Campus safety information and resources
Wayne State University is committed to the safety and security of its campus community. A wide range of activities, training, safety measures, technology and resources combine to ensure Wayne State remains one of Michigan's safest college campuses — a place where everyone can live, learn, work and experience all that Detroit has to offer without worry. WSU has been recognized extensively for its safety measures through media coverage such as this article from The Chronicle of Higher Education.
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Emergency contact numbers - Police, fire and health
Wayne State’s emergency contact for police, fire, medical, health and safety issues is:
Wayne State Police Department
6050 Cass Avenue
Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 577-2222
wsupd@wayne.eduThe Wayne State Police are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
The Wayne State University Police Department provides a full range of professional police services to the main and medical campuses as well as surrounding neighborhoods. All WSU police officers are fully licensed through the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES), are sworn peace officers commissioned under state law and have been commissioned as Detroit police officers. Officers are empowered to enforce all federal and state laws as well as the Michigan Vehicle Code and City of Detroit ordinance on and off campus. As sworn police officers, they are authorized to investigate, arrest or take other necessary action to address any criminal or other public infraction in the vicinity of the WSU campus. WSU police officers work closely with the Detroit Police Department, Wayne County Sheriff’s Department and the Michigan State Police.
The WSU police are prepared to handle all criminal activity and any significant emergency (including medical, fire or dangerous situations involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees occurring on the campus. This also includes incidents involving sexual assault, which are covered by Title IX.
Our police dispatch center is fully equipped to handle all emergencies and is prepared to seek appropriate assistance from other university officials, such as Environmental Health and Safety, the Title IX Director, as well as outside organizations such as the National Response Center, the Detroit Fire Department, and the Campus Health Center, depending on the type of emergency involved.
If you do not have access to a telephone, there are illuminated Blue Light emergency phones located around campus, its perimeter and in its parking facilities. The phones are mounted on kiosks or attached to building walls. Once the receiver of the phone is picked up, the blue light begins flashing, enabling WSU police officers to see it from two to three blocks away. The phones also allow police communication personnel to pinpoint the caller’s location immediately. They are programmed to dial directly to WSUPD with the touch of a single button.
Please do NOT call 911 because calls to 911 go directly to the Detroit Police Department, Detroit Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services, whose responders are not intimately familiar with the campus. Our WSU police officers are well acquainted with our campus and can respond much more quickly to campus-related emergencies.
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Policy Statement of Non-Discrimination
Consistent with the requirements of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, it is the policy of Wayne State University to not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education programs and activities that it operates. Discrimination on the basis of sex includes sexual and gender-based harassment, sexual assault, relationship or intimate partner violence, stalking and retaliation. Wayne State’s policies on non-discrimination are linked on its Title IX website, which is titleix.wayne.edu.
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Title IX Office
Title IX Office
Brandy M. Banks, Title IX Director
Office of the General Counsel
4249 Faculty Administration Building (FAB)
656 W. Kirby Street
Detroit, MI 48202
313-577-9999
titleix@wayne.eduThe Title IX Office is available Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Students who report having experienced sexual misconduct by another student, a faculty member or a staff member of the university, have the option to report the matter to law enforcement, to the university, to both, or to neither, as the student may choose.
To report to the University, contact the Title IX Director at 313-577-9999 or at titleix@wayne.edu. To report to the Wayne State Police, contact them at 313-577-2222
Anyone wishing to report a sexual assault or sexual abuse or threatened sexual assault or sexual abuse incident that involves imminent danger to the victim or the campus community, or requires immediate medical assistance, should contact the WSU Police at 313-577-2222. They will provide protection; will assist in taking you to the hospital for appropriate medical treatment; and will assist with all necessary steps in the event you wish to initiate a criminal prosecution. They will also notify the Title IX Director if you have not already done so.
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Policies applicable to minors on campus
Where relevant and appropriate, Wayne State’s policies regarding non-discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, student code of conduct and workplace violence apply to minors on campus and to all individuals who are working with minors on campus.
Wayne State offers Child Safety Awareness Training (CSAT). All individuals leading or working with minors on campus must complete (1) a background check by Human Resources as a condition of employment and (2) the CSAT prior to the beginning of the youth program. Internal Audit works with campus administrators to identify youth programs which require the training. If the youth program is not a WSU program, but is being conducted by external parties on WSU’s campus, Internal Audit will work with the Housing Department or other relevant sponsoring department to identify those groups who require the training. If the external group has their own child safety training (as required by their contract with WSU), Internal Audit must review documentation evidencing that the leaders of the youth program have successfully completed a training course similar in content to that provided by Internal Audit. If the group does not provide such documentation prior to the start of the program, they must complete Internal Audit’s CSAT training or the program cannot be held on WSU’s campus.
