The University of Texas at Arlington

Campus Safety

Campus Safety Videos

Campus safety is our top priority. We invite you to view the following videos made by the UT Arlington police department to help teach students, faculty and staff how to respond in a situation involving workplace or campus violence. Should such an emergency arise, call 911 immediately. The strategies depicted in these videos are intended to help prevent and minimize harm.

Please view the Shots Fired: When Lightning Strikes video, which provides guidance for surviving an active shooter situation. It teaches everyone in the organization how to respond if a shooting situation occurs, describes the distinctions between an active shooter and a hostage situation and shows courses of action and how to have a survival mindset for yourself and your coworkers.

Crime Prevention

While all police personnel are oriented to the concept of crime prevention, the Crime Prevention Officer attends many advanced training schools to keep his/her level of expertise current at all times. This officer acts as the Department's liaison to the campus community.

Program and information available from the Crime Prevention Officer include, but are not limited to: new student orientation; new employee orientation; campus safety; personal safety; Operation Identification; bicycle registration; property and home protection; Texas Help End Auto TheftRegistration (H.E.A.T.); security surveys for residences and departments on campus, theft prevention; robbery prevention techniques; and basic assault/date rape prevention.

These and other programs are available upon request and are presented throughout the year to groups on campus. Additionally, the Crime Prevention Officer participates in the annual Student Congress Night Walk during which student representatives walk the campus and make suggestions on lighting and other areas of concern. The Police Department, Environmental Health and Safety Office, and the Physical Plant are watchful for safety and security considerations in campus maintenance. Inspections of campus facilities by Physical Plant personnel are made regularly so repairs affecting safety and security can be made. Concerns regarding potential safety or security hazards may be reported to any of these groups. The Police Department's phone number is (817) 272-3381.

Anyone desiring information on crime prevention programs or related literature may contact the Crime Prevention Officer, Officer Ron Cook, (817) 272-3902 or preventcrime@uta.edu.

Police Services

The Police Department's function is to impartially enforce local, state and federal laws, and to protect the campus from crime and disorder as efficiently and effectively as possible by professionally utilizing human and fiscal resources in order to provide outstanding service to the University.

The Police Department operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Police Department's authorized personnel is a total of 118: 38 sworn police officers, 56 public safety officers (PSO), 9 communications officers, 5 parking office personnel, 5 administrative personnel, 2 emergency management personnel, 1 transportation supervisor, and 5 key control personnel.

Police officers at UTA have completed The University of Texas System Police Academy and been licensed by the Texas Commission on Licensing and Officer Standards in Education (TCLEOSE). In addition to the Academy, officers receive 14 weeks of field training and a minimum of 40 hours of in-service training every two years, as required by law. Guards and communications officers complete an 8-week field training. Communications officers also complete a 40-hour state certified telecommunications training program.

The Department's police officers are commissioned by The University of Texas System Board of Regents per Article 51.203 of the Texas Education Code. These officers are defined as peace officers under Article 2.12 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure and are fully empowered by the State. As peace officers, the Department's police officers have the same authority to detain and arrest as municipal police officers.

An amendment by the legislature in 1987 to Section 51.203 of the Texas Education Code extends the jurisdiction of the University police officers to include all counties in which property is owned, leased, or otherwise under the control of the institution. A policy issued by The University of Texas Board of Regents in 1987 defines the primary jurisdiction of the UTA Police Department as the area within the geographical boundaries of property owned, leased, or otherwise under the control of The University of Texas System or UTA.

The UTA Police Department maintains a solid working relationship with the City of Arlington Police Department, as well as all local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.

Silent Witness Form

Crime on campus interferes with the learning process, disrupts the quality of life, and indirectly increases tuition. If you have seen a crime on campus or have been a victim of a crime on campus yourself and would like to report it anonymously, please complete this form. All information will remain confidential, this report will not have your return email address on it.