This Safety and Security information is intended to be a convenient source of information to help members of the Washington University in St. Louis community keep themselves and each other safe. It is also distributed as part of the university’s obligations under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Police and Campus Crimes Statistics Act (Clery Act), which requires universities to collect and disseminate campus crime statistics and other related information.
Report of Statistics
The Washington University in St. Louis annual report of crime statistics for all campus is available online. View the report of crime statistics on page 73 of the 2024-2025 Safety & Security brochure (PDF).
To obtain a hard copy please contact:
- Washington University Police Department (WUPD) at 314-935-5555
- Washington University School of Medicine Protective Services at 314-362-4357
Reporting a Crime
Effective law enforcement involves a cooperative effort on the part of each member of the entire university community. In support of this effort, all victims of or witnesses to a crime on campus are strongly encouraged to report the crime immediately to:
• WUPD at 314-935-5555 or at the WUPD office
• Protective Services at 314-362-4357
• A blue light emergency telephone
Victims of or witnesses to off-campus crimes are strongly encouraged to call 9-1-1 immediately to report the crime.
In addition to the policies, procedures and recommendations, and in accordance with the Campus Security Act, the university further provides the following statements and information.
Timely Warnings
The Washington University Police Department (“WUPD”) and, depending on the location of the crime, the Washington University School of Medicine Protective Services Department (“Protective Services”) are responsible for developing the content for Timely Warning Notices (also called Crime Alerts). On the Medical Campus, the Protective Services Department makes the decision to issue and has the authority and ability to distribute the timely warning in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Act, 20 U.S.C. 1092(f) et seq (the “Clery Act”). On the Danforth Campus and for all other locations, WUPD, the Office of Public Affairs, or the Office of Information Technology have the authority and ability to distribute the timely warning.
The decision to issue a timely warning notice will be made on a case-by-case basis after consideration of the available facts. On the Medical Campus, Protective Services is responsible for assessment of the facts. On the Danforth Campus and for all other locations, the assessment of facts is generally completed by representatives of the following offices: Public Affairs, the Division of Student Affairs, and WUPD. If one of these offices is unavailable, the decision is made by the other available offices.
Factors that will be considered in determining whether an alert will be issued include: the nature of the crime, whether there is a serious or continuing threat to students or employees; and, in determining the content of the notice, the possible risk of compromising law enforcement efforts.
A Timely Warning Notice will be considered whenever a campus security authority receives a report that a crime in one of the below classifications has occurred within the university’s “Clery Geography” (On-Campus, Public Property, or Noncampus Property as defined by the Clery Act) or, on occasion, when a local law enforcement agency notifies the university that a crime in one of these classifications has occurred near campus or off campus in an area proximate to university-owned and managed student housing. Timely Warnings are typically issued for the following Uniform Crime Reporting Program (UCR)/National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) crime classifications:
- Murder/Non-Negligent Manslaughter
- Aggravated Assault (cases involving assaults among known parties, such as two roommates fighting which results in an aggravated injury, will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine if the individual is believed to be an ongoing threat to the larger WU community)
- Robbery involving force or violence (cases including pick pocketing and purse/cell phone snatching will typically not result in the issuance of a Timely Warning Notice, but will be assessed on a case-by-case basis)
- Sexual Assault (considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the facts of the case, when and where the incident occurred, when it was reported, and the amount of information known by WUPD or Protective Services. In cases involving sexual assault, they are often reported long after the incident occurred, and thus there is no ability to distribute a “timely” warning notice to the community. All cases of sexual assault, including stranger and non-stranger/acquaintance cases, will be assessed for potential issuance of a Timely Warning Notice.)
- Major incidents of Arson
- Other Clery Act crimes as determined necessary by WUPD or Protective Services.
Timely Warning Notices may also be posted for other crime classifications and locations, even though that is not required by the law, at the sole discretion of WU.
Timely Warning Notices will be distributed as soon as pertinent information is available, in a manner that withholds the names of victims as confidential, and with the goal of aiding in the prevention of similar occurrences.
Anyone with information that may warrant a timely warning should contact:
WUPD
314-935-5555
Protective Services
314-362-4357
Timely Warning Notices will be issued to the campus community or, if the incident did not take place within WU’s “Clery Geography,” to those members of the campus community residing in the area subject to the ongoing threat through the university’s email notification system, postings on the WUPD or Protective Services websites, and/or other notification methods as deemed appropriate.
Preparation of Annual Disclosure of Crime Statistics
The university prepares this brochure and the Annual Security Report contained herein to comply with the Clery Act, and the full text of this brochure is available on the university’s website at police.wustl.edu. This brochure and report is prepared by WUPD and Protective Services, in cooperation with other campus departments, including Housing and Residential Life, Campus Life, the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, Campus Operations, Emergency Management, Facilities Planning and Management, Parking and Transportation Services, Student Health Services, and Human Resources.
Federal law requires that the university disclose statistics for the offenses below that occur in the following geographic areas: (1) on campus; (2) in or on non-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by the university, or by a student organization officially recognized by the institution; and (3) on public property within or immediately adjacent to campus, as those terms are defined in the Campus Security Act.
