Campus Safety

Campus Safety Department Mission

CAMPUS EMERGENCY NUMBER
.:: 601-974-1234 ::.
Put it in your cell phone ... put it on speed-dial.
(Dial 1-2-3-4 from campus extensions)

Fostering a safe and secure campus environment is, to a degree, the responsibility of each member of the College community. However, involvement in the identification and evaluation of potential risks and carrying out the measures designed to protect against these risks is the direct responsibility of the members of the College's Department of Campus Safety. Therefore, the purpose of the Department of Campus Safety is to make it possible for all members of the Millsaps community to participate in the academic and other activities of the College in a free and open, safe and secure environment, unhampered by unreasonable internal constraints but protected to the greatest extent possible from perils to person and property that might arise from any source. Its objectives may be summarized thus:

1. To protect people and property.
2. To maintain an environment free from criminal activity and disturbances, and other hazards.
3. To maintain a high level of cooperation between members of the Department and the other members of the College community.
4. To maintain a high level of cooperation and communication between the Department and other public safety and law enforcement agencies.
5. To maintain the highest level of professional competence through recruitment, selection, education, and training of its members.

The Department thus carries a weighty responsibility and its members are called upon to exercise a keen sense of balance between those actions that are warranted to provide adequate protection in a given situation and those that pose unnecessary restrictions.

Guiding Principles

In the course of meeting its objectives, every action of the Department of Campus Safety and each of its members should be guided by the following principles:

1. Departmental rules and regulations, college policies and city, state, and national laws are for all the people and will be applied equally and fairly to regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, or national ethnic origin.
2. All members of the Department are important because performance of duties by all members is needed to achieve the purpose and objectives of the Department. Likewise, all jobs in the Department are important.
3. The Department has an obligation to recruit and train the best and most competent people available within the constraints of its budget.
4. All members of the Department should display a professional attitude, that is, one that is courteous, respectful, and free from prejudice.
5. The Department and its members have an obligation to investigate complaints thoroughly, objectively, and fairly to protect the College and members of its community.
6. Because of limited resources available, the inherent ambiguity of some laws, policies, rules, and regulations, and the necessity of tempering justice with mercy, members of the Department should exercise discretion in their enforcement. There may be more than one acceptable method of accomplishing the purpose of the law, policy, rule, or regulation without the danger of selective enforcement.
7. The Department has an obligation to educate the College community in methods of protecting life and property from criminal activity and other hazards.
8. Even the best effort of a well-trained and diligent department cannot guarantee safety at all times. The department's duty then is to perform responsibly, using the best efforts of its members to provide the safest possible campus environment, but recognizing the impossibility of completely preventing accidents or consequences of criminal activity.