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Safe & Secure
Annual Fire Safety and Security Report

Reporting Crimes and Emergencies

Crime Reporting

The UGA Police Department encourages anyone who is the victim of or witness to any crime to report the incident to the police immediately. Because original police reports must be released under the Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. 50-18-70, et seq.), the UGA Police Department cannot hold reports of crimes in confidence. All reported crimes are documented and included on the daily crime log maintained by the UGA Police Department, in compliance with the Clery Act. This ensures that other students, faculty, and staff have the opportunity to make themselves aware of reported crimes on campus.

The University of Georgia encourages the prompt and accurate reporting of crimes to law enforcement when the victim elects to do so. Individuals should report to the UGA Police Department or the local law enforcement agency where the offense occurred. If a victim is unable to make a report, including due to incapacitation, UGA encourages community members, who are aware of or bystanders to the incident, to seek emergency assistance including making a report to law enforcement.

All campus officials who have interactions with students should report any crime brought to their attention to the UGA Police Department. The victim of the crime will make the choice to have the case investigated and/ or prosecuted, with no pressure to do so from UGA Police or University officials. However, in the event that a reported crime indicates the possibility of an on-going risk to the University and surrounding community, the UGA Police will follow up and take necessary steps to clarify the circumstances of the reported crime, address the ongoing risk (including through the issuance of a timely warning if appropriate), and communicate with the community to reduce opportunities for potential similar crimes. UGA does not currently have a policy regarding voluntary, confidential reporting of crimes by complainants or witnesses for inclusion in the University’s Clery Act crime statistics. As a result, while professional counselors are encouraged to discuss with clients, if applicable, available support resources such as the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention office, the University does not have a policy encouraging professional counselors to inform clients of procedures by which they may voluntarily and confidentially report crimes for inclusion in the University’s Clery Act crime statistics.

For any criminal incidents related to sexual assault, individuals are encouraged to report according to the procedures and recommendations specified in the section of this report entitled “Preventing and Responding to Sexual Assault.”

Campus Law Enforcement

The UGA Police Department has complete police authority to apprehend and arrest anyone involved in illegal acts on campus and in areas immediately adjacent to campus. If a University student commits offenses involving University rules and regulations, the UGA Police may also refer the individual to the Office of Student Conduct.

The prosecution of all criminal offenses, both felony and misdemeanor, on or near the main UGA campus in Athens, is conducted through the Municipal, State, and Superior Courts of Athens-Clarke County.

The UGA Police Department is responsible for responding to and investigating all criminal activity occurring on the main UGA campus and has the authority to address criminal activity, including to make arrests, within 500 yards of campus if the need arises (O.C.G.A. 20-3-72). The department has established open lines of communication with nearby law enforcement agencies and maintains ongoing relationships with them so that information about criminal investigations may be exchanged and assistance may be obtained. Under Mutual Aid, local law enforcement and state agencies will assist in a local emergency with the UGA Police in the prevention or detection of violations of any law, in the apprehension or arrest of any persons who violate a criminal law of this state, or in any criminal case if requested by the UGA Police. Close contact with other law enforcement agencies is also maintained through the Georgia Crime Information Center and National Crime Information Center computer terminal. The terminal also provides important data on wanted persons, driver’s license information and criminal history information.

Through coordination with local law enforcement agencies, documentation of criminal activity engaged in by students at off-campus locations is forwarded to the Office of Student Conduct for review and follow-up action.

Security and Access

The University has a physical access and security committee, which is chaired by the Associate Vice President for Public Safety. Physical and security access applications are put in place based on the needs of the individual buildings. The level of access to individual buildings is granted and controlled by building management personnel, based on the individual needs of those who use the specified buildings.

The University maintains the security of campus facilities in a manner designed to minimize unsafe conditions. Parking lots and commonly used pedestrian areas are generally illuminated. UGA Police work closely with other units on campus including the Facilities Management Division and University Housing to enhance security and to make sure that maintenance issues, such as replacing malfunctioning lights and repairing door locks, are addressed in a timely manner.

Security Awareness Programs

The UGA Police Department takes a number of steps to inform students of effective security procedures and practices, as well as ways to look out for themselves and their fellow students. The UGA Police Department’s website (police.uga.edu) is a valuable source of information on topics such as crime statistics, timely warning information, crime prevention and security awareness information, and general safety. The University also maintains a website that serves as a repository for safety and security resources on campus and in the larger community (staysafe.uga.edu).

During summer orientation sessions, incoming freshmen and transfer students are introduced to general safety procedures and the services offered by the UGA Police Department. Programs relating to General Safety and New/ Transfer Student Orientation are offered on a regular basis by the UGA Police. Other programs are offered on an as-needed basis upon request.

Additionally, information about a number of crime prevention and general safety topics is available on the UGA Police website including: alcohol awareness, drug facilitated rape awareness, sexual assault awareness, cycle and scooter safety, housing tips, vehicle theft prevention tips, information regarding weapons on campus, and pedestrian safety.

Criminal Activity Off Campus

When a UGA student is involved in an off-campus criminal offense, the UGA Police, when notified of such an incident, makes every effort to provide a record of the incident to the Office of Student Conduct for review and follow-up action. While UGA does not operate any off-campus housing in Athens, a large number of students live in residential areas surrounding the Athens campus. The UGA Police routinely respond to incidents that occur in these areas, in cooperation with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. When needed, UGA international facilities in Oxford, England, and Cortona, Italy, as well as the Washington Semester Program in Washington, D.C., rely on local law enforcement and other services in the area.

