Community

Columbia Public Safety is deeply committed to our values of Pride, Professionalism and Service. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for the Columbia community by maintaining a secure and open environment where the safety of all is balanced with the rights of the individual.

The safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff are our top priorities. Columbia’s campuses and the surrounding areas are safe and have an extremely low crime rate for an urban university. We achieve this by engaging everyone in the business of public safety. We value our partnership with the community, and welcome and value your input and ask for your support.

Training is an important component of our mission. Learn more about the comprehensive training all personnel receive including skills development, accountability and compliance, and first responder training.

To enhance communication, respect, and trust between Public Safety officers and our community, we have developed a brochure outlining your rights and responsibilities. Access the brochure on this page.

The University released its Report of the Inclusive Public Safety Working Group in response to President Bollinger’s July 2020 call to action on Columbia’s anti-racism commitment. The Report of the Inclusive Public Safety Working Group includes observations and initial recommendations from this working group of students, faculty and staff from across the University.

The University-wide Working Group on Inclusive Public Safety has the charge of working with the leadership of the Department of Public Safety to examine existing trainings and practices and to recommend concrete strategies for ensuring that we can have truly inclusive safety for all who are on Columbia’s campuses.

Read the report.

There is no contract between Columbia and NYPD for police services. A memorandum recognizes that our Department of Public Safety will work with the NYPD in specified circumstances, including to investigate reports of missing students and criminal offenses involving violent felonies. All colleges and universities in New York are required by state law to enter this agreement.

It is the policy of the Department of Public Safety that members will only use physical force that is reasonably necessary to bring an incident under control, while protecting the lives and safety of the member and others present and within the allowa ble guidelines of Article 35 of the New York State Penal Law. Access the of Force Policy on this page.

Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) Policy

This policy concerns the installation and use of CCTV to monitor and record areas for the purposes of safety and security.

The Department of Public Safety welcomes your comments concerning our service. Learn more about how to submit feedback to the Department on this page.