The Halifax Community College Campus Police Department plays a vital role in ensuring students’ and faculty’s safety and security. They are sworn officers, tasked with upholding the law, preventing crime, and responding to emergencies promptly and efficiently. Beyond this, they foster a sense of safety and trust among students, faculty, and visitors, creating an environment conducive to learning and personal growth. Through proactive patrols, crime prevention initiatives, and community outreach efforts, the campus police department establishes a strong rapport with the community, encouraging collaboration and mutual respect. The Halifax Community College Police Department is indispensable in supporting the community college’s overall mission and promoting a positive educational experience for all.
Campus safety is paramount in ensuring a secure environment for students, faculty, and staff to learn, work, and thrive. Through comprehensive security measures, emergency preparedness initiatives, and community engagement efforts, we prioritize the well-being and security of everyone within our university campus.
Halifax Community College is a community-based campus that is open to students, faculty, staff and visitors during business operation hours. The following hours have been established by HCC Board of Trustees with the flexibility to change based on needs of the college.
The Library operates on two different hours depending on the time of year. Please check with the library for the most current hours of operations by calling 252-536-7236.
The Wellness Center has special operating hours as well; please call 252-538-4324.
The main classroom buildings are available to students and the general public during normal operating hours of 7:00 a.m. till 10:00 p.m. Note: Some buildings may be locked prior to 10 pm depending on the needs of the college.
Faculty and staff will have access to campus buildings as needed. If access is needed after normal hours, please contact the Chief of Campus Security for more information. Special events during and after hours will need to be approved by the Chief of Campus Security, that require access to buildings and parking lots.
There will be no access to HCC buildings during the hours of 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Access to buildings on the weekends will be limited to scheduled classes. No other access will be permitted unless cleared by the Chief of Campus Security, the College President, or Department Head.
Promoting a drug and alcohol free environment is everyone’s responsibility. Halifax Community College supports and is committed to maintaining such an environment for all employees and students. The unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of controlled substances by employees or students at any official college location or any location while engaged in activities on behalf of the college is prohibited. “Controlled substance” generally refers to drugs that have a high potential for abuse. Such drugs include, but are not limited to heroin, cocaine, “crack,” marijuana, and PCP. They also include “legal drugs” which are not prescribed by a physician. Likewise, possessing, consuming, or serving alcoholic beverages at any college location is prohibited.
When a campus state of emergency is declared, all nonessential personnel, students, and visitors must immediately begin an orderly evacuation of the campus. Notification will be made by a text message, P.A. system announcement and through the college wide email system (as time permits). HCC Security Officers and Law Enforcement personnel will assist in directing traffic to ensure the safest and quickest evacuation. During an evacuation, an officer will be placed at the light to assist with traffic to promptly direct traffic off and away from the campus until it is safe to return. It is important to exit in a calm and safe manner and be respectful of other drivers. If you need to leave your vehicle during this time, you will be allowed to return back on campus when it has been deemed safe to return by a College Administrator/Director of Campus Security/Law Enforcement or Fire Department official.
If your vehicle has to be removed (towed) due to a mechanical breakdown or has been damaged as a result of the evacuation, you will be notified where the vehicle has been taken. Arrangements to retrieve your personal belongings will be made between you and the place where it has been taken. If law enforcement has seized your vehicle, it will be at the discretion of the department (in-charge) to release or allow you to enter the vehicle for any personal items in the vehicle. This will comply with all NC vehicle seizure laws and items deemed as States evidence in a criminal case.
We understand that child care is expensive and hard to come by, but to maintain a business environment we ask that you make every effort to find proper care. Exceptions to this may be cleared with the appropriate faculty/instructor or department chair. Children are not allowed in any classroom, laboratory, library, or student areas for their safety. Children may not be left unattended in vehicles at any time and law enforcement may be called if deemed a safety concern. Children may be brought to special college events, if permitted by the sponsoring host.
