College Security Services and Emergency Management

The Central Piedmont Care Team's purpose is to provide a systematic response to reports of behavior that is concerning or disruptive to the college community. The Care Team is a cross-unit group whose members consist of college staff from Student Services, College Security Services, Counseling, Human Resources, and Academic Affairs. If you have a concern of an immediate threat, please call College Security Services at 704-330-6911. Report a concern to the Care Team online.

On any campus, if you feel uncomfortable walking to your car in the parking lot, or if you feel someone is stalking you, especially at night, call the College Security Services non-emergency number (704-330-6632) to request an escort. You may also advise any College Security Services associate that you see en route and ask them for assistance.

If you feel like someone is stalking you on any campus, call the College Security Services emergency number ( 704-330-6911). They will advise you as to procedures for reporting the incident to the appropriate law enforcement agency and will work with you regarding escorts to your vehicle or other remote parts of campuses. The Title IX Office has additional resources.

Central Piedmont's grounds are open to visitors on a daily basis. Vehicular access to campus is controlled by uniformed security associates. Visitor parking is allowed in designated areas or by special permit. College facilities are open only to members of the college community and escorted or authorized visitors. Academic and administrative buildings are locked after normal working hours. If you get to your classroom on any campus and it is locked, call College Security Services non-emergency at 704-330-6632 and a College Security Services Associate will be dispatched to unlock the door.

If you would like to want to get into a building when the college is closed, you must have prior authorization to enter. For more information on the authorization procedures, contact the Senior Director of College Security.

Central Piedmont's grounds are open to visitors on a daily basis. Vehicular access to campus is controlled by uniformed security associates. Visitor parking is allowed in designated areas or by special permit. College facilities are open only to members of the college community and escorted or authorized visitors. Academic and administrative buildings are locked after normal working hours. If you get to your classroom on any campus and it is locked, call College Security Services non-emergency at 704-330-6632. A College Security Services Associate will be dispatched to unlock the door.

If you need access to a building after hours, weekends, or holidays, or for 24-hour entry to all buildings, you will need to contact College Security Services to gain entry. If you want to access a building on the weekend that is already open for college business, you may enter the unlocked building and proceed to your office. If the college, the individual campus, or individual building is closed, exempt employees may request access from the college Security Services Department by calling 704-330-6632, and by presenting their college ID or a valid picture ID (Driver’s License or other official ID). Non-exempt employees shall request access from the same department, in the same fashion, only upon approval of their director, manager, supervisor, or other applicable authority. You may also email room entry requests or concerns to the Director or the Assistant Director of Campus Security at the specific campus:

• Central: email Timothy Smith 
• Cato: email Lockwood Ray
• Harper: email Charles Malloy
• Harris: email Jason Mckinney
• Levine: email Joseph Agati
• Merancas: email Nicholas Snipes
• WTVI-PBS Charlotte: email Timothy Smith 
• City View Center: email Jason Mckinney

Requests to open a campus door after 6 p.m. can also be emailed to Richard Korenich. 

During holiday breaks winter break, or periods when the college is declared closed, not only will buildings be closed, multiple building support systems including temperature controls will be shut off, and remain shut off, to conserve energy. Therefore, a person granted access during these time periods should be prepared to adjust accordingly. During these times access to campuses other than the Central Campus will not be provided. Central Campus due to having greater security and police resources will grant limited access, and will do so with stricter limitations. Prior authorization is required. Such authorization can be obtained by exempt personnel advising via emailing the College Security Services Department prior to the time they will need access, for themselves or a subordinate(s). A confirmation of receiving the request will be sent as an email reply (it is best to print and bring that reply with you on the day you will need access). When the College is closed due to inclement weather, please understand that College Security Services will be very busy and unable to open buildings. If the forecast is questionable, take that important work home with you the evening before bad weather is expected. College Security Services will unlock all entrance doors. Please provide security with employee identification and always call security dispatch before leaving the building so they can re-secure the building. Remember, most buildings have a security system in operation, which security will handle when entering a building. Now is a great time for you to review the evacuation plan for the buildings that you routinely use.

Note that nothing in the procedure described herein is designed to interfere with operational personnel whom due to their responsibilities must have access, such as members of the maintenance, emergency management, horticulture, and other departments, which have an existing agreement with College Security Services, and other key individuals with critical mission support roles.

Access Keys and Intellikeys

Access to the entrance doors of most buildings is limited to certain personnel, which reduces the likelihood of theft. The College Security Services department is responsible for opening and locking the main doors to each building. Certain doors remain locked at all times and require a particular entry card or key. These doors are monitored by a software program that can tell us who entered a building and at what time. It will also indicate if you try to enter an area to which you do not have authorization, and how many times you tried to enter the door.

