Student safety services include prevention, emergency and safety systems, and the campus police department.
For police, fire, or medical emergencies, call 911 from any campus phone. For nonemergency information, call UCLA Police at 310-825-1491.
UCLA Campus Assault Resources and Education (CARE) Prevention and Education Services—including workshops, self-defense classes, counseling, and referrals—increase physical and psychological preparedness and heighten awareness of the complex issues of rape, sexual assault, and relationship violence.
UCLA Consultation and Response Team (CRT) is a group of professional staff members charged with responding to reports of students in distress, with representatives from the College, Dean of Students, Counseling and Psychological Services, Residential Life, and UCLA Police.
The Center for Prehospital Care offers cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and basic emergency care courses, which can be organized most days and times.
The Office of Environment, Health, and Safety (EH&S) works to reduce workplace hazards on campus and to promote safety at all levels of the UCLA community. EH&S is a consulting resource for UCLA departments and personnel who want to learn how to make the workplace safe. It handles requests for safety information and training, regulatory interpretation and applicability, approval for potentially hazardous procedures, resolution of safety problems, and surveillance and monitoring of persons and workplaces.
The UCLA Police Department (UCPD), 310-825-1491, is located at 601 Westwood Plaza. The sworn UCPD officers are empowered by the state of California with the authority to enforce all state and local laws. UCPD officers patrol the campus 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They enforce all applicable local, state, and federal laws; arrest violators; investigate and suppress crime; and provide a full range of police services and community safety programs.
The department is linked by computer to city, state, and federal criminal justice agencies that provide access to information concerning criminal records, wanted persons, stolen property, and vehicle identification. The detective unit handles criminal investigations, and detectives conduct interviews, arrest violators, execute search warrants, and file cases with the Los Angeles District and City Attorney offices.
UCPD police officers have primary jurisdiction over the UCLA campus, Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Center for the Health Sciences, Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, and University Apartments South. The city of Los Angeles Police Department does not routinely handle calls for service on campus or on most UCLA properties.
All requests for police service should be made to UCPD. All crime occurring on campus, the Center for the Health Sciences, and other UCLA properties should be reported immediately to UCPD to ensure appropriate action is taken. Crimes occurring off campus should be reported immediately to the local law enforcement agency. UCPD does take reports from students, faculty, and staff for incidents occurring in the Westwood area.
Police, fire, or medical emergencies can be reported by calling 911 from any telephone on campus. All landline telephones (UCLA, private, public) located on UCLA grounds are tied into the 911 emergency system. Emergencies can also be reported by using the blue-hooded or yellow Emergency Reporting Telephones located throughout the campus.
Calls made to 911 from a cell phone may not go directly to UCPD depending on the tower used by the cell phone at the time of the call. Callers should advise the dispatcher and ask if they are speaking with UCPD. If not, and time permits, callers may ask to be transferred to UCPD 911.
Nonemergency calls for service can be made by contacting the department at 310-825-1491. Campus community members are encouraged to program the department number into their cell phones and report on suspicious circumstances.
As required by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and consistent with the amendments of the Violence against Women Reauthorization Act of 2014, UCLA prepares an annual report describing campus security policy and information concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, crime reporting, and related matters. It also includes three years of crime statistics. For a printed copy, call 310-825-1491.
UCPD employs approximately 50 student community service officers (CSO) who are the additional eyes and ears (trained observers) of the department and act as noninterventive visual deterrents to crime. CSOs wear high-visibility uniforms and carry two-way police radios. They are dispatched by the department communications center and provide a direct link to police, fire, and medical aid. CSOs provide security service to a number of campus buildings, including residence halls and libraries. They are most well-known for CSO escorts. CSO escorts operate every day of the year from dusk to 1 a.m. (2 a.m. on Thursdays during academic quarters). Individuals requesting the service call the Communications Center at 310-794-WALK; a CSO is then dispatched to walk them safely to their destination. The service is available to UCLA students, staff, faculty, and visitors; and operates on campus and in the nearby residential areas.
The free UCLA SafeRide service, operated by UCLA Transportation, offers a safe, accessible, and convenient mode of transportation around campus at night (Monday through Thursday from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. during academic terms). Rides can be requested through the UCLA SafeRide web application, available on Google Play and the Apple App Store; a UCLA login is required to access the app.
