RACC Safety Committee Mission Statement
The personal safety and health of each employee of RACC is of primary importance. The purpose of a Safety Committee is to regularly bring workers and management together in a cooperative effort to communicate and to promote occupational safety and health in the workplace. It is an opportunity to assist management by making recommendations for improvements regarding safety issues.
In carrying out its mission, the Committee will perform the following functions:
- Identify and prioritize goals and establish action plans to achieve each goal
- Annually assess progress toward goals and the extent to which the committee’s efforts have improved campus safety
- Include representation from across the organization
- Hold regularly scheduled meetings
- Develop methods to increase and maintain safety awareness
- Publish meeting minutes
The Safety and Security Department is led by a Director reporting to the Senior Vice-President for Finance and Administrative Services/College Treasurer. In addition, the Department works very closely with the Dean of Student Affairs and the City of Reading Police Department to create a campus environment that is both safe and secure. The campus Safety and Security Department works to prevent crime, provides highly visible security patrols and responds quickly to the needs of students and staff. Security guards are in constant contact with the Safety and Security Department, the switchboard operator, and each other by business band radio and cell phone.
The College's Safety and Security force is comprised of a Manager, two (2) supervisors, and uniformed guards who report to the Director of Facilities/Safety and Security. Additional security guards are placed into service on an as needed basis. The Safety and Security Department is located in Berks Hall, Room 159.
The Safety and Security Department cooperates with police agencies and maintains an excellent working relationship with the City of Reading Police Department, who assist as needed. All crimes involving violence, major property loss, or any felony are immediately reported by the College's Safety and Security Department to the City of Reading Police Department. All crime statistics are recorded on forms and in the format required by the Pennsylvania State Police.
Students, faculty, staff and guests are encouraged to report any crime or suspicious incidents to the Office of Safety and Security or one of the security guards. A guard will immediately be dispatched to the scene, where he or she will evaluate the situation and contact the necessary authorities. In the event of an emergency or criminal incident, prompt notification is made to the campus community through appropriate administrators.
The College employs several professional counselors who provide information to students on how to appropriately report any crime to the Safety and Security Department. Additionally, campus safety and security issues are discussed at all orientation programs, College Success Strategies courses required of freshmen students, student publications, and the Student Handbook.