening or violent behavior, the following behaviors are strictly forbidden on campus and campus owned or controlled buildings.

• Using threatening, intimidating, or abusive language or gestures.
• Sending threatening or intimating letters, notes, emails, phone calls and text messages.
• Using or brandishing firearms, explosives, knives, or other types of weapons.
• Stalking or similarly harassing behavior toward employees, students, or campus visitors.
• Physically attacking another person.
• Verbally threatening to harm another person.
• Destroys or attempts to destroy property.

Procedure

Any member of the BIT may initiate the activation of needed Team members. Normally, University Police will be initially called to investigate the reported violation of criminal law or threat. After initial contact with the individual creating the problem, police will contact other appropriate members of the Team. Specifically, the response by the BIT will employ the following format:

Step I:  Evaluate threat. After being advised of a threat or violence, University Police will interview the individual making the threat, using a standard set of questions. Police will also interview the alleged victim and any witnesses involved in the incident. Officers conducting these interviews will be concerned with not only what the accused individual said or did, but also the context in which the threat was made and what the individual intended by making the threat.

Step II: Decide whether threat is clearly transient or substantive. Police will involve other appropriate members of the Team, if needed, to make the important distinction between transient threats, which are easily resolved because they are not serious threats, and substantive threats, which are serious in the sense that they poise a continuing risk or danger to others. Transient threats can be readily identified as expressions of anger or frustration that dissipate quickly when the individual reflects on the meaning of what he or she said. In contrast, substantive threats represent a sustained intent to harm someone beyond the immediate incident. If there is a doubt whether a threat is transient or substantive, the threat is regarded as substantive.

Step III: Responding to a transient threat. The response to a transient threat reported to police may involve a recommendation for discipline, either on-campus or arrest. Information concerning the complete investigation will be retained in a database for future use, if needed. A student or employee may be required to make amends, including but not limited to mediation or counseling. Visitors to campus may be escorted off campus or arrested, depending on the totality of circumstances.

Step IV: Decide whether the substantive threat is serious or very serious. Investigations that reveal a serious or very serious threat will involve the assistance of other appropriate Threat Assessment Team members. A determination will be made to distinguish serious threats from very serious threats.

Step V: Responding to a serious substantive threat. Police will take immediate precautions to protect potential victims, including notifying the intended victim. A change in housing or class section may be needed for students if the investigation considers this to be appropriate.  Students making serious substantive threats may be arrested and/or expelled.  Employees may be suspended, arrested, and/or terminated if the investigation reveals this course of action warranted.  Other possibilities to resolve the incident may include counseling, dispute mediation, or other intervention.

Step VI: Implement a safety plan. A safety plan to protect the victim will be completed, maintained, and updated as needed. Contact with the victim will be maintained from the initiation of the threat report to conclusion of the incident.