by Don Strom, Director of Campus Police, Washington University

College campuses by their very nature are open and public places. In fact, today’s college and university campuses are far more similar to small cities than they are to elementary or secondary schools. This openness poses a significant challenge when balanced against an increasing need for safety and security in our ever more mobile world.  Creating a safe environment that provides for a rich academic experience is a responsibility that must be shared by the entire community. 

College and university campuses, as a whole, remain relatively safe places where instances of serious crime are infrequent. As a result, students and others frequently feel like they are in a “bubble,” immune from bad things happening.  Part of the challenge becomes involving all members of the community in sharing in the responsibility for their own and overall campus safety and security.

Clearly, given the diverse nature of our campuses, there is no one size fits all answer. An organized safety and security program unique to the special needs of each campus is of key importance. However, there are some “best practices” and recommendations that should be considered when developing or evaluating campus safety and security efforts. The information at this site is intended to provide access to resources that may help individual campuses in reviewing their campus safety and security functions.

Blueprint for Safer Campuses

In August of 2007, in the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy, the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) sought to develop a set of recommendations for institutions of higher education through a public safety lens. A high level task force reviewed various reports and made recommendations resulting in the release of “The IACLEA Blueprint for Safer Campuses.”  The report is divided into three parts: 

• Emergency Planning and Critical Incident Response;
• Empowerment and Resources of the Campus Public Safety Function; and
• Prevention and Education Programs 

Click here to read the full report: "The IACLEA Blueprint for Safer Campuses” from the IACLEA Special Review Task Force.

Campus Law Enforcement Resources:

• Security On Campus, Inc. is a non-profit (501(c)(3)) organization whose mission is to prevent violence, substance abuse and other crimes in college and university campus communities across the United States, and to compassionately assist the victims of these crimes. SOC has a wide range of resources available.

• Missouri Campus Security Task Force Recommendations
• Links to Missouri Campus Law Enforcement and Security Sites
• Links to Other Campus Crime Fighting Resources
• Sample Policies
• Read the latest report on campus law enforement (released Feb. 2008).

Campus Public Safety Professional Organizations

• International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators(IACLEA)

• Missouri Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (MACLEA)

• Missouri Police Chief’s Association