Purpose: The committee will advise the Amherst College Police Department (ACPD), the Office of Student Affairs (OSA), and the College administration on campus safety policies and procedures and related issues. The goal of the committee is to support the College’s efforts to be responsive to the needs of the campus community and to provide advice on the implementation of fair, equitable, and effective campus safety and police practices.
The committee will:
- Serve as the liaison for community concerns or issues that relate to campus safety
- Provide feedback and suggestions pertaining to campus safety policies and procedures (e.g., uniforms, unmarked police cars, body cameras, etc.)
- Provide feedback and suggestions about training, roles, and responsibilities (e.g., differential dispatch and the ACPD, Community Service Officers [CSOs], and Community Safety Assistants [CSAs] model)
- Provide advice on efforts to enhance communication between ACPD, Student Affairs, and the campus community about safety issues
- Identify problems or issues that arise in campus safety, and develop and recommend solutions to ACPD and to the CSAs/Student Affairs
- Publish a report annually, or as determined by the chair and the committee. The content and form will be determined by the committee, but it will include a summary of its work for the past year. Upon approval of the report in its entirety by a majority of the committee, the report will be submitted to the President and subsequently made available to the entire Amherst College community.
To be effective, the committee will:
- Have access to reports (redacted where appropriate) and data on ACPD activity, and be informed on relevant laws and issues related to campus safety and policing (local to national)
- Have access to external subject experts
- Meet regularly with members of the campus safety team (e.g., CSOs, CSAs, ACPD, etc.)
- Regularly solicit feedback from members of the community (through surveys, etc.)
- Consistently take into account implicit bias, racial and cultural differences, and best practices in overcoming prejudice and discrimination in policing.
Meetings:
The committee will meet regularly during the academic year, with at least two meetings per semester. The Chair may convene the committee for special meetings if/as needed. All members are expected to regularly attend and participate in meetings.
Membership:
- Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer, Chair
- Chief Student Affairs Officer and Dean of Students
- Chief Financial and Administrative Officer
- Executive Director of Campus Safety and Chief of Police
- Director, Center for Counseling and Mental Health
- Campus Police Officer
- Director of Community Safety, Student Affairs
- Six students: Two chosen through AAS, four appointed by the CSAO/DOS
- One staff member from an area not already represented on the committee
- Two faculty members: appointed by the Provost and Dean of Faculty
