UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA

ANNUAL REPORT

Fiscal Year 2006 (July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006)

DEPARTMENT OF

 Public Safety

Name of Department Head

 Tom Mackel

Name of Person Completing Report

 Tom Mackel

1*

Departmental Mission/Vision Statement (url only, required)

http://www.bf.westga.edu/PubSafe/

2*

Departmental Statement of Goals, Process to Assess These Goals, and Assessment Results (url only, required)

http://www.bf.westga.edu/PubSafe/

3*

Give an Example of How your Department Used the Assessment of Goals and Outcomes to Change/Improve a Process (required)

We began Fall 2006 with the shuttle operating 6 days per week and ridership averaging 11,500. Due to Hurricane Katrina and other events beyond our control, fuel prices increased dramatically, placing a serious strain on our transportation budget. It was necessary to reduce fuel consumption to save money but it was important to maintain the highest level of service possible. Using historical data as well as performing a two-week supplemental survey, we were able to determine the number of riders per gallon of fuel utilized by the hour and bus route. From this data we were able to determine which routes to eliminate or reduce to achieve the greatest savings but the least impact on the students.

4*

General Statement of Department Condition (required)

   Our staff is self motivated and dedicated to the safety of the West Georgia Community. They all work under often difficult circumstances due to the nature of the jobs we have been assigned. Yet they perform them admirably on a day to day basis and can be counted on to rise to the occasion when the needed arises. This was demonstrated this past year when everyone assisted in some manner with the Katrina relief project. The hours were long yet no one complained, and many asked if they could do more.
    The Institution is growing and so are our request for services. This past year Dispatch recorded 13,147 calls for assistance of some sort. The shuttle operation carried an average of 11,500 riders per week as well as handled numerous off campus trips for Athletics and various academic groups. I am very proud of the accomplishments of our staff over the last year.
    Salary continues to be a major issue for Public Safety, with the greatest need in the police division. The Department continues to loose officers to local agencies whose starting salaries are often higher than what we pay after several years. Our annual turnover is approximately 20% of our certified staff. This is not only costly, but leaves the campus protected by officers lacking experience in handling many situations. For example, of the 11 patrol officer positions, only 4 have more than 3 years experience, 6 have less than one and we have one position open.
 & We have a strong need for a professional standards officer who would be tasked with expanding our training program, developing and maintaining policy, and obtaining state certification. The training requirements for the police and shuttle operators are becoming more extensive. Coordinating personnel to attend off campus classes and maintaining records for certification purposes has become a burden to current staff who have other assigned duties. We do not have a fully operational policy manual. Once that manual is completed it is critical that it be maintained in accordance with current state and national standards. This is a very time consuming but necessary duty. Certification for our Department is as important as it is for the academic units. It demonstrates a level of competency by Public Safety and its personnel, which not only adds to the prestige of the University, but also is important when dealing with liability issues in court.
    We need two additional dispatchers that would work a split between Evening and Morning Watch to ensure two dispatchers are always on during the critical hours. I would also like to provide the additional 416 hours needed to make the part-time dispatcher on the Morning Watch full-time.
    There is a growing need an additional locksmith. The size of the campus is increasing and so are the demands on our sole locksmith. With the new residence halls, Adamson Hall on line, he is now responsible for 1600 additional locks and doors. The Campus Center will add 150 more locks and completion of the Health and Wellness building will add over 300 new locks to be maintained. We are reaching a critical point where we cannot expect one person to handle all of the lock issues we have on campus. We do not have a preventative maintenance program nor do we have a campus wide re-keying program. In the long run we would save the campus money and lessen liability if such programs were implemented.
    Our patrol fleet of marked and unmarked units is in excellent condition. We have purchased four new vehicles, which have greatly improved patrol operations. Two older but still usable marked vehicles will be stripped and used as administrative vehicles. We need one additional administrative vehicle as we now have three investigators and a captain sharing one vehicle. At the north precinct we share one car between two administrators but the vehicle is also used to provide transportation for officers attending the training center in Forsyth and elsewhere within the state.

5

Departmental Achievements

1. Initiate a self-defense program for Women called RAD. We purchased the equipment and sent two officers to be trained in the nationally know program. Classes were offered to all female students and staff.
2. The Department was recognized for its work during Hurricane Katrina. The Director, along with the Vice President for Student Services accepted awards from the Facilities Committee of the Board of Regents and the Student Activities Council.
3. Sgt. William Stuart graduated from the Administrative Officers Course at the University of Louisville. This is a very prestigious program, whose purpose is to select and train future law enforcement executives.

6

Staff Productivity

1. In the past year Public Safety has provided the following training to its staff.
2. Sent one staff member to Boston for annual training on the records management system.
3. Two members of the clerical staff attended the Georgia Chiefs of Police Administrative Assistant workshop at Helen GA.
4. Sent one officer to the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators conference in Kansas City Missouri.
5. Five officers received their basic mandate certification. This certification allows them to perform as police officers in the State of Georgia.
6. Two officers obtained State certification as firearms instructors.
7. The Director attended the International Chiefs of Police Conference in Miami Florida. He also attended the winter and summer conferences of the Georgia Chiefs of Police in Atlanta and Savannah respectively. He attended the Governor’s Emergency Management Conference in Savannah as well as the quarterly meetings of the Georgia Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators.
8. All patrol officers received at minimum their 20 hours of required training. Many officers were provided the opportunity to attend various classes at the Training Center in Forsyth GA to enhance or increase their skill levels.
9. Four officers attended the Rape Aggression Defense training seminar. This will allow them to teach basic self-defense to female students.
10. One officer attended driving instructor class as well as ATV instructor class.
11. Two Officers attended the Sirchie crime scene processing class in North Carolina.
12. One investigator attended the Surveillance class at the Regional Counter-Drug Training Academy in Meridian Mississippi.

7

Student Achievements

NA

8

Other Awards, Distinctions, and Achievements

1. The Department provided security for Roberts Hall while it was in use by Hurricane Katrina victims. Officers also assisted those residents in moving their belongings to their new permanent homes. The Department shared in several awards presented by Facilities Group at the Board of Regents and the Student Activities Council for our Katrina work.
2. Sgt. Ned Watson and Ofc. Caroline Martin received their Advanced Training Certification award from the Georgia Peace Officers and Training Council.
3. Four officers have received their college degrees from West Georgia.
• Sgt. William Stuart
• Investigator Chad Miller
• Investigator Branden Smith
• Officer Thomas Liggins