UCSF Police Issues Campus Safety Bulletin Following Recent Shootings

Following recent news reports of a number of active shooter incidents, UCSF Police want members of the campus community to know what they can do and what resources are available to help prevent these crimes.

First and foremost, UCSF Police ask that faculty, staff and students do their part for public safety by being observant and aware of their surroundings.

Although active shooter situations cannot always be prevented, lives can be saved if watchful citizens report suspicious people and signs of intimidating or threatening behavior as soon as possible to police.

And while some states have eased restrictions on carrying guns, it is imperative that everyone knows that with rare exception, firearms are not allowed on campus grounds.

“California has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the nation,” UCSF Police Chief Pamela Roskowski said. “This is not about denying people their Second Amendment rights, this is about following the law and keeping our campus safe.”

In the near term, UCSF Police will be installing signs conveying the message that firearms are prohibited on university grounds at key campus locations. The signs are obviously not a solution, Chief Roskowski admits, but they can serve as a constant reminder to members of the campus community to be ever vigilant about safety and security.

Reminder to Register with WarnMe

Importantly, UCSF Police has enhanced its ability to warn faculty, staff, students and affiliates – using the WarnMe mass notification system – if an imminent threat to life and safety occurs. UCSF uses WarnMe as

a mechanism to provide initial alerts and ongoing updates as incidents unfold.

During the first week of July 2014, UCSF Police will be conducting a campuswide WarnMe drill. Notification will be sent out in email and text message (SMS) format. UCSF Police request that members of the community respond as prompted, indicating how they received the notification.

This is a timely reminder for all members of the UCSF community to provide or update their personal contact information to the WarnMe authentication system. For the July drill, UCSF Police also will post messages to the electronic display boards located throughout UCSF sites.

Counseling and Training Available

Another way UCSF helps ensure campus safety is through the Threat Management Team (TMT), which works to reduce or contain intimidating or threatening behavior. The team, comprised of representatives from UCSF Police, Faculty and Staff Assistance Program, Labor and Employee Relations and Medical Center Security, can provide consultation and education on violence risk assessment, threat management and violence prevention in the workplace to campus departments and units.

The TMT was instituted 20 years ago in response to a national increase in workplace violence, and to reinforce UCSF’s commitment to intervene when such incidents may compromise the safety of employees and students. For more information about the TMT, visit the TMT website.

In recent years, the UCSF Police Department also has enhanced the equipment, training and exercises of its police officers to respond to an active shooter incident. Specific tips on what to do in the event of an active shooter are posted on the UCSF Police website.

UCSF Police can provide training upon request to the UCSF community on how to respond to an active shooter situation. For more information on the training, please contact Det. Larry Robertson at 415/476-5902 or [email protected].

And for those wanting more detailed training on how to respond to an active shooter can sign up for an online course available on the FEMA website.