The University of Texas at Austin Police Department maintains a dedicated Medical District to serve the university's medical education buildings and surrounding facilities. UTPD officers are assigned full time to Dell Seton Medical Center, where they provide continuous law enforcement support within the emergency department and throughout the hospital. This dedicated presence helps ensure the safety and security of hospital staff, patients, students, faculty, and visitors while supporting the unique operational and public safety needs of a 24/7 academic medical environment.
Responsibilities and Functions
The Hospital / Medical District provides comprehensive law enforcement and public safety services to the university’s medical education buildings and associated facilities, including Dell Seton Medical Center. Officers assigned to the district operate in a highly specialized healthcare environment and focus on the following core functions:
- Maintain a full-time police presence at Dell Seton Medical Center, with particular emphasis on the emergency department, to ensure safety, security, and rapid response to incidents.
- Protect hospital staff, patients, students, faculty, visitors, and property through proactive patrol, visibility, and enforcement of applicable laws and university policies.
- Respond to medical emergencies, criminal activity, behavioral health crises, and other critical incidents within the hospital and surrounding medical facilities, coordinating as needed with hospital staff and external first responders.
- Support healthcare operations by working closely with medical personnel to address safety concerns unique to a healthcare setting, including combative patients, high-risk situations, and sensitive incidents involving vulnerable populations.
- Assist with access control, security protocols, and crowd management in high-traffic or high-risk areas of the hospital and medical education buildings.
- Conduct preliminary investigations, collect reports, and coordinate follow-up for incidents occurring within the Medical District.
- Utilize training tailored to hospital and medical campus policing, including crisis intervention, de-escalation techniques, and response to behavioral health or trauma-related incidents.
Partnerships
The Hospital / Medical District works closely with a variety of internal and external partners to ensure effective coordination, safety, and continuity of law enforcement services within the hospital environment.
Officers routinely collaborate with outside law enforcement agencies that transport or bring patients to Dell Seton Medical Center, helping ensure smooth information sharing, scene management, and continuity of care and custody when applicable.
The unit also partners daily with Dell Seton Medical Center Security, working alongside hospital security officers to address access control, safety concerns, and incident response within the facility. This close coordination enhances situational awareness and supports a unified approach to hospital security operations.
Internally, the Medical District collaborates with other UTPD units, including Patrol and Investigations, to support seamless reporting, thorough investigations, and appropriate follow-up on incidents occurring within the medical facilities.
Community Engagement
The Hospital / Medical District plays an important role in supporting the UT Austin community by maintaining a visible, approachable, and professional law enforcement presence within the medical education and healthcare environment. Officers assigned to the district regularly interact with students, faculty, staff, patients, and visitors, helping foster trust and reinforce a sense of safety within the hospital and surrounding medical facilities.
Through daily operations at Dell Seton Medical Center, officers support the university’s academic and healthcare missions by helping maintain a safe environment for learning, teaching, and patient care. This includes assisting students and staff during emergencies, providing guidance and reassurance during stressful situations, and responding compassionately to individuals experiencing medical or behavioral health crises.
The Medical District also serves as a key liaison between the hospital, medical school community, and the broader university, helping coordinate responses to incidents that may impact campus safety or operations.
Additionally, officers assigned to the Medical District contribute to a positive campus climate through professionalism, de-escalation, and trauma-informed response, recognizing the unique challenges of a healthcare setting. Their presence and engagement enhance public safety while supporting the wellbeing of the Longhorn community.
Personnel and Structure
UTPD’s Medical District maintains a full-time, on-site law enforcement presence at Dell Seton Medical Center to support the hospital’s continuous operational needs. An officer is assigned and on duty in the emergency department at all times, ensuring immediate response capability and consistent law enforcement support within this high-acuity environment.
In addition to the assigned officer, a sergeant supervisor is on duty to provide oversight, guidance, and operational support during each shift. This supervisory presence helps ensure appropriate response, coordination, and decision-making during incidents occurring within the hospital.
The Hospital / Medical District is further supported by a dedicated Medical District Supervisor who is on site Monday through Friday. This role provides day-to-day leadership, coordination with hospital administration and security, oversight of personnel, and continuity of operations for the unit.
