Crime Prevention & Preparedness

Entry doors to campus residence facilities are locked 24/7. They are locked for your safety. If you notice any propped doors, please remove the item that is preventing the door from locking. Members of the campus community are asked to notify Mount Marty University Campus Safety if they notice any unlocked or propped doors that should be secured. Campus Safety officers routinely check residence facilities to ensure all residence halls remain closed and locked. Campus Safety officers continuously conduct random checks throughout the university campus and verify that buildings are locked and unlocked at scheduled times each day.

Mount Marty University monitors outside lighting and landscaping to reduce the number of hazardous areas used by students, faculty, and staff while traversing the campus. All buildings on the campus are accessible through well-lit sidewalks and driveways. Sidewalks and driveways are well-lit for reasons. Please use them as you walk through campus and avoid dark places that may be the shortest distance. Landscaping is trimmed regularly. The campus is routinely inspected for potential areas that may be considered unsafe. If you see lights that are not working or other hazardous landscaping, please contact the Facilities Department or the Campus Safety Office.

• If walking or jogging, make sure you run with someone else.
• Try to avoid remote or dimly lit areas.
• Do not wear noise-canceling earphones while walking or jogging.
• Carry a cell phone and be familiar with how to emergency dial 911.
• Be aware of strange individuals in your surroundings. Have a plan of what you will do if you encounter someone attempting to harm you.

• Always lock your vehicle. Do not display sunglasses, computers, or other valuable items in visible areas of your car. Take the items inside or place them in your trunk or under your seat.
• Document items of significant value: i.e. serial numbers, make and model of item. Place initials or a mark in an inconspicuous place on the item that only you will be able to identify.
• Register your bicycle with the Yankton Police Department. If your bicycle is stolen or misplaced, the registered ID number can assist the police in locating it faster. Keep your bicycle locked when you're not riding it.

Bicycle Safety

• Register your bicycle with the Yankton Police Department.
• Secure your bicycle in the provided bike racks.
• Don't park your bicycle in areas that obstruct vehicle or pedestrian traffic, or access to a building.
• Report suspicious activity around bicycle racks.
• Use a quality lock.
• Wear reflective clothing when operating your bicycle.
• When riding on the roadways, follow the rules of the road.
• Wear a helmet.
• For bikes with quick-release wheels, release the front wheel and include it with the rear wheel and frame when locking your bike to the rack.

• For students living on campus, it is a good idea to start conversations and get to know your fellow students and residence hall neighbors. The same goes for those commuter students living off campus. If you are familiar with your neighbors, you will be able to recognize potential threats if someone or something is out of place.
• Do not prop open exterior doors. If you live off campus in an apartment complex, you wouldn't leave your door propped open, so don't do it here either.
• Do not allow anyone to enter secured Mount Marty University campus buildings with your access card. Students are issued an ID card with access to their specific buildings.
• Do not allow someone access to a secure building that you do not know. If they ask you to let them in, explain that you cannot and have them contact Campus Safety.
• Always lock your door when you leave, sleep, or work late.
• If you see someone you consider suspicious or out of place, call Campus Safety immediately. 

The goal is to create space between yourself and the threat.

• If you can safely get out of the building, get away as quickly as possible.
• Always know where the exits are located.

If you cannot safely exit, follow these steps:

Run, Hide, or Fight

National statistics indicate that active shooter events last between 5 and 15 minutes. Everyone should have a predetermined plan if they find themselves in an active shooter situation. Studies show that those who are prepared and have a plan during traumatic events have a better chance of survival.

At Mount Marty University, the concept of Run, Hide, or Fight will provide the greatest degree of security for you if you find yourself involved in an active threat situation.

Run

If you see the threat, know the location, and have the opportunity to escape, run!

• Have a predetermined route in place, based on each location on campus.
• If you and the threat are outside, attempt to find a barrier or other type of cover.
• Do not pull the fire alarms to alert others. This will cause more issues with people attempting to communicate with others.
• If you encounter law enforcement while fleeing, make sure to keep your hands up in the air and follow their instructions!

Hide

If the threat is already inside, preventing you from escaping, secure the room as best you can. DO NOT let anyone into the room once it is secured. 

• Barricade and lock doors with any type of heavy equipment or furniture available.
• Block windows too.
• Turn off computers, TVs, radios, or other sources of sound.
• Keep yourself out of sight. If you can take cover. Cover is a barrier that will stop a projectile.  Concealment is a barrier that only prevents someone from seeing you like a bush.
• Stay away from windows and doors.
• Silence your cell phone.
• If you can do so safely, call or text 911 (even if you cannot talk, leave the line open and allow the police dispatcher to listen).

Fight

If you are left with no other options, fight! 

• COMMIT to a plan!
• If you are in a group, devise a plan and work as a team to combat the assailant.
• Use items in your office as weapons (i.e. staplers, coffee or water cups to throw, scissors, hot liquids).
• Call 911 as soon as possible.

Opening a Secured Space

• Think before opening the door to a secured area.
• Consider that the threat is still active until you are notified through the CAN messaging system or by calling 911.
• Do not attempt to rescue others if you have to leave a secure area.
• The threat might be waiting for you to leave a room.
• The campus will issue an all-clear message through the CAN message when the threat is removed.

contact Authorities

• Call 911 immediately.
• If there is an active threat on or near the campus, 911 lines might become overwhelmed.
• If you are unable to get through to 911, call Campus Safety at 605-661-9883.

