Keeping the Penn community safe and sound

The six-part wellness series from Penn Today focuses on University resources for students, faculty, and staff. Previous stories have focused on mental health, financial well-being, physical health, and online safety. This edition focuses on public safety.

The dedicated personnel of the Division of Public Safety (DPS) are responsible for enhancing the quality of life, safety, and security of the Penn community. The Division accomplishes its mission through the delivery of a comprehensive and integrated safety and security program, in partnership with the community they serve.

 Kathleen Shields Anderson, vice president for public safety, shared her philosophy on providing a safe environment: “Safety is a feeling. What feels comfortable or safe for you may feel different for someone else. We strive to ensure every member of our community feels safe and supported, every day.

“We don’t do this alone,” Anderson continued. “We partner with our colleagues at Wellness@Penn, University Life, Quality of Work-Life Programs, the Philadelphia Fire Department, and many others to support the safety and wellness of the community we serve.”

The Division of Public Safety offers a number of programs to keep members of the Penn community safe and secure. Below is a list of many resources available for Penn community members.

Walking Escort Program

The 24/7 Walking Escort Service provides free walking escorts completed by uniformed Allied Universal Safety Officers—to everyone, regardless of affiliation, to any destination within the Penn Police patrol zone—between 30th to 43rd Streets and Market Street to Baltimore Avenue.

Officers are dispatched by radio and will accompany you to your destination, for example, from one campus location to another, to your parked vehicle, to a Penn Transit Stop, or to a SEPTA regional transit stop, including 30th Street Station.

The walking escort service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Via the University’s partnership with the University District Ambassador Program, escort services also extend west to 50th Street, and north/south from Spring Garden to Woodland Avenue, between 10 a.m. and 3 a.m.

To request a walking escort, ask any Public Safety Officer on patrol or inside a building, call 215-898-WALK(9255) or 511 (from any campus phone), or use one of the many building and blue-light ephones located on and off Penn’s campus.

UPennAlert

The UPennAlert Emergency Notification System enables the University to quickly notify the Penn and surrounding Philadelphia community of critical information during significant emergencies or dangerous situations involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees occurring on campus. For information on how to register or update your contact information, visit the Public Safety website.

Property registration

Penn students, faculty, and staff can register their bicycles, electronic equipment, and other valuables online with the University of Pennsylvania Police Department. By registering your property, you will increase the chances of recovery should your property ever be lost or stolen. You will also receive a registration sticker which will help to serve as a visual deterrent.

Penn students may register property by logging on to Campus Express Online, http://campusexpress.upenn.edu, and selecting “My Property Registration.”

Penn faculty and staff may register property by logging on to U@Penn at http://www.upenn.edu/u@penn. Found under the heading “Policies and Procedures,” under the subheading “Safety & Preparedness,” click on the bullet point for “Property Registration.”

Penn Alternative Response Unit (AR-1)

The Penn Alternative Response Unit (AR-1), a partnership between Penn and the Philadelphia Fire Department (PFD), is an innovative public-private program. Students with non-traumatic injuries—from sprained ankles to intoxication and other medical conditions—will receive high-quality care and hospital transportation in the PFD’s alternative response unit vehicle instead of an ambulance.

The AR-1 is staffed by a paramedic and an emergency medical technician. The AR-1 team works collaboratively with Penn’s student-run Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT) and Penn Police officers.

Penn Guardian App

Use the Penn Guardian App to stay in touch with Public Safety. Penn Guardian is a free app that allows Penn affiliates the ability to rapidly provide information about themselves, such as a medical condition, to the Division of Public Safety during an emergency.

You can sign up with your Penn email address and update your profile by adding information such as a photo, your address, known food or other allergies, or other optional medical information.

Penn Guardian shares your GPS location with Public Safety when you call them at 215-573-3333. If you need immediate assistance, but are unable to communicate your location, Penn Guardian helps the Penn Police and emergency responders locate you.

The information you choose to include in the Penn Guardian profile is kept completely confidential. Your location and profile information will only be available to Penn Police when you call the Penn Emergency Communications Center (PennComm) directly, either through the app or at 215-573-3333.

HELP Line

The HELP Line is a 24-hour-a-day phone number for members of the Penn community who are seeking time-sensitive help in navigating Penn’s resources for health and wellness.

Any member of the Penn community can utilize this service by calling 215-898-HELP(4357). Calls are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by Division of Public Safety professionals trained in mental health referrals by staff from Student Health and Counseling.

The HELP Line provides a single point of entry for information about how to get help with personal problems, whether your own or those of a student, partner, friend, or colleague.  It also enables callers to connect with resources and programs to promote health.

Special Services Department

The Special Services department at Public Safety provides support services to members of the Penn community. Highly trained personnel are available to offer immediate assistance, including crisis intervention, accompaniment to legal and medical proceedings, options counseling and advocacy, and linkages to other University and community resources.

Special Services is a confidential resource for individuals who have experienced interpersonal violence. Special Services personnel will provide all options and resources available to those who have experienced interpersonal violence and offer support throughout any process. Special Services collaborates closely with offices across the campus to educate, prevent, and respond to incidents of sexual and interpersonal violence. The department also works closely with students, faculty, and staff to consult and advise on matters related to sexual and interpersonal violence. To reach a member of the Special Services staff for a consultation, dial 215-898-4481 or email specialservices@publicsafety.upenn.edu.

The Special Services department serves on-call for emergencies and is available to respond to critical incidents impacting the Penn community. The department works with city agencies and non-profits to connect Penn affiliates with the most comprehensive set of resources and supports relevant to the incident.

Self-Defense and empowerment classes

Special Services offers free-of-charge self-defense and empowerment classes to all Penn affiliates. These self-defense trainings empower individuals through communication and physical defense. The classes are gender inclusive and expansive, and there are separate courses for women and men. Private classes are also offered. Contact Special Services for more information at SpecialServices@publicsafety.upenn.edu.

Safety presentations

Members of the Division of Public Safety will provide safety information including brochures, videos, and presentations upon request. To request materials or arrange for a presentation, please contact our Special Services Department at (215) 898-4481, email specialservices@publicsafety.upenn.edu or complete the presentation request form.

Co-Responder Program

Special Services, in partnership with the Penn Police, Wellness@Penn, and University Life, manages the University’s Co-Responder Program that pairs clinical social workers with Penn Police to respond to emergency calls for students regarding mental health, checks for wellbeing, and more.

Online harassment

Should you experience online harassment, you may report any online harassment or threatening behavior to the Division of Public Safety by calling 215-573-3333 for immediate response or filling out our online Report a Crime form for response within 48 hours. You may also choose to report to Special Services at 215-898-4481 or specialservices@publicsafety.upenn.edu.

Public Safety emergency contact information

If you should have any concerns or see someone exhibiting suspicious behavior, call the PennComm Emergency Communications Center at 215-573-3333. We are here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; call anytime. If you feel unsafe outside of the Penn Patrol Zone, call 9-1-1 for local police (in the U.S.).

A reminder that the Penn Patrol Zone extends from 30th Street to 43rd Street (east to west) and Market Street to Baltimore Avenue (north to south).

Emergencies

Dial 215-573-3333 or 5-1-1 (from any campus phone). Dial 9-1-1 outside of the Penn Patrol Zone.

Blue Light Emergency Phones: If you observe a potential safety hazard, require assistance, notice suspicious activity, feel unsafe or need a walking escort, you can reach Public Safety directly through any emergency phone on campus. Just pick up the receiver or press the button.