If you would like to commend an officer, supervisor, student, or another department member for outstanding service and professionalism in the performance of their duties, you may contact the Director of Campus Safety at (585) 389-2847 or rcruz81251@naz.edu. Be prepared to provide the name of the department member, the action you would like to commend, and the date and approximate time that the action occurred. Upon receipt, information received will be forwarded to the department member. Written commendations are welcome and encouraged.

Allegations of Misconduct: The University has an established formal complaint process with procedures for addressing allegations of employee misconduct. These internal policies and guidelines provide for corrective action as appropriate, while at the same time protecting employees from unwarranted criticism when duties are properly performed. In general, the process involves reporting the alleged misconduct to Campus Safety who will collaborate with the Office of Human Resources on complaints regarding the misconduct of a Campus Safety member. Campus Safety ensures complaints are promptly investigated and handled in a just manner and takes into consideration the rights of the accused, the rights of the complainant, and the safety and needs of the university community while the investigation is being conducted.

Complainants are encouraged to submit complaints as soon as possible (immediately following the incident) to ensure accurate and detailed information is captured. Complainants are strongly encouraged to submit complaints in writing, although it is not necessary to submit a written complaint in order for it to be investigated. As an option, complainants may report in person (Shults, Room 021) or by phone at (585) 389-2850. A supervisor is on duty at all times and complainants reporting in person or by phone should ask to speak with the on-duty supervisor. Complainants should be prepared to provide (at minimum) the date, time, location, and summary of the incident. Should the complaint involve a supervisor, complainants may opt to contact the Director of Campus Safety at (585) 389-2847 or rcruz81251@naz.edu. 

Irrespective of the method selected to file a complaint, contact will occur for follow-up, as part of the investigation. After a prompt and thorough investigation, Campus Safety will inform the complainant of the findings and disposition. Please note that any disciplinary action taken will not be disclosed to the complainant, consistent with University policy regarding personnel matters. After the investigation and complainant’s notification of disposition, if the complainant has further questions or concerns, the complainant may contact the Director of Campus Safety. Complainants may also contact the Vice President for Finance.  Campus Safety reports directly to the Vice President for Finance. 

The Threat Assessment Team is chaired by the Associate Director of Campus Safety and includes the Dean of Students, Title IX Coordinator, and representatives from Human Resources, Health and Counseling, Student Success, and two faculty members appointed by the Faculty Executive Committee. 

The report of a missing person is a serious matter.  If you have reason to believe that a person is missing from Nazareth University, immediately notify Campus Safety, Residential Life, or your departmental supervisors/chairs, who must report the concern to Campus Safety as soon as possible.

Campus Safety notifies the Director of Campus Safety or designee.  In addition, if the report is regarding a resident student, the Director of Campus Life (or designee) and the Vice President of Enrollment will be contacted.

All calls regarding missing person(s) on campus will be dispatched and assigned to an officer for initial investigation.  Appropriate follow up/response by the Campus Safety Investigator (and if not available) the Director and/or Associate Director of Campus Safety will be initiated.

Resident Student Notification

Each student living in an on-campus student housing facility has the option to register a confidential contact person to be notified in the case that the student is determined to be missing, and only authorized campus officials and law enforcement officers in furtherance of a missing person investigation may have access to this information.  If the resident student has not registered a contact person, the local law enforcement will be notified that the student is missing.  The parents of students less than 18 years of age and not emancipated, will be contacted if the student is the subject of a missing person report.  Resident students wishing to provide a specific contact person can do so by e-mailing the information to emergencycontact@naz.edu.

Response

When Nazareth University Campus Safety is contacted regarding a missing person report involving a student, member of the college community, or a visitor to campus and an initial investigation determined the person may be missing:

• Campus Safety will report all such incidents to law enforcement after 24 hours; however this does not preclude contacting law enforcement in less than 24 hours if circumstances warrant a more immediate implementation.
• Campus Safety will utilize all resources available on campus to provide assistance to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in the investigation of a missing person report.  Among the resources that may be utilized or provided to law enforcement are:  video surveillance/camera records, photographs of the missing person, medical/dental records if available on campus, assistance in locating possible witnesses on-campus, physical evidence, on-campus school and work schedules, parking records, card key system usage, media relations, establishment of a command post and/or search parties on-campus.

In addition to responding to calls for persons believed to be missing for more than 24 hours, local law enforcement will assist Nazareth University in the investigation when:

• The missing person is less than 18 years old and is missing from his or her normal and ordinary place of residence and whose whereabouts cannot be determined by a person responsible for the child's care.
• The missing person is elderly and incapable of his or her own care.
• The missing person, regardless of age, has a serious physical or mental health condition requiring frequent medication or treatment.
• The missing person has a history of attempted suicide or has recently expressed suicidal thoughts.
• The missing person may be the victim of a crime or accident.
• The missing person is missing under circumstances inconsistent with the person's normal behavior.

If the person is missing from a location off-campus, contact the local or State law enforcement agency in the area where the person is believed to be missing.  If the person is also a member of the Nazareth University community appropriate assistance will be provided to law enforcement.

Designated Contact Person

Resident students wishing to provide a specific contact person can do so by e-mailing the information to emergencycontact@naz.edu.

