����Ӱҵ

This document is a statement of policy of ����Ӱҵ Its primary purpose so far as is reasonably practicable, is to provide a secure and safe environment for all Fellows, staff, students, visitors and contractors, whilst within, or situated on, College premises. The Head Porter is operationally responsible for the effective operation and enforcement of the Security Policy and its procedures. Responsibility for security and personal safety rests with all persons who study, work, reside in, or visit the College. All members of the College community, visitors, guests and contractors should assist to ensure the success of this Policy 

Date of Issue: 13 June 2017  
Authorised by: ����Ӱҵ College Council  
Date reviewed by Health, Safety and Security Sub-Committee: 5th October 2023  
Date reviewed by Works and Accommodation Committee: 12th November 2023  
Date Reviewed by College Council: 17th January 2024 
 

Employee Consultation and Representation 

The College actively promotes and supports staff and student involvement and consultation in security planning. The forum for this is the Health, Safety and Security Sub-Committee (chaired by the Operations Director and including Fellows of the College, College staff and students). 

The Health, Safety and Security Sub-Committee terms of reference in relation to security are: 

• To oversee the personnel and physical security arrangements throughout the College; 

• To receive reports of security related incidents and make recommendations for improving security, as necessary; 

• To oversee the arrangements for the security of College silver whilst in store or in use at functions. To ensure that regular audits are carried out under guidance from the Keeper of the Silver; 

• To make recommendations for expenditure to improve security to the Works and Accommodation Committee; 

• To submit its minutes to the Works and Accommodation Committee. 

Note: 

1. The Health, Safety and Security Sub-Committee will meet three times annually, once each during the Michaelmas, Lent and Easter term. 

2. The minutes of the meeting will be circulated widely and it is to the Works and Accommodation Committee that unresolved issues should be bought for resolution. 

Access Gates and Gate Hours 

The College operates two Porters’ Lodges (Old Courts, Trinity Street and Harvey Court, West Road) and these are staffed twenty-four hours a day. As a general rule, the Main College is open between 6.00 am and 12 midnight every day. Visitors are permitted to enter the College grounds between 10.00am and 3.00pm except in examination periods and at other times of the year when the College is closed. This remains under review due to Covid restrictions and at this time visiting members of the public are not allowed access to the College 

Everyone entering the Main College must pass through the Porters Lodge which is staffed 24 hours a day. 

Every day at 12 midnight, the street and Lodge doors are locked with the wicket gate left open. Those requiring access must use the intercom system to attract the attention of the Porter on duty. 

At times, the wicket gate may need to be locked if the Porters Lodge is unmanned. In the event this occurs, the access control reader on the wicket gate will be activated to allow residents into the Old Courts by use of a proximity access card. Any visitors arriving during this closure can contact the on duty Porter by using the mobile phone number displayed outside the gate.

Unless resident in Gonville, Caius or Tree Courts, students may not pass through the Main Gate after 3.00 am. Any students who are not resident in these courts and are visiting other students must vacate the courts by 3.00 am. 

After 12 midnight the Porter on duty may, at their discretion, refuse entry to any person not resident in these courts. 

Access to St Michael’s Court is by means of a proximity access card. Vehicular access to St Mary’s Court is between 6.00 am and 10.30 am from Monday to Saturday. 

Room Keys 

Every occupant of a College room, dependent on where they are residing, will receive a key from either the Trinity Street or Harvey Court Porters’ Lodges, or will be able to use their University Card to gain access to their residence, and will be personally responsible for the safety of the key/card. 

Copying of keys is forbidden, and disciplinary action will be taken against anyone in breach of this rule. 

Although the Porters keep duplicate room keys/cards for use in emergencies, . A charge will be made if a key is lost, or if it is not surrendered when the room is vacated to pay for the replacement. Information on charges can be found within the Accommodation Handbook which is available on both the College website and “The Venn”. 

Similarly, where a spare key borrowed in an emergency is not returned within 24 hours an administrative charge may be incurred on a scale dependent on the number of weeks that have elapsed before the key is returned. 

Proximity Cards 

Every Fellow, student and member of staff is issued with a University Card, uniquely identifiable by its number. This card is the responsibility of the holder as it doubles as a proximity access card which is required to access secure areas of the College. In the event of loss or damage, the Tutorial Office must be notified immediately by telephone (32440) or by email (tutorial.office@cai.cam.ac.uk) who will immediately request the IT/Porters department to deactivate the access rights of the lost card. A replacement card will be requested and will arrive within two working days. 

During this period, a student temporary card may be borrowed from either Porter’s Lodge. These may be kept for a period not exceeding two weeks. An administration charge may be applied for every week or part of a week that elapses thereafter until the temporary card is returned. 

Access Control 

Access points in and out of the College, and into certain facilities within the College, are controlled via a proximity card access system. Although it is possible to interrogate the system to establish which cards were used to operate a particular lock at a given time, the College does not routinely monitor this data. 

