Safety | A priority at Penn

Penn’s urban location in West Philadelphia provides exciting opportunities to explore, but that also means students need to be aware of their surroundings.

With more than 100 police officers and an extensive network of campus security guards, Penn’s Division of Public Safety has a large security force ­­— separate from the Philadelphia Police Department — that aims to keep students safe.

Here are some of the University’s safety services:

Emergency services

To reach Penn Police, students can dial 511 from any campus phone or 215-573-3333 from any non-University phone.

Penn Police asks that when an emergency is reported, the caller be prepared to give his or her full name, location and any other information relevant to the emergency.

UPennAlert system

In an emergency situation, the UPennAlert system can reach students, faculty, staff and visitors through text messages, emails and the Penn Siren Outdoor System, which broadcasts messages over speakers all over campus. Students can register their cell phones and email addresses with UPennAlert on Penn InTouch.

898-WALK

To request a walking escort to or from locations on campus, students can dial 898-WALK from any campus phone or 215-898-WALK from any non-University phone.

Escorts are campus security guards, and students can use the service 24 hours a day. The escort will arrive about 15 minutes after a call is made; during busy times, like finals week, escorts are available outside popular locations like Van Pelt Library.

898-RIDE

To request a ride to or from locations on campus from a University van, students can call 898-RIDE from any campus phone or 215-898-RIDE from any non-University phone. The service is available from 6 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.

Blue-light phones

DPS has set up phones around campus and the surrounding areas for emergency use.

The phones can be distinguished by their yellow covers and the bright blue lights overhead. When the phone’s receiver is lifted, a call is immediately made to the dispatch center at DPS, and a security officer will be dispatched to the site regardless of whether the caller speaks into the receiver.

Property registration

To reduce the risk of theft and increase the chances of recovering stolen property, students can register bicycles, laptops, cell phones, MP3 players and other valuables with DPS.

Students should visit campusexpress.upenn.edu/safety and log in using their PennKey and password to register items. Passes for registered items can be picked up at the Penn Police station, located at 4040 Chestnut St.

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