Halifax Community College faculty and staff like to know who’s on campus, therefore we require everyone to wear a HCC College ID badge. Every student is required to visit the Dean of Student Services to receive your student ID badge before attending classes. Every faculty and staff member of Halifax Community College is required to wear a college ID badge as well. We want you to know who we are just as much as we want to get to know you.
Visitors are required to visit Dr. Phillip W. Taylor Complex Building (100) to get a visitor’s pass.
G.E.D. students are also required to wear HCC College ID badges while you are on campus.
Roanoke Valley Early College students are required to wear your school issued badges while on campus to assist faculty and staff with identification.
If a student does not have an HCC College ID Badge they will be asked to leave the campus or go to the Learning Resources Center (Library) to have a new ID made. If a student refuses to leave at the request of a faculty or staff member, the police will be notified and the student will be charged with trespassing. Your HCC College ID Badge will also serve as your library card.
If you lose or damage your HCC College ID Badge, you must replace it after you pay a fee at the Cashier’s Office Building 300.
Security officers are here for your safety and to observe and report both criminal and non-criminal activities to Campus Law Enforcement Officers. A Security Officer will write an incident report, take statements from victims and witnesses and may conduct a follow-up inquiry as needed. Security Officers may take student misconduct reports that are non-violent in nature or other violations of the student conduct handbook and report them to the appropriate department head for disciplinary action.
The HCC Police Department will conduct all investigations that are considered criminal in matter. Traffic enforcement, traffic accidents or other vehicular incidents will be conducted by the Law Enforcement Officer on Campus. The Chief of Campus Security will inform the appropriate leadership on campus with regards to the nature, person(s) impacted, severity and what course of action is to be or will be taken based on the direction from the victim. Citations issued by a sworn law enforcement officer on HCC Campus (Weldon site) will be in the form of a North Carolina State Citation. It is the discretion of the officer to issue a citation based on the facts of the situation.
PROTECT YOURSELF
You are the key to your personal safety and the safety of others. Be aware of your surroundings and anything that doesn’t appear to be normal. Greet people when you pass. This lets them know you are aware of their presence. Keep your personal items close to your body, make sure things are not hanging out of your pockets i.e.’ keys, wallet, cell phone, money.
BE AWARE
Recognize your vulnerability, don’t walk alone at night to your car, request Security for an escort. Don’t talk on your cell phone when walking to your vehicle or in a crowded parking lot. This allows for anyone to sneak up on you without you being aware of their presence.
REPORT
All suspicious persons, vehicles, and activities to campus security or law enforcement immediately. It is better to err on the side of caution that may prevent unwanted activities on campus that could save lives or protect property.
PROTECT
Keep your car locked at all times. Never leave valuables where they can be seen in your vehicle; lock them in your trunk. Do not leave any personal property lying around such as books, book bags, and purses. Hide GPS, phone chargers and lose money from plain sight in cars when parked on campus. Do not leave laptops or cell phones plugged into outlets in public areas unattended.
REPORT CRIME
Report any crime or suspected crime to either a Security Officer or Campus Law Enforcement Officer immediately. Try to get as much information as possible about the person or people involved; the direction of travel and what was taken or damaged. It is important to report this quickly in order to stop or prevent it from happening in the future. You can make an anonymous report via the website or over the phone as long as your purpose is to prevent or report a crime. Anyone found reporting fraudulent reports for malicious reasons will be reported to the Dean of Student Affairs and possibly be charged criminally.
Halifax Community College promotes and enforces a drug-free campus. We want students, faculty and staff to seek help if you have trouble with controlling the use of street drugs/alcohol/tobacco and or prescription drugs. A member of the HCC counseling staff will act as a referral source and assist you with getting help. This is confidential and will not be shared outside the HCC Crisis Team without your permission. Learn more.
Security can be contacted for assistance at any time by calling 252-536-4221. Security officers are available to escort students, staff, faculty, and visitors to and from any building and parking lot on campus. If security assistance is not requested, we suggest walking with a friend or group of people.
