Campus Security Authority Information

Students, faculty and staff who do not feel comfortable directly reporting a crime to the TUPD can report it to a Campus Security Authority (CSA). Campus Security Authorities include building coordinators, staff in Housing & Residence Life, Student Accountability & Restorative Practices, the Office of Public Safety, and other departments that have responsibility for student and campus activities. A complete list of campus security authorities can be found in the annual Clery Report. 

Reporting Requirements

Campus Security Authorities are required to document crimes and hate-motivated incidents that meet the following criteria:

  1. occurred on campus, in private residence halls located on campus, on public property located adjacent to campus, or in off-campus buildings owned, leased, operated or officially recognized by Towson University; and
  2. is one of the following violations: murder/non-negligent manslaughter, negligent manslaughter, hate crime, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault I or II, stalking, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson, weapons violation, drug violation, liquor law violation (definitions for these crimes are below)

Incidents that meet these criteria should be reported using the CSA form. If the incident constitutes a threat to the safety of the TU community, call the TUPD at 410-704-4444 immediately, before completing the form.

Crime Definitions 

An unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. This type of assault usually is accompanied by the use of a weapon or by means likely to produce death or great bodily harm. It is not necessary that injury result from an aggravated assault when a gun, knife or other weapon is used which could or probably would result in a serious potential injury if the crime were successfully completed.

The willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, or personal property of another.

The unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or a theft. For reporting purposes this definition includes; unlawful entry with intent to commit a larceny or a felony; breaking and entering with the intent to commit a larceny; housebreaking; safecracking; and all attempts to commit any of the aforementioned.

Federal law definition: The term “dating violence” means violence committed by a person (A) who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim; and (B) where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of the following factors: (i) the length of the relationship; (ii) the type of the relationship; (iii) the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship. There is no Maryland law definition of dating violence (it is not distinguished from general crimes of violence, such as assault).

Federal law definition: The term “domestic violence” includes felony or misdemeanor crimes of violence committed by a current or former spouse of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabiting with or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse, by a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction receiving grant monies, or by any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction. There is no Maryland law definition of domestic violence (it is not distinguished from general crimes of violence, such as assault).

Violations of state and local laws relating to the unlawful possession, sale, use, growing, manufacturing and making of narcotic drugs. The relevant substances include: opium or cocaine and their derivatives (morphine, heroin, codeine); marijuana, synthetic narcotics (Demerol, methadones); and dangerous non-narcotic drugs (barbiturates, Benzedrine).

A criminal offense committed against any person or property which is motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender’s bias. Clery reportable hate motivated crimes include Murder, Manslaughter, Sex offenses, Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Simple Assault, Intimidation, Burglary, Motor Vehicle Theft, Destruction of Property, Theft and Arson. Although there are many possible categories of bias, under Clery, only the following categories are reported: Race, Gender, Religion, Sexual Orientation, Sexual Identity, Ethnicity/National Origin and Disability.

The violation of laws or ordinance prohibiting the manufacture, sale, transporting, furnishing, possessing of intoxicating liquor, maintaining unlawful drinking places; bootlegging, operating a still; furnishing liquor to minor or intemperate person; using a vehicle for illegal transportation of liquor, drinking on a train or public conveyance; all attempts to commit any of the aforementioned. (Drunkenness and driving under the influence are not included in this definition.)

The theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle. Classify as motor vehicle theft all cases where automobiles are taken by persons not having lawful access, even though the vehicles were later abandoned — including joyriding.

The willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another. NOTE: Deaths caused by negligence, attempts to kill, assaults to kill, suicides, accidental deaths, and justifiable homicides are excluded.

The killing of another person through gross negligence.
The taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear.

The actions constituting sexual assault are set forth in Title 3, Subtitle 3 of the Criminal Law Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland and include, but are not limited to the following acts committed by an acquaintance or stranger (“Actor”): Rape, forcible sodomy, or forcible sexual penetration, however slight, of another person's anal or genital opening; touching of an unwilling person's intimate parts (defined as genitalia, groin, breast, or buttocks, or clothing covering them); or, forcing an unwilling person to touch another’s intimate parts. To constitute sexual assault these acts must be committed either by force, threat, intimidation or through the use of the victim’s mental or physical helplessness of which the Actor was aware or should have been aware.

Federal law definition: The term “stalking” means engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to (A) fear for his or her safety or the safety of others; or (B) suffer substantial emotional distress. Maryland law definition: Stalking means a malicious course of conduct that includes approaching or pursuing another where the person intends to place or knows or reasonably should have known the conduct would place another in reasonable fear: (1)(i) of serious bodily injury; (ii) of an assault in any degree; (iii) of rape or sexual offense as defined by Sections 3-303 through 3-308 of the Criminal Law Article of the Maryland Code or attempted rape or
sexual offense in any degree; (iv) of false imprisonment; or (v) of death; or (2) that a third person likely will suffer any of the acts listed in item (1) above.

The violation of laws or ordinances dealing with weapon offenses, regulatory in nature, such as: manufacture, sale or possession of deadly weapons; carrying deadly weapons, concealed or openly; furnishing deadly weapons to minors; aliens possessing deadly weapons; all attempts to commit any of the aforementioned. 

Training

TUPD conducts CSA training during the fall and spring terms. Training is also available by request. To schedule a session, contact the TUPD at 410-704-2505. 

Counselor Confidential Reporting

Campus pastoral counselors and campus professional counselors are not considered to be campus security authorities and are not required to report certain crimes. According to policy, counselors are encouraged to report crimes. If and when they deem it appropriate, counselors can inform persons being counseled of the procedures to report crimes on a voluntary basis.