UCPD employs approximately 8 public safety aides (PSA) who also serve as additional eyes and ears (trained observers) of the department and act as noninterventive visual deterrents to crime. PSAs wear high-visibility uniforms and carry two-way police radios. They are dispatched by the department communications center and provide a direct link to police, fire, and medical aid. PSAs are a part of the UCLA Police Department’s Operations Bureau, under the Community Services Division. As part of the multi-tiered response, PSAs work in conjunction with sworn and civilian personnel of the department to meet community needs. PSAs provide security and patrol service within the campus perimeter. PSA escorts operate every day of the year from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
An involved community is one of the best defenses against crime. Therefore, the department is committed to a community policing philosophy and supports a proactive Crime Prevention Unit that works closely with community members to make UCLA a safer place to work, live, and learn. The unit gives presentations on vehicle and residential security, personal safety, office and equipment security, sexual assault prevention, and active shooter situations. Other programs are developed to meet the special needs of the campus community. Brochures and literature on crime prevention and personal safety are available online.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and the Crime Prevention Unit offer presentations on sexual assault issues. Topics include acquaintance rape education and prevention, personal safety and prevention techniques, recovery from sexual assault, clear communications, and the continuum of violence and rape in society. The educational programs, tailored to meet the needs of individual audiences, include films, discussion groups, lectures, role-plays, and communication exercises. CAPS reaches students through the residence halls, sororities, fraternities, athletic teams, student clubs, and various student functions. Services include crisis intervention and advocacy for victims of sexual assault; short-term counseling and referrals for survivors, their families, and friends; support groups for rape survivors; and self-defense classes and a lending library. CAPS works closely with the student housing offices and the police department to increase campus safety.
Several programs have been designed to increase the level of crime awareness and campus safety at UCLA. Incidents of criminal activity that pose a potential threat to the campus are brought to the attention of the community through campus crime alert bulletins. Additionally, those interested in receiving public safety bulletins and news briefs can sign up for the campus safety listserv.
UCPD provides emergency medical response for the campus community through the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) unit. The EMS unit is staffed by full-time UCLA students certified as emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Emergency medical services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. As in all emergencies, call 911 for this service.
Students with alcohol or substance abuse problems create safety and health risks for themselves and others. Such abuses can result in a wide range of emotional and behavioral problems. Therefore, UCLA makes available to every student a variety of alcohol and substance abuse awareness programs that are designed to discourage the use of illicit substances and to educate students on the merits of legal and responsible alcohol consumption. Counseling and Psychological Services (310-825-0768) provides counseling and referral assistance to students who are troubled by alcohol or substance abuse problems. The service is completely confidential and free to regularly enrolled students. All information and counseling is treated in accordance with UCLA and UC policies and state and federal laws. Any decision to seek assistance is not used in connection with any academic determination or as a basis for disciplinary proceedings.
UCLA is designated as a drug-free environment, and only under certain conditions is alcohol consumption permitted. In keeping with its educational mission, the University assumes the responsibility to better inform the UCLA community about alcohol and substance abuse.
The sale, manufacture, distribution, or possession of designated controlled substances without a prescription is illegal under both state and federal laws. Such laws are strictly enforced by UCPD police officers. Student violators are subject to University disciplinary action, criminal prosecution, fine, and imprisonment. Refer to the UCLA policies on substance abuse for further information.
The sale, consumption, and distribution of alcohol on the UCLA campus is restricted by the UCLA alcohol policy and California state law. Organizations or groups violating alcohol or substance policies or laws may be subject to sanctions by the University.
UCLA is the size of a small city, and provides residential housing to approximately 34,000 students. Housing facilities range from apartments designed for students with children to multi-student apartment complexes to high-rise student residence halls. UCPD and student housing staff work in partnership to create a safe and comfortable living and learning environment.
Campuswide security and safety programs for residents are held throughout the year to increase awareness of potential crime and improve campus safety. To keep residents immediately informed of major crime or threats to the campus, crime alert bulletins are posted in residential areas by the housing staff. However, residents must take an active role to ensure their own safety by exercising simple commonsense crime prevention techniques. Because the campus is open 24 hours a day, visitation to residence halls and apartments is not restricted. All residence halls have 24-hour access control on entrance doors, and during the evening hours access control monitors are stationed at each entrance. UCPD police officers and CSOs are also assigned to the residence halls.
UCLA-affiliated organizations that maintain off-campus facilities are under the shared jurisdiction of their local police department and the UCLA Police Department, which provides assistance to students, faculty, and staff; and/or referrals to neighboring police departments.
The nature of the studies and research done at UCLA requires many campus buildings to be open 24 hours a day. Because the campus is so large and adjacent to the greater Los Angeles community, individuals with criminal intent are able to access UCLA grounds.
Regardless of the time of day or night, and no matter where persons are on campus, they should be alert, aware of their surroundings, and exercise common-sense safety precautions. Anyone parking on campus should remember to lock their vehicle and consider investing in a locking device and/or alarm. Use CSO escorts when walking at night. Keep room and apartment doors and windows locked at all times. Most important, anyone needing assistance should not hesitate to contact the department.
Take advantage of the safety services provided by UCLA and UCPD. See the Campus Safety Tips web page for more information.
