Safety and Security

Training Resources from the Campus Safety and Security Office

Reporting Criminal, Suspicious Activities, or Other Emergencies On Campus

Report any criminal or suspicious activities or other emergencies that occur on campus to the Security Office at 559-791-2440 or Information Desk 559-791-2200. For contact numbers to use in case of an emergency please visit PC's Emergency Procedures/Preparedness web page.

Porterville College (PC) is committed to providing a safe teaching and learning environment for students and faculty members. In order to enhance your safety in the unlikely case of a campus emergency, we want to make you aware of the campus safety protocols.  PC urges students to follow the “Initial Actions” protocol for all types of emergencies and the “Run, Hide, Fight” response for an active shooter incident. Remain alert to your specific situation, and act in the most appropriate way to assure your safety (and the safety of others if you are able). Safety escorts are available when classes are in session.

Please sign up for emergency alerts on your account at MyBanWeb. For more information on this subject, campus safety, and related topics, please view the Cal State University's Run, Hide, Fight video.

Ensuring Safety for an Open Campus

(20 U.S.C. 1092C) - Porterville College is an open campus filled with people who care about each other. Because of its open accessibility, all students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to exercise a sense of personal responsibility for their own safety and well-being, and the safety and well-being of others. While crime can happen anywhere, when we act as a community that knows and cares about the safety of others, ourselves, and our property, we lessen the likelihood of being victimized, and we showcase our Pirate Pride.

Porterville College has security officers that have previous law enforcement experience and receives specialized training in campus police and safety operations. Also, the campus uses cadet student interns enrolled in criminology classes to aid in parking enforcement and security. The college receives additional support from the Porterville Police Department and other agencies.

For more information on campus safety, reporting an incident, and resource providers please view the respective links from this page. You can also follow campus safety & security on Porterville College's social media.

Why is there an officer on campus?

We're glad you asked. Porterville College has partnered with the Porterville Police Department to increase security on campus. The college is always looking for ways to improve the safety and security of students, staff, and community members.

Campus Safety Tips

• Lock your car doors anytime you leave the car. It takes only seconds to lock and unlock your car doors, and these seconds can save you from being victimized.
• Don't leave obvious valuables in plain view in your car. Sometimes, temptation and availability is all that is needed to cause a would-be thief to attempt and complete a theft.
• Walk with a friend when out late at night, and walk on designated pathways and well-lit areas. There is truly safety in numbers.
• Keep emergency numbers in your phone.
• If you see something, say something. Report any criminal or suspicious activities or other emergencies that occur on campus to the Security Office or Information Desk

Access to Campus Facilities (20 U.S.C. 1092 B)

• Buildings: Generally, campus buildings are accessible during normal business hours. College M&O personnel will unlock doors for weekend classes and other events as published in the Room Reservation Schedule. Campus rooms and areas are protected by security alarms. Individuals needing to access buildings or the campus other than during regularly scheduled work hours must receive administrative approval prior to contacting Maintenance and Operations (M&O) for entry.
• Keys: Keys are provided to individual staff members on a need-to-enter basis as determined by the appropriate supervisor. Lost keys must be reported immediately to one's supervisor and to the Maintenance & Operations Office. Keys should never be loaned to other staff members or students. College personnel will confiscate any keys which have not been specifically issued to a particular individual. Duplication of college keys is a crime.
• College Property: No property may be removed from the campus without expressed written permission from the appropriate supervisor. Unauthorized removal of District property from the campus is a violation of the law and may be prosecuted by the district.

The Jeanne Clery Act: Safety for the Community College

In 1998, the federal government passed the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, commonly referred to as the Clery Act.

This law requires colleges and universities receiving federal funding to publish an annual report disclosing campus security policies and three years of selected crime and fire statistics, to make timely warnings to the campus community about crimes that pose an ongoing threat to students and employees, and to post a public crime log.

The Annual Campus Security Report  details important efforts to prepare for, provide and enhance the safety needs of the community. The report meets federal requirements for annual reporting of incidents on campus. This includes the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 related to the Jeanne Clery Act, emergency notification, and fire safety reporting.  The purpose of the Clery Act is to provide students, families, and employees with accurate, complete, and timely information about campus safety so that they can make informed decisions.

Statistics

The following statistics are presented to inform students, families, and employees of the incidence of various crimes on the campus and in the Porterville College vicinity.

Crime Statistics