The Child Safety Awareness Training is provided the University’s:
Office of Internal Audit
5700 Cass Avenue, Suite 330 AAB
Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 577-2128This training is aimed at providing knowledge about various ways to keep minors safe while on campus. Some key concepts include:
- An overview of University policies
- Recognizing Unusual/Abusive Behaviors (i.e. physical/sexual abuse, bullying)
- Supporting the child’s needs
- Reporting potential or actual cases of sexual assault or abuse
- Tips for creating a child safe environment
For each of the awareness training program, Internal Audit will track the following:
- Participants’ attendance
- Course evaluation
- Certificates of completion
Reporting:
All incidents of actual or suspected sexual assault or sexual abuse of a minor should immediately be reported to the Wayne State Police at (313) 577-2222.
In addition, Internal Audit has a hotline for reporting any incidents of actual or suspected sexual assault or sexual abuse of minors (313) 577-5838.
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Safety and security services provided by Wayne State
The University offers the following safety and security services:
Crime Prevention and Awareness Programs
The Wayne State University Police Department conducts and hosts a variety of crime prevention and safety awareness programs for our campus community. The purpose of these programs is to increase crime awareness and provide information that will reduce the likelihood that a crime could occur in our campus area.
SafeWalk Program
If a student or an employee feels uneasy about walking alone on campus, they may call WSUPD at 313-577-2222 at any time and for any reason to request the SafeWalk service. The police will dispatch a uniformed and radio-equipped cadet or patrol officer to walk with the individual to his or her destination.
On-campus emergency telephones
Approximately 297 emergency telephones blanket the WSU campus. More than 175 of these Blue Light emergency phones are located at outdoor locations across campus, and there are 121 indoor emergency phones located throughout campus (emergency phones can be found inside every elevator). All of these phones are easy to operate and may be used as either a direct line to the WSUPD's dispatch center or to make free calls to on-campus telephones. To operate these phones in an emergency, simply push the red "emergency" button of the front of the phone panel. There is no need to dial a phone number, as the emergency phone will make a direct connection to the dispatch center automatically and the call will be received as an incoming emergency services request.
Auto Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Etching
Approximately every other month, the Wayne State Police host free VIN etching sessions for all members of our campus community. VIN etching is a process endorsed by many auto insurance companies in which the vehicle identification number is permanently etched into the surface of at least six windows of a vehicle. The process uses a custom stencil and an acid-based paste. The permanent professional results provide traceable numbers in case of theft. This reduces the profit motive for auto theft. All VIN etching sessions are announced via CAMPUSWATCH emails.
Street Smarts Personal Safety Seminars
The Wayne State Police Department provides personal safety seminars for a variety of student groups and organizations. The Street Smarts – How to Avoid Being a Victim seminars provide easy to use, real-world personal safety tips for use in a wide variety of situations. The seminars are free and can be arranged by contacting the department’s Crime Prevention Section at 313-577-6064.
Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) Program
The Wayne State Police presently has nine nationally certified Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) instructors who rotate teaching Rape Aggression Defense seminars to women students, staff and faculty at Wayne State University. The 13-hour RAD course teaches awareness, prevention, risk reduction, avoidance and progresses on to easy to learn hands-on self defense techniques.
RAD for Women: The Rape Aggression Defense system is a 13-hour women’s self-defense course that has been internationally recognized as an effective and easy-to-learn personal safety tool. Each class consists of four separate sessions that cover a variety of topics, including personal safety and safety awareness, physical defense techniques, and aggressive defense measures to be used as options available to the woman who is attacked.
RAD Weapons Defense Course for Women: This course teaches participants real-life, hands-on defensive strategies against an assailant armed with an edged weapon or firearm.
RAD Keychain Defense Options for Women: This is one of the only realistic and court-defensible impact weapons programs available for the general public, and it combines proven RAD physical defense strategies with impact weapons defense techniques. The program revolves around use of the Kubaton keychain in conjunction with weapon-enhanced physical skills.
RAD for Men: This course is aimed at raising participants’ awareness of aggressive behavior, raising their awareness of how aggressive behavior impacts their lives, and helping participants learn steps to avoid aggressive behavior. Participants consider how they can be part of reducing aggression and violence, and they practice hands-on self-defense skills to resist and escape aggressive behavior directed toward them.
Campus Watch
The Wayne State Police send out monthly emails to over 68,000 current students, staff, faculty, alumni and retirees. These monthly emails update the reader with a summary of any criminal activity on the campus and surrounding area. Additionally, the emails provide a variety of safety tips and suggestions as well as links to useful information on a wide variety of personal safety topics. Since its inception, we have learned that CAMPUSWATCH emails are forwarded well beyond the confines of the university community. The WSU Dean of Students Office routinely forwards each issue to all parents in the WSU Parent Association. The email is also routed to various community groups, neighborhood associations, news groups, the Detroit Police Department command staff, as well as the Detroit City Council.
