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International students from the State Department sponsored Community College International.

NOVA Public

Safety

Newsletter

AUGUST 2018

Police Dispatch

(703) 764-5000

Call Us 24/7/365

Novapolice@nvcc.edu

IN THIS ISSUE

A Message from Penelope, The NOVA Police Cat

NOVA Shines at National

Conference

Three New Officers Join NOVA Police

Summer Storm Safety

NOVA Training Announcements

Penelope the NOVA Police Cat loves to

work on her tan at the beach. She

reminds her friends not to sleep on the

beach. You could lose your coconut

drink, your copy of Crime and

Punishment, or worse. Exercise

situational awareness everywhere, even

when relaxing. It's the key factor in

staying safe and could prevent a cat-

astrophe.

Check out Penelope’s daily safety

tips in her Instagram account

@penelopenovapolicecat.

NOVA Shines at National Conference

Campus Safety magazine, with a

circulation of over 35,000, is the

primary publication of school

and hospital safety and security

in the nation. Every year, it

holds three national

conferences: in Northern

Virginia, Texas and California.

Each conference session is

attended by 300-400 police and

security professionals,

emergency management

personnel, along with leaders

and administrators from mental

health, facilities, student

discipline, etc. These

practitioners share information

and lessons learned on a range

of topics, including active

shooter response, social media,

emergency response exercises,

and alarm and lockdown

security technologies. Venders

representing state-of-the-art

technologies and resources also

attend.

2 4

NOVA PUBLIC SAFETY NEWSLETTER

NOVA Shines at National Conference (con’t)

NOVA has a long association with Campus Safety magazine. Chief Dan Dusseau was selected by the magazine as its

Police/Security Chief of the Year in 2014, and he sits on the magazine’s advisory board. Lt. John Weinstein has been

writing for the magazine for over five years, contributing 20 articles, and sits on its editorial board. Both Chief Dusseau

and Lt. Weinstein have made numerous presentations at Campus Safety’s national conferences over the last four years.

Further, NOVA has been the higher education sponsor for the magazine’s East Coast conference for three of the last four

years.

Once again, NOVA made a strong showing at the 2018 conferences. This year, NOVA served again as the higher

education sponsor. Dr. Molly Lynch, Provost of the Manassas campus, welcomed more than 350 attendees to the East

Coast conference and introduced the keynote speaker. Senior NOVA officials, such as Dr. Marleen (Title IX) and Ms.

Maryann Raybuck (Mental Health) attended many of the conference’s sessions. Chief Dusseau participated on a panel

discussing lockdowns. Both he and Lt. Weinstein addressed more than 150 on “First Responders Can’t Do It All: A

Community Approach to Campus Security”. Weinstein made two additional solo presentations; one on active shooter

response and another on dealing with difficult people. Mr. Tom Mayhew, Director of NOVA’s Office of Emergency Management and Safety, also participated on a panel addressing emergency notification technologies and procedures.

Dusseau and Weinstein also gave their presentations at the magazine’s Texas and California meetings.

NOVA’s participation at these national conferences is significant. It provides contacts and exciting new information and

practices that can be instituted back at NOVA. It also indicates the high nation-wide esteem for NOVA. NOVA Police

and Emergency Management have been inundated with requests for copies of our briefings and for information to help

other schools adopt practices that work well at NOVA. In short, NOVA is a national leader in campus safety and is

widely recognized as such.

Lt. John Weinstein (L) and Chief Dan Dusseau pose by a

Campus Safety advertising photo from a past conference.

Manassas Provost Dr. Molly Lynch

welcomes attendees to Campus

Safety magazine’s East Coast national conference

3 4

NOVA PUBLIC SAFETY NEWSLETTER

Three New Officers Join NOVA Police

Officers Dwayne Parris, Dustin Shoemaker and Justin Sperling recently joined the NOVA Police Department after

graduating from the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy’s 800+ hour Basic Law Enforcement curriculum. The

rigorous five-month academy curriculum included training in Virginia’s legal code, emergency vehicle operations, active shooter response, firearms, HAZMAT, childbirth, dealing with mentally-challenged individuals, report writing, control

tactics, and other critical topics. This rigorous physically and mentally challenging curriculum earned 24 hours of college

credit for these officers.

