Appalachian Police Department

Appalachian State University makes every effort to provide a safe learning, living, and working environment for its campus community. The Appalachian Police Department is staffed by sworn peace officers with full law enforcement authority as well as an array of safety, education and counselling programs.

The Jeanne Clery Act is a Federal Statute designed for consumer protection. It was passed in 1990 and is a part of the Higher Education Act. The law requires all colleges and universities who receive federal funding to share information about crime on campus and their efforts to improve campus safety, as well as inform the public of crime in or around campus. This information is made publicly accessible through the university's annual security report.

The law is named after Jeanne Clery, a 19-year-old Lehigh University student who was raped and murdered in her campus hall of residence in 1986. Her murder triggered a backlash against unreported crime on campuses across the country.

By Oct. 1 of each year, institutions must publish and distribute their Annual Campus Security Report to current and prospective students and employees. This report is required to provide crime statistics for the prior three years, policy statements regarding various safety and security measures, campus crime prevention program descriptions, and procedures to be followed in the investigation and prosecution of alleged sex offenses.