Public Safety and
Emergency Management

To the Pittsburgh campus community:

Last week, I wrote to you to share the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. I reiterated our commitment to keeping you — our faculty, staff and students — safe. Today, I write with a similar message and in response to your concerns about recent crime alerts.

I want you to know that I hear, understand and share your concerns about the recent criminal activity. In addition to our ongoing campus safety measures, such as security in all campus buildings and more than 1,000 closed circuit cameras on the Pittsburgh campus, we are taking additional actions in response to these recent incidents. This includes increasing patrols and security shifts in the Cathedral of Learning. The officers in our Community Programs Unit will also be available on campus to talk with students, faculty or staff, address questions and hear their ideas. And, it goes without saying, the Pitt Police are continuing to investigate in partnership with other local law enforcement agencies.

I’d also like to personally thank every person who has called us with a tip or made a report of sexual violence. I know how hard it can be to make those calls, and I want you to know we’re grateful to you, and that we are here to support you. More than 80% of our officers are currently trained in crisis intervention, which includes a trauma-informed response. And we have a victim-guided process, which empowers those who report a crime to make decisions about how we proceed.

We also work closely with others across campus, both to ensure campus safety and to work toward the eradication of sexual misconduct.  To that end, additional resources around and near campus are listed below my signature.

I want to make you all aware of some recent updates to the campus crime alerts you may not be aware of. These began as opt-in messages, with an individual having to subscribe to receive them. After talking to student leaders on campus in recent years, we made the decision to automatically enroll the campus community in these e-mailed alerts, which is why you may be receiving them for the first time. We understand crime alerts, especially those related to sexual violence, may be triggering for those who have experienced it. We encourage you to seek out University resources at any time, and will include information about those in future crime alerts. Read more about crime alerts.

This work is ongoing, as is our support for you. Along with other Pitt leaders, I will be working closely with student, faculty and staff members to create a safe and welcome community for all of us.

 

Sincerely,

Ted Fritz digital signature

Ted P. Fritz
Vice Chancellor for Public Safety and Emergency Management
University of Pittsburgh

Resources

Counseling
Students: University Counseling Center
412-648-7930; After Hours: 412-648-7930 x1
Faculty and Staff: Life Solutions
1-866-647-3432 (toll-free; 24-hours)

Sexual Misconduct Prevention
Educational Opportunities
Prevention Initiatives

Reporting Sexual Misconduct and Violence
Pitt Police: 412-624-2121
Civil Rights & Title IX Reporting

Local and National Resources
Pittsburgh Action Against Rape
RAINN
The Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh
Resolve Crisis Services