In the event of a fire or activation of an alarm, immediately evacuate the building at the closest Exit as instructed to do so and proceed to your designated rally point. Be sure to close office and classroom doors before you leave. Faculty and staff are to notify students and visitors in their respective areas to assemble at the assigned rally points for their particular buildings or locations.
Assist disabled persons to the designated rescue stations as you are exiting the building and notify the Rally Point Leader the location and the number of persons you left at the rescue station. Fire and EMS personnel will help these people from the building to help reduce the chances of injuries and death. The college will conduct a fire drill twice a year with students present. Students/staff or faculty with a disability that would require special assistance during an emergency to evacuate a building needs to enroll through the Counseling Center to help put in place an action plan. Learn more.
HCC can notify you by text messages of emergencies and college closings. It is free. It’s quick and simple to sign up. You will not receive solicitation texts or outside provider requests, it is controlled by our Computer Systems Department and Campus Security. Our goal is to have 100% students, faculty and staff to sign up for Mobile Alerts. Get started now by clicking this link, MobileAlerts.
Halifax Community Campus Law Enforcement Officer
252-538-4317 or ( 911 )
http://www.halifaxcc.edu
Halifax Community College Campus Security Officer
252-536-7286
Weldon Police Department
252-536-3136 or ( 911 )
http://historicweldonnc.com/weldon-police-department
Halifax County Sheriff Office
252-583-8201 or ( 911)
http://www.halifaxnc.com
Northampton County Sheriff Office
252-534-7101 or ( 911 )
http://www.northamptonnc.com/sheriff.asp
Roanoke Rapids Police Department
252-533-2810 or ( 911 )
http://www.roanokerapidsnc.com/roanoke-rapids-nc-city-departments
Enfield Police Department
252- 445-5122 or ( 911)
http://www.enfieldnc.org/police
Scotland Neck Police Department
252-826-4112 or ( 911 )
http://townofscotlandneck.com
Littleton Police Department
252- 586-3413 or ( 911 )
http://townoflittleton-nc.us
Halifax County 911- All Emergencies
911
http://www.halifaxnc911.com
Weldon Fire Department
252-536-4655 or ( 911 )
If you have a medical emergency please call 911. If you have fallen or been injured while on campus, notify Security by calling the switchboard at 252-536-2551. A member of the Security team will take the report and forward it to the appropriate Administrative official. Our Security and Law Enforcement Officers are trained in First Aid/CPR and are available to assist you with seeking medical care. We cannot issue medications or perform any medical treatment that is beyond basic life-saving. We will notify Halifax County EMS or Weldon Fire Department First Responders to provide medical assessments or transportation to a medical facility. We cannot transport anyone to the hospital or other medical providers’ facilities.
If you have a medical condition that may require immediate medical care, please contact the counseling center to self-identify as having a need. This will help you and the College to provide the best possible coverage in an unlikely medical event here on campus. Remember to bring your medication, inhalers, or other prescribed devices with you that you may need during a medical event. All medication needs to have a proper Pharmacy label with your name, medication name, dosage, and Dr.’s name on it. This must comply with the Controlled Substance Act of NC, G.S. 90-86.
Pets are not allowed on campus unless it is identified as a therapeutic, guide dog, or assistance dog. In special situations, permission to bring pets on campus for college-sponsored activities, instructional classes or other events may be granted by the President of the College or an Administrator of the college.
Title IX is a comprehensive federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. Title IX prohibits sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment which is a form of gender discrimination.
Victims of sexual crimes can receive confidential assistance through local medical and psychological professionals in the area. Please be aware that many sexual assaults/rapes involving college students are ‘acquaintance rapes’ or ‘date rapes.’ Victims of on-campus crimes have the right to choose counseling, medical treatment, prosecution and reporting of their case through the college reporting system and/or the off-campus court system. Victims also have the right to refuse to report the crime without reproach from any college personnel. It is important that you preserve as much evidence as possible to aid in successful prosecution.
