On behalf of the UF Police Department, I would like to welcome all of our new students, as well as returning students, back to campus. I also want to take this opportunity to discuss our department, convey the mission our staff strives to achieve daily and introduce each of you to the programming and coordination our department provides that may help you safely enjoy your stay while living, studying and working within the UF and Gainesville communities.
UPD is a fully operational and accredited police department. Our department provides the law enforcement response to the university community 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The mission of UPD is to preserve a safe, secure campus environment where diverse social, cultural and academic values are allowed to develop and prosper through a combination of reactive, proactive and educational law enforcement services. To help achieve that mission, UPD uses open, honest and straightforward communications with the community members we serve.
Our department also provides several programs designed for your specific personal safety needs. I encourage each of you to look into using the Student Nighttime Auxiliary Program. SNAP is a free service funded by Student Government that provides a point-to-point escort from 6:30 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., seven days a week from anywhere on the UF campus. The Rape Aggression Defense is another popular program offered to our female students and is designed to provide strategies and training on how to better protect oneself and avoid becoming a victim of a personal crime.
To review our department’s entire range of programs, contact our department’s Community Services Division at 352-392-1409 or visit our department’s website, ufl.edu.
Of course, UPD also recognizes that our community extends beyond the mere borders of campus.
Because of this recognition, UPD maintains a very close working relationship with both the Gainesville Police Department and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. For those of you who do not live on campus, these are the agencies that would provide the assistance you may need.
Once again, I would like to welcome all of you to UF. I look forward to working with you and hope that your experience at UF is a safe, positive and rewarding one.
