MParents: Campus Safety : Health and Safety

Health and Safety


Campus Safety

The University does its best to make sure that your student is safe on campus. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) is a full-service police agency which serves the University of Michigan community. Residence halls receive the additional protection of the Housing Security officers, who work with DPS.

The Department of Public Safety includes a Police Services Bureau comprising

  • field services units
  • K-9 teams
  • motorcycle and bicycle units
  • a tactical unit
  • a criminal investigations unit that includes cybercrime investigations
  • a parking enforcement unit
  • a loss prevention specialist unit.

Housing Security is responsible for security in the residence halls. Officers work within the halls and University-owned apartments. Each residence hall has an office assigned to that hall, who is on duty from 9:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m. every night. Housing security officers also patrol by vehicle, bike, and on foot during the day.

In addition to DPS and Housing Security, the University and the City of Ann Arbor offer many services to help students stay safe at night. Free University buses run throughout campus until midnight or later, and there are free or low-cost nighttime cab services available to U-M students. Encourage your son or daughter to utilize these services on a regular basis. If no other option is available, the Department of Public Safety will provide emergency transportation from campus to a student’s residence.

The most common crime on campus is larceny. The Department of Public Safety encourages students to deter theft by securing property at all times. Items such as laptops, PDAs, and bookbags are often targeted. For complete details about campus crime statistics, see the Campus Safety Handbook (PDF file; opens with Adobe Acrobat Reader).

Students should contact DPS in any emergency, to report crimes, and to report suspicious activity. DPS is available 24 hours/day by calling 911 or 763-1131. Blue light phones around campus will connect directly to DPS.

The Department of Public Safety has an extensive list of safety tips, available on their website. Parents should encourage their students to be familiar with the campus safety tips.