UC Santa Cruz Police Department officers are duly sworn peace officers under section 830.2(b) of the California Penal Code. The officers are armed and possess the same authority and responsibility, by law, as those in municipal police departments. Officers patrol the campus 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, on foot, bicycle, motorcycle, or by car. They enforce the law, arrest violators, investigate and suppress crime, investigate traffic and bicycle accidents, and provide a full range of services to the community. For more information about the UC Santa Cruz Police Department, please visit police.ucsc.edu.
Reporting Procedures
It is important that all crimes, emergencies, and/or suspicious, disturbing, or threatening behaviors occurring on campus be immediately reported to the Police Department to ensure that appropriate action can be taken. Emergencies requiring police, fire, or medical aid can be reported in person or by dialing 911 from any campus phone, cell phone, or landline phone. Emergencies can also be reported by using one of the "Blue Light" emergency phones or elevator phones located throughout the campus. If there is a fire and no telephone is available, activate one of the fire alarm manual pull stations located throughout campus buildings.
Individuals may also report in person at the UC Santa Cruz Police Department located at the base of the campus near the main entrance. Activities or incidents occurring outside of the UC Santa Cruz jurisdiction should be reported immediately to the agency having jurisdiction where the property is located.
Phone Numbers To Call
- 9-1-1 for any emergency situation with serious threat to life or property.
- (831) 459-2345. If unable to dial 9-1-1 from the phone being used for any emergency situation with serious threat to life or property.
- (831) 459-4980: Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, 24 hours.
- (831) 459-2231: Ext 1. Non-emergency calls for assistance.
- (831) 459-2100: Community Safety Program Dispatch Line, 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. nightly.
- (831) 459-3TIP or (831) 459-3847: Anonymous Tip Line.
Lost and Found
The UC Santa Cruz Police Department provides a lost and found service. Only items valued at approximately $300 or more are accepted, and are kept for 90 days. Exceptions are made for found wallets, cash, driver licenses or identification cards, bank cards, and keys. To drop off a found item or to inquire about a lost item, please visit the Police Department or call (831) 459-2231.
Parking Enforcement
Parking Enforcement is a unit within the Police Department, and parking citations are processed by their Records and Citations office. Citations may be paid or contested online at Paymycite.com 24 hours a day, or in person during business hours.
Community Safety Program
Community Safety Officers (CSOs) work in conjunction with the UC Santa Cruz Police, Santa Cruz City Fire, and the administration of university residential communities (both on- and off-campus) to ensure a safe and secure living environment for all residents.
CSOs work in teams and are trained to assist police and fire departments with emergency response, first aid, CPR, and disaster response, across campus and in all residential communities. They carry radios linked to the UC Santa Cruz Police Dispatch Center and are visible in the communities at night from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. CSOs may be contacted through the UC Santa Cruz Police Dispatch Center at (831) 459-2100.
Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security and Campus Crime Statistics Act
Choosing a postsecondary institution is a major decision for students and their families. Along with academic, financial and geographic considerations, the issue of campus safety is a vital concern. In 1990, Congress enacted the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990, which amended the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA). This act required all postsecondary institutions participating in HEA’s Title IV student financial assistance programs to disclose campus crime statistics and security information. The act was amended in 1992, 1998, and 2000. The 1998 amendments renamed the law the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act in memory of a student who was slain in her dorm room in 1986. It is generally referred to as the Clery Act. More information about the Clery Act can be found at: Clery Center.
Campus Security Authorities
Although UC Santa Cruz has a police department, victims of crime may be more inclined to report to someone other than the police. For this reason the Clery Act requires all institutions to collect crime reports from a variety of individuals and organizations that the Clery Act refers to as Campus Security Authorities (CSA). A CSA is an official of the university who has significant responsibility for student and campus activities. They are usually found in departments responsible for, but not limited to, student and campus activities, the police department, community safety programs, student conduct/judicial affairs, housing, athletics, or human resources. This designation also includes any other individual who has been specified by UC Santa Cruz to receive reports of offenses.
CSAs are responsible for immediately reporting crimes and incidents that occur on the UC Santa Cruz campus or affiliated property to the UC Santa Cruz Police Department. More information about CSA responsibility is located at UCSC’s Jeanne Clery Campus Security Act webpage.
Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report
On October 1 of each year, an email notification is sent to all enrolled students and to academic and staff personnel, providing the website to access the Campus Security and Fire Safety Report. This report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by UC Santa Cruz; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus.
The report also includes information on fire protection systems, fire prevention policies, as well as institutional policies concerning other safety and security matters. You can obtain a copy of this report by contacting the UC Santa Cruz Police Department, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, (831) 459-2231, or at the Police Department website.
The UC Santa Cruz Police Department submits the annual crime and fire statistics published in this report to the Department of Education. The statistical information gathered by the Department of Education is available to the public through the Department of Education website.
Consequences for Non-Compliance with the Clery Act
Possible consequences for an institution’s non-compliance with the Clery Act include:
- A suspension or limiting of the institutions Title IV funding;
- The Department of Education may issue a civil fine up to $35,000 per violation;
- The institution may suffer reputational loss due to negative media attention;
- Failure to comply with the Clery Act can be used in various litigation matters.
Increased Safety Measures and Safeguards
Pursuant to California Education Code section 67380, each UC campus is required to provide information regarding special safeguards that have been established for particular facilities or activities in the preceding 18 months to increase safety, and any changes in safety precautions expected to be made during the future 24 months.
The following programs or safeguards have been or will be instituted:
- Increased Police Student Ambassador Patrols and Safe Rides App
- Increased safety education and training, including Community Response to Workplace Violence and Active Shooter Incidents.
- Environmental Health and Safety safeguards and improvements
- Increased VHF radio and WiFi coverage on the campus
- Implementation of new tools for navigating the campus
Increased Police Student Ambassador Patrols
The UC Santa Cruz Police Student Ambassador program provides walking and vehicular crime prevention patrols at the Coastal Biology Campus (Long Marine Lab) and at McHenry Library. These patrols have assisted in enforcement of the campus smoking policy, non-research animal policy, and with other efforts to deter criminal activity in these locations. They also provide security at events and locations on the campus upon request. For more information, send an email to police@ucsc.edu.
Night Safety Escort Service—Safe Ride App
The UC Santa Cruz Police Department offers members of the community the ability to request a “Safe Ride” (free transportation from one location on campus to another) using their smart phones. Police Student Ambassadors, who manage the Night Safety Escort Program, provide the “Safe Ride” from 7:00 p.m. to 12:15 a.m., Monday through Thursday when classes are in session (except Summer Session).
Individuals may request a ride by downloading the TapRide application on their mobile device, and select University of California, Santa Cruz, Safe Ride program. They will be prompted to use their UC Santa Cruz credentials to log in and request a ride. Individuals may also request a ride during these hours by calling the dispatch center at (831) 459–2100. There may be exceptions for holidays and finals week.
This program is not intended to replace existing transportation services such as the Metro Bus and Campus Shuttles or to discourage individuals from walking in groups, but is intended to provide a safe and reliable means of transit from one location to another on the campus. The Night Safety Escort Program cannot provide escort services to or from off-campus locations.
Intoxicated and/or disorderly students will not be transported, nor is food or alcohol allowed in the shuttle. The Police Student Ambassadors reserve the right to refuse transport. Additionally, the Police Student Ambassadors may provide walking escorts in lieu of using a vehicle.
Tools for Navigating the UC Santa Cruz Campus
The Wayfinding Workgroup seeks to improve the tools available for navigating the campus. Over the past 18 months, it has worked on improving temporary signage, recommended improvements to the campus entrance, and developed a pilot project in the Science Hill area. Over the next two years, the group’s tasks include writing a campus policy on signage and developing outreach to inform campus constituents about the best ways to direct people to specific locations.
The campus is also in the process of developing a Master Pedestrian Plan to promote walking as the most sustainable way to traverse the campus. The final plan will include an assessment of existing conditions, including gaps in the pedestrian infrastructure, and a plan to create a more pedestrian-friendly campus.
In a parallel effort, Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) is revising the information posted at each transit stop, including an overall map of the campus, and an enlarged map of the half-mile radius surrounding each stop. TAPS has also launched a bus tracking system app (developed in conjunction with the campus Computer Science Department) that allows riders to see each active campus shuttle in real time on a campus map.