Response to Violence¹ and Threatening Behaviour

Policy:
The University is committed to ensuring that all members of the campus community can work and/or study without threat to personal safety. This Policy outlines how the University responds to emergency and non-emergency situations caused by threats to personal safety, and to violence directed at any member of the campus community. The University’s response to such situations will be co-ordinated by the Director of Campus Security (or delegate) who will liaise with the appropriate internal and external agencies, inform the relevant University officials and convene a Case Management Team, when necessary.

Jurisdiction:
This Policy applies to violent and/or threatening conduct that is directed at or committed by a member of the campus community or a visitor to campus, and occurs on University property or by means of the University’s computing or telecommunication resources, or takes place at a University-related event that is held off-campus.

Definitions:

“Violence” means any act or attempted act of physical force that either causes or is intended to cause physical injury to any person, or damage, destruction or loss of property.
“Threatening Behaviour”includes any statement or conduct that may cause a reasonable person to believe that his/her personal safety is at risk or that property is at risk of damage, destruction or loss.


PROCEDURES:

A. EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

1.1 In an emergency situation involving violence and/or threatening behaviour, the first priority is the safety of individuals who are at risk. Personal safety takes precedence over property. Wherever possible, individuals at risk should get to a safe location, warning others who are in the vicinity.

1.2 Call

9-911 (Police and Other Emergency Services) AND
4500 (Campus Security, Burnaby Campus)
5252 (Harbour Centre) or
587-7760 (Surrey Campus – Surrey Mall Security)

Request assistance, giving the location and as many other details of the situation as possible.

2.1 The Director of Campus Security is responsible for managing the University’s response to an emergency situation and for liaising with the municipal police force. He/she must ensure that a trained delegate is always available to respond in the case of an emergency.²

2.2 Acting on behalf of the President, the Director of Campus Security may initiate measures that may lawfully be taken to deal with the emergency, including, but not limited to:

(a) excluding all or specified persons from all or any part of campus;
(b) closing all or any part of campus, or all or any part of a building;
(c) ordering the cessation or curtailment of any University activity.

2.3 The Director of Campus Security may recommend to the President that a member of the campus community should be suspended pending an investigation. Where the President exercises his statutory authority to summarily suspend a student or an employee, the suspension will be considered non-disciplinary and for employees, will be a paid suspension. The decision to impose a summary suspension will be communicated in a letter which sets out the process to be followed and the associated timelines. Notice of a suspension will be made available on a need-to-know basis. When a summary suspension of a student is terminated without the imposition of discipline, it may be necessary to specify how the resumption of studies is to occur.

2.4.1 Once the emergency has abated, the Director of Campus Security shall

(a) convene a meeting of a Case Management Team, where appropriate, and ensure follow-up on any recommendations of the Case Management Team;
(b) provide a full briefing to the President and Vice Presidents and
(c) maintain records of the emergency situation.

2.4.2 The Director of Campus Security shall develop and keep current personal safety emergency response plans, investigation protocols and blueprints for Case Management Teams. He/she will organize an orientation program for members of the Case Management Team.

3.1 The Case Management Team is composed of individuals selected to be on call for this purpose and who take part in an annual orientation session.

3.2 The Case Management Team is comprised of the following individuals:

(a) the Director of Campus Security, or delegate
(b) a representative from Human Resources and/or the Dean of Students, or delegate and/or a representative from the Vice President, Academic’s Office
(c) the Associate Vice President, Policy, Equity and Legal, or delegate
(d) the Director of Media and Public Relations, or delegate
(e) a member of the Joint University Safety Committee.

3.3 The Case Management Team may be augmented in specific cases with individuals such as:

(a) a representative(s) of the Harbour Centre or Surrey campuses
(b) a Department Chair
(c) an Administrative Director
(d) a member of Counselling services
(e) an expert in critical stress debriefing
(f) a representative of an employee group involved in the incident
(g) a representative of the municipal police force.

3.4 The Case Management Team is responsible for ensuring the following actions are taken, as necessary:

(a) further investigation of the incident;
(b) formulation of a recommendation to the President for further action directed at the perpetrator of the violent or threatening behaviour. If this entails disciplinary measures, they shall be handled in accordance with the appropriate policies or collective agreements;
(c) victim support;
(d) recommendations for preventative actions;
(e) preparation of a final report to the President.

B. NON-EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

Members of the campus community who receive threats by mail, telephone/fax or e-mail, or who come into contact with an individual whose behaviour has the potential to culminate in violence or threats but which does not currently constitute an emergency situation should contact the Director of Campus Security at the earliest opportunity. He or she has the responsibility for implementing the University’s response to the situation, which may include any or all of the strategies set out above for dealing with emergency situations.

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¹ As required by the Workers' Compensation Board, the University has a Prevention of Violence in the Workplace program for its employees. Contact Occupational Health and Safety for details.
²At the Harbour Centre and Surrey campuses, a permanent delegate shall be appointed.