2018-19 Student Handbook and Wellness Guide

Campus Security

It is the obligation of the College to ensure orderly operation, to protect the rights of all members of the college community, to prohibit acts which materially and substantially interfere with legitimate educational objectives or interfere with the rights of others, and to institute disciplinary action where conduct adversely affects the College’s pursuit of its educational objectives.

Augusta Technical College has established a police department. The Augusta Technical College Police Department is comprised of a Police Chief and staffed by full-time and full-time Police Officers. The Augusta Technical College Police Department is POST recognized, and the campus officers have the legal authority to make arrests and issue summons. Additionally, the college employs officers from the local Sheriff’s Office, whose jurisdictional boundaries include the respective campus, and/or officers from the Georgia State Patrol to enforce security rules and regulations including the Code of Conduct and parking regulations, as well as to enforce applicable state laws and county ordinances. These special duty officers are employees of Augusta Technical College when on assignment and they have the legal authority to make arrests and issue summons.

Uniformed officers provide police protection for safety and protection. Questions, problems, or special needs, should be directed to the Vice President for Administrative Services. Faculty, staff, and students are expected to provide assistance and cooperation to the officers.

Faculty, staff and students should have their college identification card visible and available for verification at all times.

Faculty, staff, and students shall not interfere with the special duty officers in the performance of their duties. If there is a concern regarding enforcement of rules, the Vice President for Administrative Services should be contacted.

On the Augusta campus report all emergencies, thefts, vehicle accidents, injuries, suspicious persons, suspicious activities, solicitors, etc. to the Security Office, which is located in Building 100. Security can be reached at 706-771-4021.

On the Thomson/McDuffie campus, contact the Dean of Operations (706) 595-0166. On the Waynesboro/Burke campus, contact the Dean of Operations, (706) 437-6801. At the Columbia County Center, contact the main office at (706) 651-7368.

Access to buildings outside of normal school and business hours requires permission from the President or VPA. An After-Hours Building Opening Request Form should be completed at least two weeks or more prior to the event. To provide additional building security, each building has an alarm system and multiple surveillance cameras which are located, at a minimum, at every entrance door to each building.

Signs are posted at the entrances to each campus and center that weapons (OCGA 16-11-127.1), alcohol, and drugs are prohibited. The regulations are also printed in the student handbook and students are advised of the Student Code of Conduct during orientation.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to refer students who appear to be struggling academically or with personal issues to the Counseling Center via an Early Alert Referral Form, which can be located in the forms repository. The forms repository is accessible via the Augusta Technical College website homepage.

Mike Anchor, Campus Police Chief, (706-771-4021) is responsible for ensuring the appropriate data collection, analysis, and submission of information regarding the Annual Security Report to the US Department of Education.

Statistics concerning the occurrence on campus of criminal offenses reported by special duty officers will be published annually in September. This information is available in the Library, the Business Office, and on the College web page.