New York law has special provisions for crimes that are committed or attempted because of a victim’s race, gender, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or religion. More specifically, Section 485 of the New York Penal Law provides that:

Under the law a person commits a hate crime when he or she commits a specified offense and either:

1. intentionally selects the person against whom the offense is committed or intended to be committed in whole or in substantial part because of a belief or perception regarding the race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation of a person, regardless of whether the belief or perception is correct, or
2. intentionally commits the act or acts constituting the offense in whole or in substantial part because of a belief or perception regarding the race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation of a person, regardless of whether the belief or perception is

The law defines a “specified offense” to include many crimes defined under the Penal Law, including but not limited to murder, rape, sexual assaults, menacing and reckless endangerment. Attempt or conspiracy to commit these offenses may also constitute a hate crime. In general, classification as a hate crime increases the possible sentence that would be imposed on the specified offense if it did not otherwise meet the definition of a hate crime.

For the full text of the statute, which defines special offenses and provides sentencing information, see Section 485 of the New York State Penal Law.

Information regarding Institutional Procedures for addressing Bias related crimes including the nature and common circumstances of such crimes can be found here.

Also see Bias Incidents, below.

Bias incidents that don't rise to the level of a crime can be reported to Nazareth's Bias Response & Education Team (NBRET): 

Bias Reporting at Nazareth >

Nazareth is committed to protecting the rights and safety of University community members regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability. Incidents of harassment or assault will be responded to with seriousness and sensitivity. University policies direct faculty, staff, and students to treat all people with dignity and respect. New York State law also contains special provisions for acts of criminal misconduct “ . . . that manifest evidence of prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. . .”

Hate Crimes Act of 2000

NYS Penal Law, § 485.00 Legislative findings
The legislature finds and determines as follows: criminal acts involving violence, intimidation and destruction of property based upon bias and prejudice have become more prevalent in New York state in recent years. The intolerable truth is that in these crimes, commonly and justly referred to as “hate crimes”, victims are intentionally selected, in whole or in part, because of their race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation. Hate crimes do more than threaten the safety and welfare of all citizens. They inflict on victims incalculable physical and emotional damage and tear at the very fabric of free society. Crimes motivated by invidious hatred toward particular groups not only harm individual victims but send a powerful message of intolerance and discrimination to all members of the group to which the victim belongs. Hate crimes can and do intimidate and disrupt entire communities and vitiate the civility that is essential to healthy democratic processes. In a democratic society, citizens cannot be required to approve of the beliefs and practices of others, but must never commit criminal acts on account of them. Current law does not adequately recognize the harm to public order and individual safety that hate crimes cause. Therefore, our laws must be strengthened to provide clear recognition of the gravity of hate crimes and the compelling importance of preventing their recurrence.

Accordingly, the legislature finds and declares that hate crimes should be prosecuted and punished with appropriate severity.

NYS Penal Law, § 485.10 Sentencing

1. When a person is convicted of a hate crime pursuant to this article, and the specified offense is a violent felony offense, as defined in section 02 of this chapter, the hate crime shall be deemed a violent felony offense.
2. When a person is convicted of a hate crime pursuant to this article and the specified offense is a misdemeanor or a class C, D or E felony, the hate crime shall be deemed to be one category higher than the specified offense the defendant committed, or one category higher than the offense level applicable to the defendant’s conviction for an attempt or conspiracy to commit a specified offense, whichever is
3. Not withstanding any other provision of law, when a person is convicted of a hate crime pursuant to this article and the specified offense is a class B felony:
• the maximum term of the indeterminate sentence must be at least six years if the defendant is sentenced pursuant to section 00 of this chapter;
• the term of the determinate sentence must be at least eight years if the defendant is sentenced pursuant to section 02 of this chapter;
• the term of the determinate sentence must be at least twelve years if the defendant is sentenced pursuant to section 04 of this chapter;
• the maximum term of the indeterminate sentence must be at least four years if the defendant is sentenced pursuant to section 05 of this chapter; and
• the maximum term of the indeterminate sentence or the term of the determinate sentence must be at least ten years if the defendant is sentenced pursuant to section 06 of this chapter.
4. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when a person is convicted of a hate crime pursuant to this article and the specified offense is a class A-1 felony, the minimum period of the indeterminate sentence shall be not less than twenty years.

Institutional Procedures for addressing Hate Crimes

Campus Safety is responsible for acting on information received, whether criminal or noncriminal in nature, including responding and investigating, based on the information provided. In addition, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office will be notified of serious criminal incidents or situations that occur on University owned, leased and controlled properties, including missing students, violent felony offenses and hate crimes, as defined by New York State Law.

Statistics for hate crimes reported to Campus Safety. 

Faculty, staff, and students who want further information or assistance in discussing or filing a complaint of harassment or discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, marital or veteran status, disability, carrier status, genetic predisposition, or any other protected status should contact any of the Human Relations Advisors. These advisors will assist in trying to resolve the problem informally and/or explain the steps of the formal grievance procedure. You may also contact the Director of Human Resources for assistance.  The Student Handbook and HR Department sites provide more information regarding this policy and contact information.

This General Order outlines the policies and procedures for the retention and disposal of records maintained by the Nazareth University Campus Safety Department. The purpose of this order is to ensure the proper and consistent management of records in compliance with legal requirements while also facilitating efficient administrative operations.

Click here to view the policy. 

Nazareth University is committed to creating and maintaining a safe and secure environment for its community members. CCTV systems are crucial tools in achieving this objective, serving to deter criminal activities, ensure the safety of individuals, protect University property and assets, and facilitate investigations. This policy is instituted to provide a structured framework for the ethical, legal, and responsible use of CCTV on the campus.

Click here to view the policy.

This policy outlines the procedures and responsibilities for the Campus Safety Department Administration when reviewing requests for infrastructure security enhancements, including card swipe access, CCTV installation, panic/special alarms or similar equipment. The purpose of this order is to ensure a consistent and thorough evaluation process, thereby enhancing campus security while considering the needs and concerns of the campus community.

Click here to view the policy.