Working together to keep UCF Safe

Dr. Brett Meade, Deputy Chief of Police

The size and complexity of the University of Central Florida creates a unique charge when it comes to providing a safe environment for our students, faculty, staff, and visitors. UCF hosts more events, addresses more issues, and is faced with more challenges in a single semester than most universities handle in several years. While each of us brings different perspectives and experiences to our specific roles on campus, we are all responsible for the safety and security of the community we serve. As UCF strives to fulfill our promises and execute strategies to achieve our collective impact, safety must be at the forefront of our mission.

See Something Say Something

During the past semester, several potentially dangerous situations have been averted and resolved peacefully because a member of our UCF family had the foresight and courage to report suspicious activity. Some of these incidents involved students experiencing mental health issues, while others involved criminal activity that includes possessing weapons. In each case, someone recognized that a situation had the potential for possible violence and reported it. These efforts allowed the UCF Police Department to investigate and resolve cases prior to escalation of violence, ultimately saving lives. The UCF Police Department is fortunate to have trained, experienced, and dedicated investigators who work collaboratively with our university, local, state, and federal partners to intervene and resolve situations in an early stage, before escalation into further criminal activity or potential violence.

The “See Something, Say Something” campaign adopted by UCF emphasizes the importance of reporting suspicious activity to state and local law enforcement, and it was instrumental in resolving these cases successfully. However, the message is only effective if our entire community embraces that we are collectively responsible for each other and for maintaining a safe environment. No call is too small for police to care about, and it is imperative that no one hesitates to report suspicious activity.

Emergency Notifications

The UCF Police Department and the Department of Security and Emergency Management staff are well-trained and equipped to respond to, effectively resolve, and recover from critical incidents, from hurricanes to active shooters. Providing accurate and timely information is imperative during a critical incident. In the event of an incident that poses an immediate threat on campus, students, faculty, and staff will be notified via text and email UCF Alert messages. Updates will be sent as new information becomes available.

It is natural for parents to call the UCF Police Department requesting information during a critical incident, which can overwhelm our staff and divert essential resources dedicated to resolving an incident. The UCF Police Department encourages every student, faculty and staff member, and parents to follow @UCFPolice on Twitter. During a serious incident, Twitter becomes the primary source of essential information for parents, the media, and those in the community without access to UCF Alert. You don’t need to be registered for Twitter to see the UCF Police Department’s page; just visit https://twitter.com/ucfpolice.

Community Partnerships

The Community Partnerships Unit of the UCF Police Department offers several programs to educate our community and prevent crime. Some services offered are:

• SAFE- Women’s self-defense classes
• Workplace security assessments
• Property engraving to deter theft
• Safe Escort Patrol Service (SEPS)
• “Shots Fired” classes to discuss tactics to utilize in an active shooter situation
• Workplace violence training
• Safety and security discussions at orientations
• Residential Assistant training

UCF Police Department can be reached 24/7 by calling 911 in an emergency or 407-823-5555 for non-emergencies or to learn more about our services. You may also report information about crimes anonymously and be eligible for a reward by calling CRIMELINE at 1-800-423-TIPS.

Students of concern can be reported to Student Care Services by filling out this form: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?UnivofCentralFlorida&layout_id=10.

Please click on the link provided if you would like to review the active shooter training video:

https://police.ucf.edu/active-shooter