Some basic steps to take if you are a victim of an assault:
Sexual Assault
Any grievance involving sexual harassment or any form of discrimination including race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, or political affiliation is considered a harassment grievance. Such grievances should be filed directly with the VP of Student Services. Due to the special circumstances of the grievance, a student does not have to discuss the grievance directly with the person(s) involved and should initiate the grievance directly with the VP of Student Services who will facilitate the procedures.
Sexual Assault Grievance
All students who are victims of sexual assault are encouraged to report to campus security that a sexual assault has occurred on campus and/or contact the Sexual Assault Counselor as possible after the alleged incident. Complaints by or against students will be forwarded to the VP of Student Services for resolution within existing disciplinary procedures. The Crisis Team will investigate the crime and secure criminal warrants as appropriate. For more information on about procedures involving student reports of sexual assault and the information of preserving evidence as may be necessary to the proof of criminal sexual assault, contact the Sexual Assault Counselor (Building 300) or Campus Police (Building 300). All incidents of assault must be reported to the VP of Student Services with identifying information or anonymously.
At HCC, we take sexual assault very seriously. Because sexual assault survivors can have a wide range of responses- fear, anger, shame- HCC offers different services and resources to meet them where they are.
Those who are in life-threatening situations should call 911 or the HCC Security Office who can offer immediate assistance in protection from the assailant and in collecting evidence and testimony for criminal charges.
Survivors can also go to Halifax Regional Medical Center where a nurse who specializes in working with sexual assault survivors can collect evidence, treat injuries and offer medication for sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy prevention. Counselors from Hannah’s Place are also available for emotional support.
Sometimes a survivor is too traumatized, disoriented or confused by an assault to report it immediately and for a long time afterward. Counseling is available through the HCC Counseling Center in building 300, Suite 323, Room 325 or Safe Helpline at www.safehelpline.org, 1-877-995-5247 or text 55-247 (inside the U.S.) 202-470-5546 (outside the U.S.).
Sometimes a survivor decides not to pursue any action against the assailant. Even so, the same resources named above. Beyond physical injuries, sexual assault survivors also experience mental trauma, both immediately and a long time afterward. The Counseling Center Can assist and make referrals for off-campus mental health services for long-term treatment and other resources.
Feeling safe and in control is another important need for sexual assault survivors. To promote the student’s safety and well-being, the VP of Students offers several protective measures outside any disciplinary process. These measures include changes in class schedules and a “no contact” order that requires a student to stop any and all communication with another student.
At some point in the process a sexual assault survivor may decide to pursue criminal charges against the assailant, file a complaint through the college process, do both or do neither. HCC is prepared to respond to whatever the survivor’s choice may be, encouraging the pursuit of criminal proceedings whenever possible and especially to prevent assault by the same assailant.
To press criminal charges, survivors are encouraged to go to the HCC Security office to report an on-campus assault and to the appropriate law enforcement agency to report an assault that occurred off campus. Survivors can also file a complaint through the College process at the same time. They are separate processes.
There are many reasons survivors decide not to press criminal charges, from avoiding the exposure of a public trial to a lack of physical evidence. These survivors can still file a complaint through the College grievance process. The survivor is encouraged to contact the VP of Students who can coordinate certain protective measures and services that are still available through the College. If a student decides to maintain complete confidentiality and not report the assault to anyone at the College, help is still available. HCC encourages the use of such agencies as Hannah’s Place and Cardinal Innovations Mobile Crisis for any survivors who wish to maintain complete confidentiality.
In accordance with the “Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act” of 2000, Halifax Community College provides a link to the North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registry. The website for NC and websites for other state registers are listed below.
NC Sex Offender and Public Protection Registry
http://sexoffender.ncdoj.gov/search.aspx
National Sex Offender Public Registry
http://www.nsopw.gov/en-US/Registry
https://nccasa.org/| https://www.clerycenter.org/staying-safe-guide-families
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/ncipc
National Institute of Justice
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij
National Sexual Violence Resource Center
www.nsvrc.org
National Violence Against Women Prevention Research Center (NVAWPRC)
www.vawprevention.org
The Office on Violence Against Women
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo
The Prevention Institute
www.preventioninstitute.org
You can also check with Northampton County Sheriff’s Office at 252-534-7101 or Halifax County Sheriff Office 252-583-8201, to see if any offenders are registered in your area or near Halifax Community College Campuses.
