UW Police

Community Engagement

Our Community Engagement officers are a critical component when it comes to meeting the service needs of our growing UW community while providing a value-driven, client-focused style of policing that enhances the overall quality of living and learning on campus. Two UWPD officers share primary responsibility for the programs and services that make up the Community Engagement Bureau. Their goal is to increase community awareness about the risk of campus crime by utilizing crime prevention services, tips, and social media posts.  Our Community Engagement Officers work with students to generate a sense of personal responsibility in each individual, to increase personal awareness, and to prevent or reduce criminal opportunities. The officers speak at campus orientations, community tabling events, provide seminars on personal and workplace safety and address other topics as requested by student organizations and university departments.  During this period of social distancing, Zoom meetings and animated videos featuring our Community Engagement officers have proved to be very effective in maintaining our crime prevention messaging and providing outreach with our campus community.  You can connect to our Community Engagement officers here.

Social Media

Social Media is a major component of the Community Engagement program, and provides our officers with the ability to reach our community at any time with important messaging. Officers focus on key social networks in order to attain maximum message reach; initially centering on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Recently, the Department has begun experimenting with other social media outlets like YouTube; to enhanced message delivery. In doing so, the Community Engagement Bureau is better equipped to communicate effectively and more efficiently with the university community through multiple social media platforms.

Crime Prevention Programs

Love Your Electronics

The crime that occurs most frequently on or around campus is theft of personal property -mostly electronics -typically left unattended or improperly secured. A laptop or smart phone left on a library table while you use the restroom. A purse left in your unlocked office while down the hall talking to a colleague. A backpack left on the seat of your car. Love Your Stuff? Keep it safe, secured and out of sight. Better yet, register your device with UWPD here. You’ll need basic information about your device description, serial number, MAC address, etc., but it is easy to register your stuff with UWPD.

Electronics Registration with the police department assists in the speedy return of your property in the event that it is stolen and recovered.

Love Your Bike

UWPD partners with the bicycling community, retailers and other university departments to reduce bike theft through education, awareness, and enforcement. Bicycle theft is another of our most common crimes on campus, but through our efforts–and with your help, we can make our UW community a model for bicycle security.  Register your bike with UWPD and BikeIndex.org here.  Always use a sturdy u-lock locked properly, and always call 9-1-1 if you see suspicious activity. Bike Registration with the police department assists in the speedy return of your property in the event that it is stolen and recovered.

Citizen’s Academy

Community Engagement officers organize and conduct an annual Citizen’s Academy.  This nine-week program increases public understanding of police work and develops greater interaction and communication between the university community and the Department.   Please check back frequently for updates on this program, as we have had to alter some plans due to the current Pandemic.

Active Shooter Education

Community Engagement Officers provide active shooter education for all members of the university community. An active shooter is an individual(s) actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area. These situations require law enforcement to take immediate action to stop the threat. The video link below outlines a widely utilized campus active shooter response strategy called Run-Hide-Fight.  The video will provide you with the necessary basic information to better equip you in case of an active shooter situation.  Since every incident varies, the video explains options so that you can be flexible in determining which strategy works best if you ever find yourself in this type of situation.  The safety tips and guidelines covered in the video are not all-inclusive, however if you pay attention, develop a plan, and train when feasible, the described protocol can increase your chances of survival during an incident.  Our community Engagement Officers are available to answer any questions you may have you review the video.

View the Run-Hide-Fight Active Shooter Video.

Tips & Brochures