Under the Campus Security Act, the following criminal offenses must be reported and disclosed: murder, manslaughter (both manslaughter by negligence and non-negligence), sex offenses (rape, fondling, incest, statutory rape), aggravated assault, arson, burglary, robbery, motor vehicle theft, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. In addition, the university is required to provide statistics related to liquor law violations, drug abuse violations, and weapon law violations that resulted in either an arrest or documented referral for disciplinary action. Finally, the university is required to disclose statistics for a separate category of bias-related “hate” crimes, including murder, non-negligent manslaughter, sex offenses (rape, fondling, incest, statutory rape), robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, larceny theft, vandalism, intimidation, simple assault, and damage/destruction/vandalism of property.
Campus crime, arrest, and referral statistics include those reported to WUPD, Protective Services, individuals designated “Campus Security Authorities” as defined by the U.S. Department of Education, and local law enforcement agencies.
In collecting the statistics to be reported, the current list of local law enforcement agencies WUSM contacted regarding its non-campus facilities include: Brentwood, MO; Chesterfield, MO; Creve Coeur, MO; Des Peres, MO; Florissant, MO; Ladue, MO; Lake St. Louis, MO; North County Police Cooperative, MO; O’Fallon, MO; Shiloh, IL; St. Charles, MO; City of St. Louis, MO; St. Louis County, MO; St. Peters, MO; Swansea, IL; and Town and Country, MO. Each day, WUPD and Protective Services make available on their respective websites and in the WU Police Department lobby a daily crime log that lists the date, time, location, description, and disposition of incidents that are reported to WUPD or Protective Services and that occur in the geographical areas noted above, as well as incidents in the university’s patrol jurisdiction. The Danforth Campus information is also periodically published in the student campus newspaper, Student Life, and the faculty and staff newspaper, The Record. You can access the crime log by visiting police.wustl.edu and/or facilities.med.wustl.edu security.
Each year, the university sends an email notifying all students, faculty, and staff of the Annual Security Report and providing a link to the Safety and Security Brochure on the university’s website. For those university employees that do not have email addresses, individual notifications of the link to the Safety and Security brochure on the university’s website are sent via campus mail. Hard copies of the brochure may be printed from the website or obtained in person from WUPD or Protective Services.
Facility Security Policies
Please visit Police Services and review the Facilities Access section of the Washington University in St. Louis 2024-2025 Safety & Security brochure (PDF).
Law Enforcement Policies
Please visit Report a Crime and Police Services.
Educational Programs Regarding Campus Security
Please visit Police Services.
Crime Prevention Programs
Please visit Police Services.
Off-Campus Crime
When a WashU student is involved in an off-campus criminal or student conduct offense, WUPD may assist with the investigation in cooperation with local, state, or federal law enforcement. Local law enforcement agencies routinely work and communicate with campus officers on any serious incidents occurring on campus or in the immediate areas surrounding campus. Local municipal law enforcement agencies have primary jurisdiction in all areas off campus, including those areas off campus where student organizations recognized by the university may be located; however, WUPD and/or Protective Services can and do often respond to student-related incidents that occur in close proximity to campus.
WUPD and Protective Services officers have direct radio communications with local police, fire, and ambulance services to facilitate rapid response in any emergency situation. The university monitors and documents these off-campus criminal activities by its students of which it becomes aware through local police or otherwise, including at off-campus locations of student organizations officially recognized by the university.
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Policy and Education
Please review alcohol and drug abuse education.
Review the 2024-2025 Drug and Alcohol Misuse Prevention brochure
Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Programs
Please review Sexual Assault, Sexual Violence, Domestic/Dating/Intimate Partner Violence, and Stalking (page 36); Sexual Harassment (page 57); and Appendix I, Summary of Sexual and Relationship Violence Prevention Programming (page 103) of the 2024-2025 Safety & Security brochure (PDF). Please also review information about sexual violence and sexual misconduct from the Division of Student Affairs and Title IX at the university as well as information about harassment from Human Resources.
Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act
Under the Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act, persons required to register under a state offender registration program must notify the state concerning each post-secondary school at which the offender works or is a student. In Missouri, sex offenders must register with the police department in the city or county in which they live or work. To view or purchase registry lists, contact:
St. Louis City Police
200 Clark Ave., Room 114
St. Louis, MO 63103
or
St. Louis County Police
7900 Forsyth, Record Room
Clayton, MO 63105
The state of Missouri does provide a registered sex offender internet site by counties located at: Missouri Sex Offender Registries. The FBI maintains a Sex Offender Registry for all states. For more information, please view the National Sex Offender Registry.
Disclosures to Alleged Victims of Crimes of Violence or Non-forcible Sex Offenses
The university will, upon written request and in accordance with the law, disclose to the alleged victim of a crime of violence, or a non-forcible sex offense, the results of any disciplinary hearing conducted by the university against the student who is the alleged perpetrator of the crime or offense. If the alleged victim is deceased as a result of the crime or offense, the university will provide the results of the disciplinary hearing to the victim’s next of kin, if so requested.
Emergency Response and Evacuation Procedures
Please review emergency procedures.
Missing Student Notification Policy and Procedure
Please visit the Missing Student Notification Policy and Procedure page of this site.
Annual Fire Safety
Please review the annual fire safety report on page 28 of the 2024-2025 Safety & Security brochure (PDF).