1) The University Police department is a state agency. 

University police are official sworn-in officers who serve in the University Police Department-Northern Command department. This means University officers go through the same academy and training as the Reno Police Department. They have the same authority, responsibilities and tools on their belt.  

The University Police station is open and ready to serve students, staff and faculty. The department is located  in the Fitzgerald Student Services building, on the first floor next to Panera Bread.  

2) University Police patrol campus 24/7. 

Serving over 50,000 faculty, students and staff. The University Police Department patrols all Northern Nevada colleges and universities.  

When it comes to campus safety, the University of Nevada, Reno has police officers on duty 24/7, 365 days a year. Officers patrol on foot and by vehicle to ensure a safe environment for everyone on campus. 

 Community Service Officers (CSOs) are also employed on campus. CSOs are part of the department’s community outreach efforts. This full-time position typically consists of students or individuals interested in becoming officers in the future. While not sworn law enforcement, CSOs support campus police by patrolling on foot, assisting with cold cases, and helping to reunite individuals with lost or stolen property. 

3) The department offers a Girls on Guard women's self-defense class. 

Girls on Guard is a free, drop-in, self-defense class for women and taught by women from the University police and staff. This class is open to students and faculty.  

This class is hosted at the E. L. Wiegand fitness center every fall and spring semester, providing a safe and supportive space to learn jiu-jitsu based self-defense techniques. 

The drop-in class schedule allows participants to attend a single session or come every week. 

In this class women will learn about risk awareness, risk reduction and personal safety, alertness, avoidance, space management and practical strategies for resisting assault. Prioritizing both physical empowerment and personal confidence. 

4) Stop scams by knowing the signs.  

The University Police Department is diligent on crime prevention and awareness and often work closely with campus departments like Nevada Money Mentors to educate about common scams.

Money Mentors is a free, 60-minute one-on-one coaching. Empowering students, staff and alumni with financial knowledge.  

To prevent financial scams, officers help identify and spread information about phishing emails and fake job offers before harm is done. Money Mentors sends out emails and posts on social media, urging the campus community to be aware and learn how to avoid scams.

If an email or text uses urgency and emotional appeals to get you to click, reply or call, it is likely a scam. Scammers will make the situation feel urgent and play with the victim’s emotions to get them to act quickly without a second thought. 

5) Theft prevention starts with students. 

Madison Eifert, community relations and support services at the police department, said most thefts happen when students leave electronics unattended in public areas. "It takes just five seconds for someone to pick something up,” Eifert said.

The Knowledge Center and the Joe Crowley Student Union are high foot-traffic buildings. Asking someone to watch after belongings is not effective so it’s better to not take the risk, even when stepping away for a brief minute to get some water or to use the restroom.

Eifert also recommends writing device serial numbers down and saving those numbers and important documents to a cloud accessible from anywhere, as a precaution.

If a theft occurs, saving serial numbers will create a higher chance of getting items returned.