By Cochise Lucas & Kimberly Manahan (The Whetstone)

A summer of training for security and residence life staff at Wesley College should make for a safer campus this year, school officials say.

“Over the summer we did a lot of staff development,” said Walter Beaupre, director of safety and security at Wesley College.

It also has inspired many more citations. Seventeen citations were given out on September 12 alone.

“We have been busy,” Beaupre said. “Last weekend was the biggest weekend I’ve experienced in my three years [at Wesley].”

In a single day, 12 students were given alcohol citations, one was charged with disorderly behavior, and three failed to evacuate during a fire alarm.

“They are starting to crack down,” said David Fountain, a junior. “I’ve seen people get citations, and even put up for expulsion.”

There is a zero-tolerance substance abuse policy at Wesley. Since the beginning of the semester, four males and two females have been dismissed.

About $16,000 in citations have been issues this year, $6,000 of which were alcohol-related.

Residence life is working closely with the office of safety and security this year.

“We communicate on a daily basis with Beaupre,” said Kevin Hansbury, director of residence life.

Wesley has a close relationship with the Dover Police Department, and the college is informed of citations given off campus, he said.

Dover Police and Wesley security, as well as staff members including resident directors, are allowed to cite students. However, resident assistants are not allowed to give students citations.

“The policy is the same as last year,” Hansbury said. “The only difference between this year and last is consistency.”

Security and residence life also both went through special training over the summer.

Four of Wesley’s security officers were trained and certified by the Milford Police Department in bicycle patrol.
Two other officers participated in a 40-hour first response medical course at the Dover Medical Fire School.

In addition, security supervisor Samuel Crawford was certified as an EMT during a four-week class taught by the Slaughter Beach Fire Department.

“I feel [safer] this year,” said Lamont Moore, a junior. “I see [security] outside patrolling the campus more.”

Wesley also hired an additional 12 members to the security staff to assist with home football games.

“The extra staff we hired are all a mix of military police and off-duty police officers from towns in the area,” Beaupre said. “When they are working on campus, they are working in the capacity of a Wesley College Security Officer.”

There is extra staff working Thursday through Saturday, said Eric Nelson, vice president of finance.

“I know [Beaupre] has more security officers working busy shifts,” he said.

In August, residence life also participated in professional staff training, as well as RD and RA training. This included sessions on issues affecting Wesley campus, and working with the policies and procedures of the Wesley Handbook, (http://www.wesley.edu/images/pdfs/studenthandbook.pdf).

RDs, as well as RAs, participated in their own hands-on emergency training, Hansbury said. This included training for fire alarms, criminal activity, and emergency response.

“Students need to participate as well to maintain a safe environment,” he said. “We’ve seen a little more judicial activity this year, but overall students are adjusting well to living on campus.”

If students have safety concerns, they can address it with any residential life staff member including Hansbury, or members of the security staff.