All campus locations are smoking and vaping free. No smoking or vaping is allowed inside any building or on campus grounds including parking lots and inside parked cars. Violation of this policy may result in you being asked to leave campus.
If time permits, in the event that a tornado or hurricane presents an immediate threat to individuals on the HCC campus, the campus will be alerted by way of Mobile Alert, intercom, college employees and/or campus security. If you have to seek shelter while on campus, it is safest to be located in an interior room with no windows (i.e. bathroom, or interior hallway). Please close all windows and doors before you leave your area. Please follow the Emergency Action Plan located in each classroom, office and hallways for specific instructions.
Halifax Community College Board of Trustees has set the speed limit on campus to 15 mph. This includes all parking lots and roads leading into and off campus. Our sworn Law Enforcement Officers have the authority to issue state or city speeding ordinances to help promote safe motor vehicle operations. HCC has designated handicapped parking located in each parking lot that allows for easy access for those who require short accessibility into our facilities. Handicap parking is for permitted vehicles only and must have permits displayed appropriately in the window or on the license plate. A state citation will be issued to anyone violating N.C. general statutes 20-37.6. Vehicles operating on campus must observe and obey all traffic signs. Watch your speed when driving through the parking lots to avoid unexpected vehicles backing out of parking stalls. Most accidents on campus are a result of backing out of stalls into oncoming traffic.
If you are involved in an accident on campus, immediately call for Campus Law Enforcement to complete an accident report. You can call 911 or the campus directory at 252-536-2551. Please do not leave the scene if damage has been done to your vehicle, another vehicle or any HCC property. All reports can be picked up at the Town of Weldon, 201 Washington Ave. Weldon from 9 am- 5 pm. There is a small fee for copies of all reports through Weldon Police Department.
Halifax Community College administration understands that you are in a hurry to get to class and you may have left your keys in your vehicle or left your lights on. The Security Department is not available to help you to get into your cars with any unlocking devices due to possible damage it could cause to your vehicle. The department is also unavailable to jump start your car due to a run-down battery or other mechanical problems. We will be more than happy to assist you with contacting a Locksmith or mobile mechanic to assist you with your vehicle needs. So, please take a few seconds before you close the door to make sure you have your keys and you have turned your lights out.
The State of North Carolina has allowed for weapons to be on any property owned, leased, or occupied by any North Carolina educational institution if you have a valid Carry Conceal Permit and the weapon remains in a locked trunk/glove box or storage device at all times while on campus. You cannot have it on you or display it while on campus unless you are protecting your life or the lives of others during an emergency situation that would justify use of deadly force. This does not include: rifles, shotguns, black powder, BB guns, air rifles, bows, swords, box cutters, knives, etc., but is not necessarily limited to these items. If you have any questions relating to weapons on campus, contact a Campus Law Enforcement Officer before bringing a weapon on campus. This includes any weapon that complies with the Carry Conceal Permit Law, NC G.S. 14-415.11(c). Violation of this law could result in being charged with a felony, dismissal from campus and or loss of Carry Conceal Permit.
In 1998, the Campus Security Act was amended and renamed the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. The Act requires Halifax Community College to prepare and distribute to all current faculty, staff, and students an annual report which sets forth our policies on crime prevention issues and provide statistics on the number of specific, violent crimes (murder and non-negligent manslaughter and negligent manslaughter, forcible and non-forcible sexual offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, arson, motor vehicle thefts, and hate crimes) which have occurred on campus and also the number of arrests on campus for liquor law violations, drug use violations, and weapons possession. Please click here to access Halifax Community College’s Annual Campus and Safety Report.
HCC Police Department is located in the 400 Building
Chief Emmett Smith
Chief of Police
[email protected]
252-538-4317
Room 406
