Overview

SUSCCPD

Southern Union State Community College Police Department

The Southern Union State Community College Police Department exists to protect life and property, maintain a successful parking and traffic system, prevent crime, and be of general service to the campus community.

The Southern Union State Community College Police Department is available to meet the many diverse needs of the campus community.  As professionally trained individuals SUSCCPD officers can offer the necessary assistance in emergencies, either directly or through communication with both SUSCCPD personnel and other agencies.  Being commissioned, sworn police officers, SUSCCPD officers provide the authority to maintain the peace and safety of all campus residents, students and visitors and bring a sense of security by creating a safe environment on all SUSCC campuses.

Click here for online Incident Report

Oath of Office

All personnel, prior to assuming sworn status, will take and subsequently abide by an oath of office to enforce the laws of the State of Alabama, campus rules and regulations and all other federal, state and local laws and ordinances.  Also, sworn personnel will swear or affirm to uphold the constitution of the United States of America, and the Alabama Constitution.

Campus Police Contact information:

Jimmy Holmes, Chief of Police
Randy Burroughs, Assistant Chief of Police

Responsibilities for a Safe Southern Union State Community College

Southern Union State Community College is committed to providing a learning, working, and living environment that promotes personal integrity, civility, and mutual respect in an environment free of discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex, which includes all forms of sexual misconduct.

Sex discrimination violates an individual’s fundamental rights and personal dignity. Southern Union State Community College explicitly prohibits any kind of violence based on sex, which includes sexual assault, relationship or domestic violence, stalking, sexual harassment, or hate crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Also in compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Southern Union State Community College will not tolerate retaliation for claims made under the College’s Title IX Policy.
 

• Sexual Assault : Any unwanted sexual contact, including sexual contact when someone is unable to provide consent
  Example: when someone is under the influence of drugs or alcohol or otherwise incapacitated.
• Sexual Harassment: Verbal or physical behavior of a sexual or sexist nature that creates a hostile environment.
  Example: Repeated, persistent requests for a date or sex, ignoring the person’s “no”.
• Dating Violence: Physical, verbal, or sexual behavior that threatens the safety of an individual within the context of a romantic or intimate relationship.
  Example: pushing or hitting a partner or physically preventing the person from leaving.
• Domestic Violence: Physical, verbal, or sexual behavior that threatens the safety of an individual within the context of a marriage, domestic partnership, or relationship where two individuals are parents of a child together.
  Example: verbally threatening a partner or physically harming a partner.
• Stalking: A course of conduct that causes a specific individual to fear his or her own safety or the safety of those he or she cares about.
  Example: repeated calling, texting, or messaging even  after being told not to.
• Retaliation: Retaliatory acts against a person who reports a Title IX issue, or for filing, testifying, assisting, or participating in any investigation or proceeding involving allegations of sex discrimination.

Victims of sexual crimes can receive assistance through local medical and psychological professionals in the area. Please be aware that many sexual assaults/rapes involving college students are 'acquaintance rapes' or 'date rapes.' Victims of on-campus crimes have the right to choose counseling, medical treatment, prosecution, and reporting of their case through the college reporting system and/or the off-campus court system. Victims also have the right to refuse to report the crime without reproach from college personnel. It is important that you preserve as much evidence as possible to aid in successful prosecution.

Some basic steps to take if you are a victim of an assault:

• Do everything possible to preserve evidence by making certain the crime scene is not disturbed.
• Don't bathe, urinate, douche, brush teeth, or drink liquids until seen by a physician,  and a rape kit analysis has been performed
• Clothes should not be changed, but if they are, bring all the original clothing to the hospital in a paper bag.
• Don't wash or clip your finger nails after the assault.
• Seek immediate medical care for injuries (external and internal) and any communicable diseases.

Southern Union State Community College encourages victims to report incidents of: Sexual violence, Date violence, Domestic violence, or Stalking.

All students who are victims of sexual violence are encouraged to report to campus police that a sexual assault has occurred on campus. For more information on or about procedures involving student reports of sexual violence and the information of preserving evidence as may be necessary to the proof of criminal sexual assault, contact campus police.

Jimmy Holmes - Chief of Police
Wadley Campus, Administration Building
(256) 395-2211 Ext. 5823 | jholmes@suscc.edu
 

Those who are in life-threatening situations should call 911, local police department, or the SU Campus Police who can offer immediate assistance in protection from the assailant and in collecting evidence and testimony for criminal charges.

At some point in the process a sexual assault survivor may decide to pursue criminal charges against the assailant, file a complaint through the college process, do both or do neither. SUSCC is prepared to respond to whatever the survivor's choice may be, encouraging the pursuit of criminal proceedings whenever possible and especially to prevent assault by the same assailant.

To press criminal charges, survivors are encouraged to go to the SU Campus Police to report an on-campus assault and to the appropriate law enforcement agency to report an assault that occurred off campus. Survivors can also file a complaint through the College process at the same time. They are separate processes.

Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act

Other resources available to victims are:

Submit an Online Incident Report