TO THE EDITOR:
The generalizations made in the March 18 article “Survey Finds Sexual Assault Disconnect” do not accurately portray UNC-Chapel Hill’s commitment to comprehensively addressing the issue of sexual assault. The article also fails to mention the many reporting options available to the campus community.
Our highly trained Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers are sworn by the State of North Carolina, and together they represent decades of law enforcement experience. DPS officers are skilled in responding to reports of sexual assault and providing support services to survivors. They also work closely with the campus community on violence prevention efforts.
Every sexual assault and crime reported to DPS is publicly disclosed on the Daily Crime Log on the DPS website, which affirms Carolina’s commitment to transparency. The University’s Annual Security Report, which is also posted online, includes three years of statistics and data. And in 2014, the university hired a Clery Act Compliance Specialist solely dedicated to improving our response, prevention and support efforts.
It is important to note that federal law requires universities, including Carolina, to have both confidential and non-confidential reporting options other than law enforcement. In non-confidential cases, DPS works closely with campus departments to investigate and respond to each report.
Carolina is, in fact, very connected on these efforts, and I invite The Daily Tar Heel and the campus community to learn more at safe.unc.edu and dps.unc.edu.
Jeff McCracken
Director of Public Safety
