Preventing Violence

The University of Arkansas is dedicated to providing a safe learning and working environment for all students, faculty, staff and visitors, striving to minimize hazards and maintain a secure campus at all times. This is a complex, ongoing process, involving hundreds of people and a wide range resources, all working together 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year.

Campus Safety

The University of Arkansas also provides many services designed to create a safe environment on campus and to help prevent violence. More than 1,300 lights shine across the U of A campus at night and Facilities Management keeps bushes and shrubbery trimmed to provide a clean and safe environment.

Be Aware

The campus community works together to create a safe environment. Be aware – learn to spot warning signs and how to report potential danger with our heightened awareness guidelines.

Emergency phones

Any remaining emergency phones (e-phones) on campus provide a direct line to the University of Arkansas Police Department (UAPD). Though e-phones are routinely tested for proper operation, this technology is being replaced with cell phones and applications such as SafeZone. 

Requesting help through the SafeZone app will give police officers your location on a map so they can provide assistance. In addition, University Police can be called at 479-575-2222 at any time, and 911 can be dialed for any immediate emergencies. 

Facilities Management is in the process of removing all remaining fixed e-phones.

Electronic access – housing and other buildings

All residence halls on campus are equipped with electronic auto-locking hardware and spring hinges to prevent theft.

All exterior doors in residence halls have electronic security measures in place, are monitored at all times by the Housing 24/7 Service Center; roving patrols also check the security of all doors during late night and early morning hours.

All residence hall entrance doors require electronic access keys.

More than 700 closed circuit television cameras are in place in all residence halls and are being installed in many additional university buildings to secure the main entries and public areas of the facilities

Safe Ride

The Associated Student Government funds the Safe Ride program through Razorback Transit, offering students safe and free transportation from an uncomfortable or potentially dangerous situation.

No Woman Left Behind

This is a bystander intervention program established by the Housing Office to students in residence halls about sexual assault and encourage bystander action to prevent sexual assault.  

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. is a group of trained peer educators working from the Pat Walker Health Center who provide rape awareness and risk reduction education on campus, while advocating for victims of sexual assault.  

Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment Team (BIT-TAT)

The Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment Team has been developed as part of the Campus Violence Prevention Plan. It uses an early identification and response strategy to assess, evaluate and review campus violence issues and incidents.

RazorCAT

RazorCAT regularly brings together representatives from select campus departments to review and discuss specific behavioral issues involving students. It is a “problem solving” team reviewing reports of behavioral incidents and pressing concerns affecting students, including, but not limited to conduct issues and physical/mental health concerns. The purpose of the team is to identify respond to individual issues before they escalate.

The Critical Incident Response Team

This team manages the operational responses to a specific concern, emergency, or disaster. The team is made up of key RazorCAT members and senior level personnel.

Be Safe - Communicate

SafeZone

SafeZone is a free phone app that turns a cell phone into a personal safety device.

  • The app can also be used for Check-in/Check-Out Timer - Walking Alone?  Working out or studying late?  Share your position with UAPD for your personal safety.

  • The app connects you directly to the University of Arkansas Police Department (UAPD) when there is an emergency on campus, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

  • Once you activate the app on your phone and request help, your location will be shown on a map for police officers to provide assistance. 

  • SafeZone only shares your location when you ask for help or check-in.  The app requires certain permissions to run, such as Location Sharing and Notifications.  To find out more or to see a complete list of FAQs, visit SafeZone FAQs

Preventing Sexual Assault

All forms of sexual assault are violent criminal acts. All of the university’s resources and services designed to create a safe environment and protect against criminal violence are also intended to protect against sexual assault. In addition, there are services directly related to preventing sexual assault.   

Title IX office

Title IX is a federal law prohibiting any form of gender discrimination, including all types of sexual assault or misconduct. The University of Arkansas Title IX compliance officer works across campus to enforce U of A policies, with the goal of creating a campus community that is free of sexual violence. 

As part of this effort the Title IX coordinator’s sexual violence prevention and awareness programming initiative has adopted Haven, an online interactive course that addresses the critical issues of sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking.  All incoming students are required to complete the Haven course, and all members of the campus community are encouraged to take it as well.

UAPD

The University of Arkansas Police Department has the primary responsibility for preventing violence on campus. The UAPD is a nationally accredited, professional law enforcement agency, with the mission of protecting and serving the University of Arkansas community.

Services and Resources

Training and Education

To schedule training, call UAPD at 479-575-2222

UAPD provides training courses in

  • General Campus Safety
  • General Self Defense
  • Women’s Self Defense
  • Razorback Patrol
  • Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention
  • Rape Aggression Defense Course
  • Alcohol Education-for students
  • Drug Education

Patrol

UAPD patrol officers are charged with providing for the safety of all the students, faculty, staff and guests who attend class, work, live and visit our campus, and with the security of university buildings and property. We are proud of our professional police officers. Each of them received their certification from the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training. We believe that by working in partnership with the community we serve and by employing crime prevention and problem solving strategies we can achieve this critical mission.

K9

The UAPD’s K9 Division was started in 2010 to provide enhanced security on campus, especially during large special events. There are four K9 officers and handlers. Three are trained to sniff out explosives and one specializes in finding drugs, but all four are also used on patrol. 

Security Division

The University of Arkansas has added a new Security Division to its arsenal of security and educational divisions.  This new division is designed to enhance our 40-officer Patrol and Police Services division and increase security on campus.