The university created a new position within the University Police Department to increase safety and awareness on campus for students, faculty and staff.

To fill the role of Clery Compliance Officer, the UPD appointed Tiffany Chavers-Edwards, the department’s Assistant Director for Business Operations, on an interim basis until the position is filled.

According to Chavers-Edwards, the Clery Compliance Officer position was created in order for the university to better serve the campus community.

“With the ever-changing compliance responsibilities and our position of transparency, our new police chief believed this important position would not only benefit the university in keeping with the Department of Education’s policies, but would benefit our current and future students in making informed decisions about attending Southeastern,” explained Chavers-Edwards.

Clery-related crimes gained awareness when Jeanne Clery, a freshman at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, was assaulted and killed in her dorm room in 1986.

After the tragedy, the Clery Act was established, which “requires colleges and universities receiving federal funding (including Southeastern Louisiana University) to prepare, publish and distribute campus security policies and crime statistics,” according to the UPD website.

Crime statistics come from reports to the UPD, to local law enforcement and to Campus Security Authorities, who oversee student and campus activities. In turn, CSAs must bring crime reports directly to the UPD.

Chavers-Edwards described the several responsibilities the position will entail for herself and for any employee who fills the role in the future, including updating crime logs and affirming that university employees are trained and educated.

“This position is responsible for ensuring university employees, who are classified as Campus Security Authorities, are trained and educated on the responsibilities of their role as a CSA,” explained Chavers-Edwards. “This position is also tasked with ensuring the Daily Crime and Fire Log is kept up to date and available to the campus community, as well as compiling and publishing the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. Clery compliance also ensures the distribution of timely warnings and emergency notifications.”

According to Chavers-Edwards, she is currently enrolled in the National Association of Clery Compliance Officers and the Clery Compliance Officer Certification Program. She is on the path to graduate from the program in July 2021. Chavers-Edwards expressed her sentiments for assuming the role and described her journey with the university.

“I am very excited to take on the role of Assistant Director for Business Operations and Clery Compliance,” shared Chavers-Edwards. “I am a graduate of Southeastern with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and a Master of Science in Applied Sociology. I started at the University Police Department in 2007 as a police radio dispatcher, then moved to an administrative coordinator role, and now into this current position. Having the experience and working knowledge of a university police department has given me invaluable resources to be able to fill this position.”

The Clery Compliance Officer described the goals she and the UPD hope to accomplish through this new position.

“We strive to be the model that other system universities look up to, but first and foremost, to provide the best service possible to our Southeastern community,” shared Chavers-Edwards.

In a Chief’s Brief release on Oct. 16, UPD Director and Chief Michael Beckner stated, “This will allow current students to better understand crimes on campus and let future students make informed decisions on the safety of our campus before they arrive.”

More information on the Clery Act, Clery-related crimes, and CSAs can be found on the UPD’s website under the “Campus Security Authority” tab.