Access control data may not be used by the College except to satisfy statutory obligations (including the College's duty of care to Fellows, staff and students under health and safety legislation) or for investigation into criminal procedures, a breach of security or suspected abuse of access privileges. Ultimately, permission to scrutinise the system must be sought from the Data Protection Officer. 

Building and Room Security

Although the College Courts are private property, the public normally has access to them, and rooms are, therefore, vulnerable to theft. It is the responsibility of the resident to ensure doors and windows are locked when they are vacant, particularly on the ground floor. 

Due to public access to sites, the door to any College room equates to the front door of a house, not simply a bedroom door or office. 

The College has installed coded security locks or a proximity card reader on the doors of some staircases/residences to provide a greater degree of security for rooms and those who occupy them. It is very important that these doors are kept closed and locked and that the security combination is not given to strangers or any non-Caius resident. 

College staff will lock doors if rooms are found to be empty, but while every effort will be made to keep rooms secure, residents are ultimately responsible for the safety of their own belongings. 

Site Security 

Regular patrols are carried out by the duty Porters. Whilst on patrol, security checks are made of door and building security, the status of intruder alarm panels and areas that are accessible by the public for anything suspicious. Persons not familiar to the Porters will be challenged politely but firmly. 

Personal Safety and Security 

Fellows, students and staff should take the normal precautions associated with living in a relatively big city, particularly when moving around on their own especially at night in poorly lit areas. It is advised that where possible: 

• Aim to travel in pairs or groups 
• Keep to main routes where other people are present 
• Use public transport or taxis late at night 
• Avoid deserted or ill-lit areas 
• Avoid confrontation 
• Consider carrying a personal alarm 
• If carrying a mobile phone, keep it out of sight

If valuables are carried, it is recommended that: 
• All valuable items out of sight of others 
• Large sums of cash are not carried 
• Details of valuable items, credit card numbers, and serial numbers are kept in separate places

If in residence or working from offices, ensure that: 
• Doors and windows are secured every time the room is vacated, even for short periods 
• Room keys and proximity cards are safeguarded and not labelled or traceable e.g. with names 
• Only known persons should be allowed into residences 

Intruder Alarm Systems 

Intruder Alarm systems are employed within the College to protect buildings and valuable possessions. They are managed by the Head Porter on behalf of the College Security Sub Committee. Codes for each alarm system are held within the Porters Lodges and will only be divulged to authorised persons.

Insurance 

The College cannot and does not accept any responsibility for losses, it is essential that all Fellows, students and staff possessions are fully insured against theft, damage or any other loss. Giving out lock combination numbers or lending keys/proximity access cards to residences is not permitted and would potentially invalidate insurance, making individuals liable for losses to others caused by their negligence. If this did occur, then disciplinary may be taken against offenders. 

C.C.T.V. 

C.C.T.V. cameras are used on the College sites and at external properties to help safeguard the security of Fellows, students, staff, visitors and property. Cameras are positioned to capture views of building entrances and certain strategic areas which are assigned as sensitive. 

C.C.T.V. cameras are not used in areas where to do so would intrude on the personal and private lives of those for whom the College is their home. 

Several of the cameras are capable of being directed and zoomed remotely; the live images are viewed by those authorised to do so in order to detect any suspicious activity. Information and these surveillance pictures will only be used for the detection and prevention of crime. 

Warning signs are displayed at entrance points to highlight that surveillance cameras are in operation and that the images are being recorded for the detection and prevention of crime and for public safety. 

C.C.T.V. footage will be stored in line with the Information Commissioners’ guidelines and will then be erased unless required as evidence. Fellows, students and staff have the right of access to information about themselves held on C.C.T.V. footage. To request access to such footage, a Data Access Request Form must be completed, proof of identity provided, and the applicable fee must be paid. 

Bicycle Security 

The College has numerous bicycle racks were cycles can be securely stored. All bicycle racks are situated behind gates or are in secure areas out of line of sight. Members and staff of the College are urged to place bicycles in appropriate secure areas to reduce the risk of theft. 

Bicycles are required by both University Ordinance and College Regulations to be registered with the College. This can be done at the West Road Porters Lodge where a distinguishing letter and number will be given and must be displayed on the bicycle. 

Security of Postal Deliveries 

Undergraduates students’ mail is delivered to pigeonholes in the corridor by the Buttery Bar in Gonville Court. 1st year undergraduates parcels can be collected from the Harvey Court Luggage Store whilst 2nds, 3rd and 4th year student can collect from the Old Courts Porters Lodge. Graduates students living in College accommodation will have their mail delivered to the MCR in the Old Courts, larger parcels will be delivered to the Harvey Road MCR. Fellows' and Staff mail will be delivered to offices and rooms where appropriate. Recorded/registered letters arriving for College members will be kept in the Porters Lodge for safe keeping. Recipients will be contacted by email message to advise them of a parcel delivery and of the location where it can be collected and any applicable collection times.

