Campus Police - Policies

Possession and Use of Weapons By Security Personnel and Any Other Person

  • CSPD Police Officers are authorized to carry firearms, pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated 49-7-118(c). CSPD Police Officers are authorized to use necessary force, including deadly force, to protect themselves or other persons from death or serious bodily harm.  Officers’ duty weapons are issued by Chattanooga State Campus Police Department. All Police Officers meet the firearms proficiency standards required by the Tennessee P.O.S.T. Commission.

  • Non-law enforcement personnel are strictly prohibited from carrying weapons on campus.

  • Lethal weapons of any kind, most notably firearms and knives, are prohibited on the Chattanooga State campus. The penalty for possession of deadly weapons is enhanced by State law to a FELONY if that possession takes place on campus.

  • Possession of firearms (or other statutorily defined weapons) on campus is prohibited pursuant to TCA 39-17-1309 and subject to the exceptions contained therein and to the affirmative defenses enumerated in TCA 39-17-1310. Similarly, the General Regulations on Student Conduct and Disciplinary sanctions prohibit the possession or use of any unauthorized firearm or dangerous weapon of any kind.

  • The possession and use of firearms by anyone other than Chattanooga State Campus Police personnel is prohibited except for those exceptions specified by the TCA 39-17-1309. All instances of use of a police firearm (including violation of policy, accidental discharge, as well as any authorized discharge) shall be reported immediately to the Chief of Police. All instances of firearm use will be investigated.

Reporting Criminal Incidents to State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies

  • The Chattanooga State Campus Police Department will actively investigate any crime information it receives concerning or involving a member of the campus community or it will supply information regarding the incident as needed or required to local, state or federal law enforcement authorities.

  • In addition to the requirements of the Clery Act, the Chattanooga State Campus Police Department forwards a monthly report to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation of crimes that occur within our campus community. Each year the Bureau takes these monthly reports and publishes a compilation from all institutions of higher education in Tennessee.

Working Relationship of Campus Police Personnel with State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies

The Chattanooga State Campus Police Department has a close working relationship with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies including the City of Chattanooga Police Department and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. Assistance from the Chattanooga Police Department and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is utilized when required. Also, assistance from other local, state, and federal agencies, including other law enforcement agencies, is requested as required.

Monitoring & Recording Criminal Activity Off-Campus

  • Any monitoring of crime off-campus is done by the agency of jurisdiction where the crime took place.

  • Local law enforcement agencies have been requested to forward copies of their reports of all criminal activity occurring on off campus properties belonging to campus affiliated organizations recognized by Chattanooga State Campus Police Department.

Monitoring & Recording Criminal Activity at Off-Campus Organizations
  • The College relies on its working relationships with the local law enforcement agencies to receive information about incidents involving students off campus. The Chattanooga State Campus Police Department will cooperate with local law enforcement to investigate any crime information received concerning or involving a member of the campus community or it will supply information regarding the incident as needed or required to local, state or federal law enforcement authorities.