Bridgewater State College complies with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act), which is a federal law requiring most colleges and universities nationwide to publish statistics in order to inform the BSC community about certain criminal offenses committed on or near campus.
These statistics, coupled with the issuance of Safety Alert Bulletins are tools used by the Bridgewater State College to educate the BSC community as part of the college's commitment to reduce crime and keep the BSC community informed on matters that affect the safety of the campus.
The Clery Act also requires colleges to publish an annual report by October 1st each year that contains three years of campus crime statistics and also certain security policy statements including sexual assault policies, the law enforcement authority of campus police, and where students should go to report crimes. These statistics and policy statements are published annually in the college's Student Handbook and on this web site.
Colleges must disclose crime statistics for the campus, public areas immediately adjacent to the campus, and certain non-campus facilities including Greek housing and remote housing. The statistics must be gathered from campus and local police, and college officials that have "significant responsibility for student and campus activities."
Colleges are also required to provide "timely warnings" and a separate but more extensive public crime log. The Bridgewater State College Police Department issues "Campus Safety Alert Bulletins" whenever a major crime or other significant incident may potentially affect the safety or security of the campus community. The Department also maintains a daily police log that is accessible to the public. The police log and any Campus Safety Alert Bulletins that are issued are also provided for publication in the college newspaper, The Comment.