Campus Safety

Dispatch operates 24/7, 365 days a year, ensuring continuous support and security for WashU Medicine.

Our trained Dispatch Officers are equipped to provide assistance, dispatch appropriate resources to any location on campus, and coordinate effectively with external first responders. They are prepared to assist with general campus inquiries and arrange calls for service.

Additionally, our Dispatch Officers monitor the university’s camera/CCTV system, manage building access, monitor alarms, and utilize the emergency notification system as needed.

The Investigations section reviews and conducts inquiries related to campus crimes and policy/rule violations.

They also provide crime awareness training for faculty, staff, and students on a continual basis. Investigations also maintains Clery compliance, conducts security assessments, and advises on best practices.

The purpose of the policy is to reaffirm WashU Medicine Protective Services’ commitment to unbiased policing in all its encounters between officers and any person; to reinforce procedures that ensure public confidence and mutual trust by providing services in a fair and equitable manner; and to protect our officers from unwarranted accusations of misconduct when they act within the dictates of departmental policy and the law.

It is the policy of Protective Services to patrol the campus proactively and to investigate suspected violations of law and university policy. Officers shall actively enforce federal, state, and local laws, as well as university policies, in a responsible and professional manner, without regard to race, ethnicity, national origin, or any other bias. The right of all persons to be treated equally and to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures will be respected.

This policy does not preclude officers from offering assistance to persons nor does it prohibit stopping someone suspected of a crime based upon observed actions and/or information received about a potential felony.

View more information about the Impartial Policing Policy

The Joint Public Safety Center, located in the Mid Campus Center, is a partnership between WashU Medicine Protective Services, WashU Emergency Management, and Barnes-Jewish Hospital Public Safety.

Previously operating independently with incompatible tech, these entities now collaborate to enhance safety on the medical campus. The goal is to provide swift, seamless responses to emergencies affecting infrastructure or critical operations.

To ensure seamless operations, the space has generators for uninterrupted service during power outages. Co-locating and integrating public-safety organizations within the Joint Public Safety Center enhances each organization’s capabilities.

For more information, please view the Joint Public Safety Center brochure (PDF).

WashU Medicine Protective Services comprises armed response officers, unarmed communications officers, and unarmed public safety officers who provide security coverage for campus seven days a week, 24 hours a day. These officers are University employees.

Additionally, an unarmed contingent of contract security staff is stationed at certain fixed posts on campus. An overview of crime awareness and campus security is available by clicking here.

The Patrol and Operations section is made up of armed and unarmed professionals, with security authority in St. Louis City and St. Louis County. 

The officers are trained and equipped to provide quick, seamless responses to a wide range of emergencies affecting life safety, the campus’s physical infrastructure, and the institution’s critical operations. 

The Physical Security and Access Control team are responsible for the electronic security system as well as managing contract security services.

They are responsible for issuing and maintaining WashU Medicine identification cards (ID). Select department/division individuals are designated to request an ID and ensure correct access levels for new and established individuals.