Each year, crime statistics for non-campus properties associated with the University and its student organizations, as well as public property adjacent to and within the University’s campuses, are requested from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and other local law enforcement entities. When statistics are provided, they are included in the University’s crime statistics disclosed in this report.

Campus Law Enforcement

The UGA Police Department headquarters is located at 286 Oconee Street, Athens, Georgia, 30602 in the Hodgson Oil Building. Officers are on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The UGA Police Department employs trained officers who are certified by the Peace Officers Standards and Training Council of Georgia, along with a corps of supporting staff members.

The UGA Police Department is comprised of three bureaus:

  • Administrative, Fiscal & Support Services
  • Community Engagement & Professional Standards
  • Operations

The UGA Police Department also includes advanced service teams including a bomb disposal unit, a K9 unit, the special response team, crisis negotiation team, and accident reconstruction team. The Operations Bureau includes the Patrol Division, which responds to calls concerning criminal activity or requests for assistance, as well as the Criminal Investigation Division. Officers patrol the Athens campus 24 hours a day in marked vehicles, on bicycles, and on foot. Crime reports may be made at any time, either in person or by telephone at 706-542-2200. All complaints or reports of criminal or suspicious activity are investigated, and arrests are made when evidence warrants. UGA Police can be contacted by individuals using TTY (text telephone) devices for communications at 706-542-1188. TTY is a text message system that is used by speech and/or hearing-impaired individuals to communicate via phone lines with other TTY users.

UGA’s police officers have jurisdiction on campus and can, if necessary, enforce state laws within 500 yards of campus. They have authority to make arrests.

Crimes off campus in Athens-Clarke County should be reported to the Athens-Clarke County Police (911). The UGA Police Department works regularly with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.

The UGA Police Department is unable to respond directly to emergency calls at the University’s campuses at Gwinnett, Griffin, and Tifton due to the distance of these campuses from the Athens Campus. The UGA Police Department encourages faculty, staff, and students on the Gwinnett, Griffin, and Tifton campuses to report any immediate threats to the local law enforcement agency listed below for those areas.

The Gwinnett Campus –The Gwinnett County Police Department at 911 for emergencies or 770-513-5000 for non-emergencies.

The Griffin Campus–The City of Griffin Police Department at 911 for emergencies or 770-229-6450 for non-emergencies.

The Tifton Campus–The Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Police Department, which borders the UGA Tifton campus, at 229-391-5060, and/or the City of Tifton Police Department at 911 for emergencies or 229-382-3132 for non-emergencies.cies.

Emergency Notification Plan and Timely Warning Policy

Emergency Notifications

In the event that a situation arises constituting a significant emergency or dangerous situation occurring on one or more UGA campuses that involves an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees, the University will, without delay, and taking into account the safety of the community, provide an emergency notification to the campus community in accordance with the University’s Campus Emergency Management Plan and Emergency Notification Plan, available here, unless issuing a notification will, in the professional judgment of the Chief of the UGA Police Department or a designee, compromise efforts to assist a victim or to contain, respond to, or otherwise mitigate the emergency. The determination of the existence of an emergency situation as well as the content and delivery method of an emergency notification to at-risk members of the campus community are likewise made in accordance with the Emergency Notification Plan.

Pursuant to the Emergency Notification Plan, the existence of an emergency situation is determined by the Chief of the UGA Police Department or a designee. After determining that an emergency situation exists, the Chief of the UGA Police Department or a designee determines the appropriate segment or segments of the UGA community to receive an emergency notification. The content of the emergency notification is then provided by the Chief of the UGA Police Department or a designee, and the notification is sent out to the appropriate segment or segments of the campus community through UGA Alert and/or via Archnews. Notifications and updates can also be found here: emergency.uga. edu.

All UGA students are automatically enrolled to receive UGA Alert emergency messages by text, voice phone call, and email. Faculty and staff are automatically enrolled to receive UGA Alert emergency messages by email. Students, faculty, and staff can update their alert preferences, including adding alert methods, by logging into www.ugaalert.uga. edu. Parents and campus affiliates, including on-campus contractors, can also register to receive UGA Alert emergency messages at www.ugaalert.uga.edu.

Emergency messages are sent by the following methods:


UGA Alert is available on the main Athens campus as well as at the Gwinnett, Griffin, Tifton campuses, and Skidaway Institute. The Dean or Director at the Griffin, Gwinnett, Tifton, and Skidaway campuses can authorize a UGA Alert emergency message at their campus.

Timely Warnings

In the event that a situation arises, either on or off campus, that, in the judgment of the Chief of the UGA Police Department or a designee, constitutes an ongoing or continuing threat, a campus-wide “timely warning” will be issued. Such a warning will be issued without delay as soon as the pertinent information is available to permit such a warning. The warning will be issued through a campus-wide email to all faculty, staff, and students, a push notification through the UGA Safe app, and through local media outlets in some instances.

Anyone with information about an emergency situation or other situations that may warrant a timely warning or emergency notification should contact the UGA Police Department immediately at 706-542-2200. Timely warnings and emergency notifications will withhold as confidential the names and other identifying information of victims.