The University of Texas Police Department (UTPD) welcomes the return of students, faculty and staff who will be back on campus this fall. We wish to reassure our community that our operations during the pandemic never ceased. We are actively present at all hours on campus and nearby. Over the summer, we expanded our service area.
New LiveSafe Safety App
New this fall, UTPD has launched the LiveSafe at UT Austin application. The app features a Virtual Walk function that allows you to invite someone in your contact list to virtually follow your movement as you walk or travel in a vehicle. LiveSafe at UT Austin also gives you the ability to have an instant text conversation with UTPD. You may send photos and videos to help dispatchers respond to your emergency.
SURE Walk and UT Night Rides
Because we know that our community members often work or study on campus late into the evening, Parking and Transportation Services makes special accommodations for your safety. Please utilize the SURE Walk and UT Night Rides programs.
District Representative Officers
UTPD operates on a community-oriented policing philosophy driven by a strong partnership of trust and communication among UT students, employees and visitors to campus. UTPD has district representative officers who serve as community liaisons to address any quality of life issues you may face. They maintain relationships with building managers to ensure open communication and assess changing security needs. UTPD has identified sites in which community members may be present after hours. We share this information throughout our department to maintain our presence during peak times of need. We encourage you to email your assigned district representative officer to get to know them and discuss any non-urgent issues of concern. Always call 911 for emergencies.
West Campus Initiative
As approved and made possible through a grant by the Board of Regents, UTPD has created a new West Campus police district. Our officers will now be a permanent fixture along Guadalupe Street to not replace, but enhance the services of the Austin Police Department.
While COVID-19 has slowed the timeline, we continue to press forward with the purchase of security cameras and construction of a satellite UTPD office within Walter Webb Hall at 25th and Guadalupe. The satellite office will be a place for UTPD personnel to conduct daily operations, as well as serve as a safe and convenient place for community members to visit and address security concerns they may have. It will include a system for reporting emergencies. We will share an opening date and hours of operation later this fall.
These may be uncertain times, but you can be certain that your UTPD officers will be here for you should you ever need us.
David Carter
Assistant Vice President of Campus Security and Chief of Police