Harden Auto Larceny Targets (HALT) brochures
Members of the WSU campus community are cautioned against leaving any item of value in plain view inside their parked vehicles. Valuables left unattended in vehicles have the same risk for theft as valuables left unattended in classrooms or offices. A general rule, "If something is valuable to you, it will also be valuable to a thief" applies to vehicles, just as it applies to classrooms and offices. Rolled-up car windows and locked doors may only momentarily slow down a determined thief.
Be Prepared: Surviving an Active Shooter Incident
This course is available to all students, faculty and staff online through the Blackboard system.
Club Steering Wheel Lock Program
WSUPD will provide to any student, staff or faculty member a steering wheel lock at the discounted price of $13.
Orientations
The new employee or student's first exposure to our crime awareness efforts occurs at their orientation. These mandatory orientations provide the new student and employee with the policies and procedures to report criminal actions or other emergencies on campus, discuss the security of and access to various campus facilities, describe the campus law enforcement resources available to them for routine and emergency services, and discuss the common types of crime that can occur on our campus and the necessary steps that should be taken so as not to fall victim to these crimes. Specific orientation sessions are held for new students, transfer students, new staff and faculty.
Wayne State provides an in-person sexual misconduct prevention presentation at all freshman and incoming transfer student orientations. This presentation includes contact information for the Title IX Director, Deputy Title IX Directors and the Wayne State Police, as well as information on where to report and where to obtain support and resources.
For all Wayne State students, the University offers an online training module regarding sexual misconduct and prevention.
Community Living Guide for the Residence Halls and Apartments
Each year the Office of Housing and Residential Life publishes this guide, which contains detailed information about residence hall and apartment policies; services and amenities; check-in and check-out procedures; safety, security, and emergency procedures; personal emergency planning; and policies, procedures, and general information. The guide also contains a list of important phone numbers.
Personal Preparedness Plans
Each year students are encouraged to prepare a personal preparedness plan. Information about these plans, including instructions and a checklist to assist students in creating their plans (pdf).
Emergency and Safety Procedures
Each university department has posted in a visible place the Wayne State University Emergency and Safety Procedures flipchart for immediate reference. This flipchart is also available online at the website of the Office of Risk Management (ORM) at risk.wayne.edu. These procedures are also listed on the WSUPD website.
Missing Students Notification Policy
This policy, in compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act, describes the formal notification procedures the university will follow when a student residing in on-campus housing has been reported missing for more than 24 hours. The policy provides a framework for cooperation among members of the Wayne State University community aimed at locating and assisting students who reside in campus housing and are reported missing.
Evacuation Procedures for Student Housing in Case of Fire
Established fire evacuation procedures have been developed and apply to all on-campus residence halls and apartments:
A fire plan is posted on the back of each residence hall and apartment door. Please read this plan and become familiar with your evacuation route. For additional copies of the plan, please contact your community director.
All residents must immediately leave the facility when an alarm sounds. Treat all alarms as real emergencies. Familiarize yourself with the exits, sounds and procedures for evacuating a building. Get to know your exit routes before there is an emergency. If an alarm sounds, please do the following:
- Put on a coat and hard-soled shoes, quickly.
- Take a towel with you to prevent smoke inhalation.
- Close windows.
- Check your doorknob and door. If either is hot, do not open your door. If the door and doorknob are cool, exit cautiously and close your unlocked door.
- Take your keys and OneCard with you.
- Walk quickly and leave the building via the nearest available exit in your area.
- Use the stairwells to evacuate (do not use elevators). Once in the stairwell, check to see that the door is closed and proceed down to the first level. Gather at the predetermined outside assembly area away from the residence hall or apartment.
- DO NOT re-enter the building until a staff member, WSUPD or the fire department tells you it is safe to do so.
Policies Regarding Fire Safety Education and Training Programs
At the beginning of each school year (August), the Office of Risk Management conducts hands-on fire safety training with every community director and resident assistant in each of the university’s student housing facilities.
- Directory of resources – survivors of sexual misconduct
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End Sexual Assault Resource handbook
Handbook for Campus Sexual Assault Survivors, Friends and Family (pdf), published by the Office of the Governor, 2018.
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Campus security policies and crime statistics
Annual Security and Fire Safety Report
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Important university contacts
Police Department emergency
313-577-2222Title IX Director
313-577-9999Campus Health Center
313-577-5041Office of Equal Opportunity
313-577-2280Employee Assistance
800-448-TEAMOffice of Environmental Health and Safety
313-577-1200Office of Risk Management
313-577-3110Facilities Planning and Management
313-577-4315Student Counseling and Psychological Services
313-577-3398Dean of Students Office
313-577-1010All of the above contacts (with the exception of the WSUPD and CAPS) are available during regular business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The WSUPD is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
CAPS has an after-hours hotline: 313-577-9982.