Secure Lockers 

A number of secure lockers are available in the Old Courts and Cockerell Building for Graduate students and those Undergraduates students living in outside properties at Mortimer, Glisson & Chesterton Roads to use for long term storage. Applications for these are to be made to the College Housekeeper. Keys are issued on payment of a standard deposit and must be returned at the end of the academic year. 

There are also a small number of short term lockers located in the Harvey Court changing rooms opposite the College Gym. These are operated with a token that is available from the West Road Porters Lodge, which is returned on emptying the contents of the locker. 

Usage of these short term use lockers is monitored, and abuse of the facility (for example, by using lockers for long-term storage) prevents community use and those found to be exploiting the intended period of use will have their possessions removed and placed in safe storage with the Senior Shift Porter at the West Road Porters Lodge. 

Visitors Passes 

The College operates a Visitors Pass system whereby contractors, visitors and conference guests are required on their arrival, to make themselves known at a Porters Lodge and be registered. Once registered, they will carry the security pass on them whilst working, visiting or residing on College property. This pass is required to be visible at all times and is returned to the Porters Lodge on departure. 

Car Parking 

Many of the car parking areas are secure and have either automatic gates or bollards protecting entrances and exits. These automated gates and bollards are operated by either an individual’s University Card or a specific access card. Regular patrols are carried out of the car parking areas to prevent unfamiliar cars or those not displaying a valid permit from parking. 

Whilst parked on College property, car users are strongly advised to remove everything from the car that may attract car thieves and ensure that before leaving the vehicle, the sunroof, windows and doors are all secured 

The College Car Parking Further information on how the College manages car parking can be found in the Car Parking: Policy and Procedures. 

College Plan for Major Incidents and Security Alerts The College has developed an Incident & Crisis Management Plan which is designed to respond to general threats, specific threats and other emergencies of various types. When necessary, this plan will be operated under the general direction of the Domestic Bursar with assistance from the Head Porter. 

In the case of an emergency, which relates to a security incident, the plan places a general responsibility upon all members of the College. Staircases and houses will be closed and, where possible, locked against access by intruders; there should be no opportunity for uninvited persons to enter those areas. Each student is responsible for his/her individual room. Unknown persons should be questioned as to their presence inside buildings. It is everyone’s responsibility to be alert to possible intruders or suspicious activities. 

The College Plan for dealing with major security incidents and alerts in Main College Courts or West Road Site consists of three levels of security alert. The Incident Control Point (ICP) is located at the following locations:

ICP Old Courts: Old Courts Porters’ Lodge 
Alternative ICP Old Courts: Bateman Room 
ICP Harvey Court: West Road Porters’ Lodge 
Alternative ICP Harvey Court: Finella House, Room 2
 

(a) Initial Prevention 

This is the normal state and involves a general responsibility for all members of the College and staff to limit opportunities for anybody to place unauthorised devices within the College. Access to the College is monitored and controlled by the Porters, backed up by vigilance on the part of individuals. Rooms should be kept locked when not in use; persons who are not recognised should be asked the purpose of their visit to the site. Rubbish and containers are cleared regularly so that devices cannot be hidden. 

(b) General Alert 

This is when there is a non-specific threat to the area (‘Cambridge’) or the establishment (‘the University’). On receipt of such a threat the Heads of all Departments in the College, Fellows and students will be informed by e-mail. Each Department is responsible for a security sweep of its area and reporting to the respective Porters’ Lodge when this is complete. The Head Porter/Deputy Head Porter/Senior Shift Porter, assisted by the Housekeeping staff, will carry out a check of all staircases and the public rooms of the College, including the Chapel. Outside normal working hours the Porters will check the ‘common user’ areas of staircases and public rooms as directed by the “on call” Porter. The discovery of any suspicious package/container should be followed by clearing the immediate area, cordoning it off to prevent further access and reporting it immediately to the Porters’ Lodge/ICP. No action should be taken to move or disturb any package/container. 

(c) Specific Threat 

In the event of a specific threat to the College, or a particular area within the College, the building or area will be evacuated immediately, followed by a full sweep by experts. The quickest way to effect this evacuation will be by the activation of the fire alarm for the area or areas concerned, followed by a decision on which assembly points should be further evacuated. 

The discovery of any suspicious package/container should be followed by clearing the immediate area, cordoning it off to prevent further access and reporting it immediately to the Porters’ Lodge/ICP. No action should be taken to move or disturb any package/container. 

PREVENT 

PREVENT is the Government’s strategy to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism, in all forms. PREVENT works at the pre-criminal stage by using early intervention to encourage individuals and communities to challenge extremist and terrorist ideology and behaviour. 

As a Higher Education Institution, the College must balance the duties under PREVENT with its legal requirements in relation to freedom of speech and academic freedom, as enshrined in other legislation. Freedom of expression is itself an important means to challenge and prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. 

All staff and members of the College have a responsibility under the PREVENT legislation to follow the established safeguarding procedure to escalate concerns to the appropriate people within the College PREVENT Management Group. 

More information relating to PREVENT and the Colleges’ processes and procedures are at Appendix 1 to this document.