Be prepared:

• Always be alert and aware of the people around you.
• Educate yourself concerning prevention tactics.
• Be aware of locations and situations which would make you vulnerable to crime; examples are alleys and dark parking lots.
• Familiarize yourself with the college's emergency response guidelines.
• In the event of inclement weather or other emergency situations, all members of the college should listen to area radio and television stations for announcements regarding the operation of the college. In addition, the Central Piedmont website will have an announcement regarding closings. Central Piedmont TV 17 will announce any closing or delays as well. When the college closes, all classes at all campuses are cancelled.
• When you hear a fire alarm go off, begin immediate evacuation using the closest exit – even if no one advises you to leave. Do not use the elevators. Instructors should ensure all students have exited prior to leaving. Remain at least 300 feet from the building in the designated assembly area. Do not re-enter the building until instructed to do so by emergency responders, College Security Services, or Building Emergency Captains.
• If your campus is locked down for a day or more due to the rapid spread of a disease or some other emergency, you can receive available information through the Central Piedmont website and Central Piedmont TV. 

Street precautions:

• Be alert to your surroundings and the people around you, especially if you are alone or if it is dark. When possible, go with a friend.
• Stay in well-lit areas as much as possible.
• Walk close to the curb. Avoid doorways, bushes, and alleys where someone could hide.
• Walk confidently and at a steady pace.
• Make eye contact with people when walking.
• Do not respond to conversation from strangers on the street. Continue walking.
• If you carry a purse, hold it securely between your arm and your body.

• If you feel threatened in class or afterward by a student, call the College Security Services non-emergency number and a College Security Services associate will be dispatched to your classroom or will contact you to discuss the situation further. College Security Services works with the Associate Vice President for Student Services to determine if actions should be taken to suspend or ban the student from campuses. Employees, be sure to send a copy of the written incident report to your immediate supervisor.
• If someone in your class gets sick or has a classroom on any campus, call the College Security Services emergency extension. The Security Dispatcher will contact the community 911 emergency responder as needed, and also dispatch a College Security Services Associate to remain on the scene until the emergency responder arrives.
• If students are fighting in your classroom or in the hall, call the College Security Services non-emergency number and College Security Services associates will be dispatched to the scene. Do not try to handle the situation yourself.
• If you feel that a student in your class is too sick or too contagious, per Central Piedmont Policy 6.0, persons who know of who have reason to believe that they are infected with a communicable disease have an obligation to conduct themselves in accordance with such knowledge in order to protect themselves and others. Students and employees who have communicable diseases, whether symptomatic or not, shall be allowed regular classroom and work attendance in a non-restrictive manner as long as they are able to attend classes and/or work and do not pose a medically proven threat for transmission of the disease or condition. Contact the ADA coordinator for more information.
• All instructors should have a syllabus complete with class rules and consequences for disrespectful behavior, etc., based on Central Piedmont Student and Faculty Policies and Procedures.
• Faculty: if a student threatens to harm you if you don't change a grade with which they do not agree, report the incident to your immediate supervisor and to College Security Services.
• Faculty: If a student in your class is disruptive, you may ask them to leave. If they refuse to leave when asked, call the College Security Services non-emergency number. If the disruption is severe, dismiss the entire class and contact the College Security Services non-emergency number. Be sure to send the written incident report to your immediate supervisor, and the Associate Vice President for Student Services. Do not try to handle the situation yourself.

• If you see someone vandalizing a campus building, immediately report the incident to the College Security Services non-emergency number. If you see evidence of possible fraudulent or corrupt activity such as arson, theft, damage, embezzlement or misuse of college property, under state law and per Central Piedmont procedures, employees are required to report this information to your immediate supervisor within three days and must file a written report with Central Piedmont Security Services.
• If you have a safety or security issue on campus in the evening, contact College Security. For other issues, contact the Evening Director for your campus.
• If you have a housekeeping problem — such as no paper towels in the restroom or a spilled soft drink in your class:
  • Between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., call Facilities Services’ customer service desk at 704-330-6000.
  • During other hours, if the housekeeping or maintenance issue can wait until the next business day to be addressed, call 704-330-6000 and leave a message. If it cannot wait until the next business day (e.g., no electrical power, burst or leaking water pipe, situation that causes a safety hazard, etc), contact the College Security Services emergency number. They will notify Facilities Management personnel who are on-call. 

Annual Security Report (PDF)