These new officers bring significant experience to the department and will enhance its tradition of service. Officer Parris,

who’s been assigned to the Annandale campus, spent 9 years with the Baltimore City School Police Department as a

Resource Officer and another 9 years as a Sergeant with Maryland’s Department of Corrections. In his spare time, he enjoys customizing cars, playing football, drawing and spending time outdoors with his family. Officer Justin Sperling,

also assigned to Annandale, comes from a service-oriented family. His father is a career firefighter in Montgomery

County, MD and, at 16, Justin became a volunteer firefighter, a passion he still pursues. He spent eight years in the US

Marine Corps and a short time with the US Federal Reserve Police in Baltimore. Officer Dustin Shoemaker started at

NOVA as a security officer on the Annandale campus before he went to the academy. Before joining NOVA, Dustin

spent 8 years as a Marine, completing 4 combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has been married 12 years and has a

daughter, with another child due in December. Dustin enjoys working out, hiking, scuba diving and spending time with

family and friends. He will be stationed at the Loudoun campus.

Your police department and the college as a whole are fortunate to have these high-caliber officers. When you see them,

say hello and get to know these outstanding and dedicated professionals.

Pictured from left to right: Dave Riglin, Dispatch Supervisor; Sergeant Tony Ong; Officer Chris Florio; Assistant Chief of Police

Jake Jacoby; Lt. John Stasiowski; Officers Justin Sperling, Dwayne Parris and Dustin Shoemaker; Chief of Police Dan Dusseau;

Officers Danielle Barnes and John Baxter, and Sarah Ebrahimi, who is currently attending the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice

Academy.

Severe Thunderstorms

Severe thunderstorms are defined as winds of 58

mph or higher and/or hail 1 inch in diameter or

larger.

NOVA PUBLIC SAFETY NEWSLETTER 4 4

Summer Storm Safety

Thunder and lightning are common threats we often take for granted because of their frequency. Just because they happen

frequently (and normally cause little damage), one cannot assume all thunderstorms are the same. There are no safe

places outside when thunderstorms are in the area. If you hear thunder, you are likely within striking distance of

lightning. Remember: When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors. Too many people wait too long to reach a safe place when

thunderstorms approach. Unfortunately, these delayed actions may lead to lightning injuries and trap people in flooding

resulting from sudden downpours.

30/30 Rule

If the time between the flash of

lightning and the sound of thunder is

30 seconds or less

Go inside immediately and wait for

30 minutes after the last sound

of thunder is heard.

Definitions

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Issued when severe thunderstorms are possible in or

near the watch area.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued when

severe thunderstorms are occurring or imminent in

the warning area.

Before Thunderstorm and Lightning

• Sign up for NOVA Alert and alerts from your local county. Listen to local TV, radio, or a NOAA Weather Radio for weather watches and warnings.

• Build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.

• Secure outdoor items that could blow away. • Remove dead or rotting trees and branches that

could fall and cause injury. • Unplug any electronic equipment well before

the storm arrives.

After Thunderstorm and Lightning

• Never drive through a flooded roadway. Turn around, don’t drown!

• Stay away from storm-damaged areas to keep from putting yourself at risk from the effects of severe thunderstorms.

• Continue to listen to a NOAA Weather Radio or to local radio and television stations for updated information or instructions, as access to roads or some parts of the community may be blocked.

• Stay away from downed power lines and report them immediately.

For more information, visit http://www.vaemergency.gov/prepare-recover/threat/lightning-thunderstorms and

https://www.ready.gov/thunderstorms-lightning.

NOVA PUBLIC SAFETY NEWSLETTER 5 4

NOVA Training Announcement

NOVA Police will resume campus-wide training in the Fall.

However, we are available to respond to individual requests for

training. If you would like to receive NOVA Police training,

please contact Lt. John Weinstein, jweinstein@nvcc.edu

Available Training Topics

• Staying Safe on the Streets (including Self-Defense Considerations)

• Alcohol Awareness/DUI

• Active Shooter Response

• Dealing with Difficult People

• Staying Safe in the Classroom

• Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Police

(But Were Afraid to Ask)

• Human Trafficking

• Crimes Against Women

• Staying Safe While Using Uber/LYFT

• Identify Theft

• Self-Defense Consideration

• Meet the NOVA Police