Cheney Free Press -

CHENEY – Chief Jewell Day reports that the recent incidents are "isolated," and do not represent an ongoing threat to the community. "Every student is important to us, and every report is taken seriously." Day said. Of the five incidents reported from Sept. 24 to Oct 5, two were improper conduct, two resulted in no request to pursue legal charges by the reporting party, and one is still being investigated.

The investigative process for any incident involves three primary steps. Campus police make contact with the reporting party, determine if that party wishes to pursue legal actions, and proceed from there.

"Our role is to provide safety," Day said, "and providing options for students reporting misconduct is the first step in preventing them being re-traumatized."

In a message to the Eastern community earlier this year, Day cited the department's "See something, say something!" policy. "Encouraging students to report anything they feel violates the safety of the campus is a priority." Day said.

Regarding possible reasons for this increase in incidents, Day said "Many factors contribute to an increase in reporting, and context is important when examining possible ongoing threats to the community."

During the 2020-2021 school year, Day said there were only around 400 students living on campus. "Now we have over 1200."