What to Report

• Your location — Campus building name and room number.
• Let them know how many people are with you.
• Let them know if anyone is injured and what type of injuries.
• Information about the threat: Location, how many threats, gender, race, physical description, or identifiers such as clothing, physical features (tattoos, scars, hairstyle, and type of weapon (rifle, shotgun, etc.), if known.

Police Response

• The police are there to stop the threat.
• The police will consider that anyone on the campus is a potential threat.
• If you encounter the police, make sure to keep your hands up! DO what the police tell you to do without question.
• After the threat has been eliminated, the police and EMS will then evacuate the victims.

• If you are involved in a motor vehicle crash on campus, and someone is injured, call 911 immediately. Then call the Mount Marty Department of Campus Safety at 605-661-9883.
• If no one is injured, you can immediately call Campus Safety. They can assist you in contacting the police if needed.
• You can also contact the Yankton Police Department at 605-668-5210. The police will provide you with a document that you can fill out for insurance purposes.
• Parking lot accidents are not investigated by the police. Hit-and-run accidents are investigated by the police. The Mount Marty Campus Safety officer can also help you make this call.
• Vehicles involved in an accident need to remain at the scene without obstructing traffic more than is necessary.  Only move the vehicle when it is safe to do so.
• If you have a cell phone, take pictures of your vehicle before you move vehicles.

Mount Marty University considers that sexual misconduct not only harms an individual’s rights but their dignity as well. Sexual misconduct affects not only the individual but the well-being of the entire campus community. Mount Marty’s policies were developed with guidance provided by the United States Department of Education and its Office of Civil Rights. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq., has specific requirements for colleges and universities that prohibit discrimination based on an individual's sex in education programs and activities. Sexual misconduct, as defined by Title IX, is a form of sex discrimination.

Registered Sex Offender Information

Under federal law, colleges and universities are required by the Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act of 2000 to inform students and employees how to learn the identity of sex offenders on or near the campus. 

The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation maintains a database of sex offenders and provides this information on a searchable web page. To learn the identity of registered sex offenders on or near the Mount Marty campus or anywhere in the state, visit the Sex Offender Database. 

• South Dakota Registered Sex Offender Information (do a click on link sor.sd.gov)
• National Registered Sex Offender Information (do a click on link familywatchdog.us)

Mount Marty University is located in Yankton County (57078).

If a Mount Marty staff, faculty, or fellow student has reason to believe that a student is missing, there are steps you can take to report the individual. It does not matter if the student resides on campus, all possible efforts will be made to locate the student to determine the status of not only their physical health but at times their mental health too.

If the student lives on campus, the Department of Campus Safety and a member of Residence Life will conduct a welfare check of the student’s room. If the student lives off campus, the Department of Campus Safety will contact local law enforcement and coordinate a response to the location with law enforcement of the jurisdiction.

If the student is not found on campus Residence Life staff, Campus Safety and/or local law enforcement may attempt to locate the student through contact with friends, associates, faculty, and employers of the student. Campus Safety will seek to find out if the student has altered their regularly scheduled labs, training, classes, labs, or meetings. If the missing person is employed off-campus, their place of work will be contacted too.

If the student is located, Campus Safety and a staff member from Residence Life will assess the student's well-being. If appropriate, a referral will be made to the Care Team or local mental or physical health services.

If the student is not located, the student’s family or listed emergency contact will be notified within 24 hours of receiving the initial report. If the student lives off-campus, the listed emergency contact or family member will be encouraged to make an official missing person report to law enforcement. The Department of Campus Safety will cooperate and assist law enforcement in all ways that are legally permitted.

Upon closure of the missing person investigation, all parties previously contacted will be advised of the status of the case.

Do not hang up on the caller! Engage the caller on the phone as long as possible.

If another person is near you have them call 911.

• Write down the incoming phone number from the caller ID.
• Keep the caller on the line.
• Ask the following questions:
  • Where is the bomb? (Attempt to get specific building location)
  • What time will it go off?
  • Did you make the bomb? What does it look like?
  • Did you place the bomb? Why?
  • What is your name?
• Attempt to identify characteristics of the caller and their location (age, gender, voice, and any background noises).
• After the call, ensure 911 was notified.

In the event of a hazardous material release:

• Call 911 if the material is unknown.
• Then call Facilities at 605-668-1500.
• Then call Campus Safety 605-661-9883.
• Do not attempt to clean up the hazardous material.
• Turn off all potential ignition and heat sources.
• Try not to inhale gases, fumes, or smoke.
• Leave the area immediately and warn others who are attempting to access the spill location.
• Stay upstream, uphill, or upwind of the spill.
• Provide public safety officials with information about the chemicals, and the spill area.
• Only re-enter the building only when an “all clear” is provided by public safety officials.

If advised to shelter in place:

• Move inside a building immediately.
• Close and lock all windows and doors.
• Turn off all exterior sources of air movement (A/C or furnaces).
• Enter an interior room and seal the room (i.e., doors, windows, and vents) with towels, plastic, or tape for further protection, if possible.

If you are exposed to a hazardous material:

• Call 911.
• Individuals exposed to hazardous material should avoid contact with others.
• Remove all contaminated clothing, being sure not to contaminate other areas of your body.
• Flush with copious amounts of cool water for 15 minutes, being sure not to scrub the chemical on your skin.
• Exposed persons should receive or seek medical attention.

If you have opened a package containing an unknown substance, powder, or any other type of unidentifiable substance:

• Carefully place the package down immediately.
• If the content spills out from the container, DO NOT attempt to clean up.
• Leave the room and close the door as you exit. Do not allow anyone else to enter the room.
• Advise others to avoid the area.
• If possible, wash your hands with soap and water.
• Call 911.