Campus Security Authorities (CSAs)

The Clery Act defines “Campus Security Authority” as individuals that fall within four different functional areas to whom reports of Clery crimes should be made:

1. A campus police department or a campus security department of an institution.
2. Any individual(s) who have responsibility for campus security but who do not constitute a campus police department or security department.
3. Any individual or organization identified as one to whom a crime can be reported.
4. An official of the institution who has significant responsibility for student or campus activities.

Duties and Responsibilities of a Campus Security Authority

• CSAs must immediately report all allegations of Clery crimes that occurred on Clery geography made to them in good faith
  • Reports are statistical only and do NOT include the name of the victim.
  • CSA reports are used to compile statistics for Clery Act reporting and to help determine if there is a serious or continuing threat to the safety of the campus community that would require a timely warning.

When is a crime considered to be reported?

• When it is brought to the attention of a CSA by the victim, a witness, a third party or the offender
  • It does not matter if the people involved in the crime are affiliated or not with Syracuse University as long as the incident occurs on Syracuse University’s Clery geography
  • It does not matter when the crime occurred, once it is reported to a CSA, the CSA must report it to the university

What NOT to do if you are a CSA

• CSAs are not investigators
  • CSAs are NOT responsible for determining whether a crime took place – that is the function of law enforcement personnel
  • CSAs should NOT try to apprehend the alleged perpetrator of a crime – that is the function of law enforcement personnel
  • CSAs should NOT try to convince a victim to contact law enforcement if the victim chooses not to
  • CSAs should never try to force anyone to disclose more information than he or she is willing to offer