Fresno City College is relatively safe, according to State Center Community College District Chief of Police Joseph Callahan. Information posted on the website of the SCCCD Police shows that a majority of calls were for medical treatment or lost property.

Callahan credits the safety procedures at the FCC campus to the low crime rate in recent years.  The 2009 record for felony reports on the FCC campus indicated one rape, one robbery, five aggravated assaults, 15 burglaries, 14 vehicle thefts, four reported arsons, and no murders.

Additionally, in the evenings, a few SCCCD officers have started patrolling the parking lots in the evenings to ensure the safety of students attending classes.  Callahan said students can also call the SCCCD Police Department to escort them to their vehicles.

    Callahan also explained the process for dealing with a student who commits a crime on campus.  For selling drugs, for example, the student will be arrested and processed at the Fresno City Police Department and will be treated like any other person who is accused of committing a crime.

An ex-convict who wants to come back and attend the FCC campus will have to meet with the Dean of Students first and then site council to determine if he or she should be allowed to re-enroll. The Dean of Students may or may not let that student back on campus.

    Callahan also said that the college has an emergency evacuation plan in case of an incident like the Virginia Tech massacre.  He added that the Fresno Police Department will be involved in this kind of situation and would help if needed.

    Before coming to SCCCD, Joseph Callahan worked as a detective with the Fresno Police Department for 29 years.

“It was just time to go,” he explained. He understands  crime on campus since he’s dealt with crime elsewhere for half of his life. “It’s a little different, but a good change.”