The only national, nonprofit organization dedicated specifically and exclusively to the prevention of college campus crimes has jointly awarded the University of California, Davis, and Boston College its top annual honor. The Jeanne Clery National Safe Campus Award was presented to UC Davis because of the campus's assessing and planning efforts in the prevention of and response to campus crime, according to Constance Clery, co-founder of Security on Campus Inc. along with her husband, Howard. They formed the organization after their daughter, Jeanne, was brutally raped, sodomized, beaten and murdered in her residence hall at Lehigh University in 1986. "This award is a reflection of our efforts to educate the campus community to personal safety issues," said Calvin Handy, UC Davis police chief. "Our crime prevention unit and our rape prevention and education program work around the clock in building awareness of the potential for crime and of personal safety. This recognition confirms my belief that community policing is the appropriate strategy for this campus to embrace." In addition, UC Davis was selected because of its long-standing policy to publish its crime statistics, including cases related to sexual assaults, according to Clery. "In our opinion, UC Davis demonstrated leadership through honestly assessing campus crime problems and candidly informing students and parents of criminal activity that occurs on campus property," she said. The UC Davis police department has developed a number of programs that enable the campus community to focus on issues of security and personal safety. For example, police officers are more visible to the students, faculty and staff by spending more time on foot patrols and inside campus buildings. In addition, student government representatives work in conjunction with the police department to promote an annual campus safety week. Also, UC Davis hosted its first symposium on safety last winter, including presentations on property and building security, classroom disruption, residence hall security, and recognition of signs denoting dangerous behavior. More than 1,000 employees attended the two-day event. Just this month, the police department honored 17 faculty, staff and students for their acts of good citizenship. Campus community members are now more alert in tipping off the police department when they observe unusual circumstances, according to Handy. "I am particularly pleased that the campus police department has been recognized for its emphasis on community-based policing activities," said Janet Hamilton, UC Davis vice chancellor of administration. "Community involvement, awareness and education, and crime prevention programs are high priorities here. Our officers and staff have been very innovative and thoughtful in creating a safe work and study environment for our campus."