Throughout the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, many advancements to security have been made to ensure a safe environment for students going forward. These include upgraded deadbolt doors on remodeled or new classrooms to be used in emergency situations to prevent would-be intruders. 

Next up, new Emergency Lockdown buttons have been added for buildings requiring an access card. This will lock the door from the outside, allowing only those inside control over the doors. 

“Our campuses have recently undergone some important security upgrades,” Nicole Conklin, director of Public Safety, said in a districtwide email highlighting changes to security for this semester. “The improvements are designed to enhance safety.” 

These additions are paramount to protecting campus faculty and students, helping to create collective peace of mind when attending classes. 

Personal Safety

In light of recent tragedies at many schools around the nation involving active shooter situations, plus an uptick of crime in general, such as theft, arson and vandalism, public safety and CAPS (Campus and Parking Services) teams are operating in heightened awareness to prevent crime. With this, it is everyone’s responsibility to be observant and aware of their surroundings.

Follow these tips for safety: 

• Take time to lock your vehicle.
• Bring the essentials and keep valuables at home or in a secure location. 
• Report any and all crimes.
• Stay alert for suspicious people loitering in the area. 

Grossmont is prepared for emergencies, wildfires, and criminal activities, and updates have been made district-wide to equip students and faculty with the knowledge, tools, and resources to facilitate a campus that emphasizes the safety of its people.

Crime Log

CAPS and the San Diego County Sheriff are in charge when it comes to crime on campus. Crime logs for all illegal activities reported are compiled over the past 60 days and can be found at the CAPS security office. Crimes in recent weeks have been varied and frequent; here are the standouts:

• Theft: A hubcap was found missing from a vehicle in the parking structure.
• Suspicious Persons: A person, who is possibly an ex-student who was expelled, was found loitering on campus.
• Child Endangerment: Deputies assisted CAPS with a child left inside of a parked vehicle inside the parking structure. 

Emergencies that occur should be immediately reported to the County Sheriffs’ office, while non-emergency events should be channeled through CAPS.