Working Together for a Safe Campus
The 2015 Annual Safety and Security Report is available for your review.
Our report provides safety and security information to current and prospective students and their parents, as well as to faculty and staff members. Statistics comparing crime over the previous three years are outlined in the report. In addition to outlining the different security resources the campus has to offer, the report also includes statistics on area crime reported to off-campus law enforcement agencies as well as to several University departments that report data back to our Police Department.
In 2015, the Clery crime rate for the University remained consistently low, with some reporting differences of note. The reported number of sexual assaults increased from 2014, which is in part, related to the University’s awareness campaigns that encourages reporting and increases training on risk reduction and bystander intervention for sexual assault. The campus saw significant decreases in robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries, and incidents of dating violence, to name a few. With the decriminalization of small amounts of Marijuana in the State of Maryland, drug referrals and arrests are at all-time lows.
The Clery Act does not require the reporting of statistics for the crime of theft, which, by far, is the most commonly reported criminal offense on campus. Other property crimes reportable through Clery include Burglary, Motor Vehicle Theft and Arson. The men and women of the University of Maryland Police Department (UMPD) are responsible for keeping the UMD campus safe and secure and in partnership with the Prince George’s County Police Department keeping the surrounding areas safe and secure. Programs and resources that we provide include the following, which are highlighted in the report:
- Walking escorts
- Closed circuit video monitoring via our Security Operations Center
- Blue Light Phone (PERT)
- Automated License Plate Readers
- Emergency Alert System
- Patrols by uniformed officers
- Explosive detection K9 unit
- Crime prevention programs
- Criminal and traffic law enforcement, reporting, and investigation
- Student Police Auxiliary
- Safety Ambassadors
- Emergency 911 center
In 2015, The University of Maryland announced the debut of UMD Guardian, a mobile campus safety application (app) available to all students, faculty and staff. The UMD Guardian app for Apple and Android smartphones is designed to allow users quick and easy contact with UMPD, and has additional features for increasing safety on campus. Using UMD Guardian, users can initiate a safety timer session; place a panic (emergency) call to UMPD; or text a tip to UMPD. See Pages 9-10 for more details on UMD Guardian and information on how to download and install the app.
As part of our evolving safety initiatives, in cooperation with the City of College Park, the City-University Partnership was awarded grant funds to implement a Safety Ambassador Pilot Program that began in Spring of 2016. The Program is designed to have safety ambassadors who patrol the city area with a focus on safety and hospitality – greeting visitors, giving directions, doing outreach to citizens in need, and serving as eyes and ears for the agency by reporting quality of life issues such as potholes, downed trees, outages, hazards and more; as well as reporting any suspicious activities they encounter.
The Annual Safety and Security Report is a part of the effort to ensure that this collaborative endeavor is effective and is in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. We hope you will read the report carefully and use the information to help foster a safer environment for you and for others within our community. Reviewing the information outlined in the Annual Safety and Security Report will increase your awareness, which will promote future action. We have no greater priority than the safety of our students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campus, but a truly safe campus can only be achieved through the cooperation of everyone.
To view our Annual Safety and Security Report, please visit:
http://www.umdps.umd.edu/stats/AnnualSecurityReport.pdf
Visit our website at http://www.umpd.umd.edu for further information on our Department. To stay up to date on the latest news, follow us on Twitter @UMPD and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/UMDPoliceDept
See Something, Say Something!
Be Smart, Be Safe!
David B. Mitchell
Chief of Police
University of Maryland Police Department
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