Crime Prevention & Safety on Campus

Crime prevention is a cooperative effort between students, staff, faculty, visitors, and community partners. Our goal is to provide current and accurate information about crime, crime prevention, and campus security & safety issues at Gonzaga that enables community members to make good decisions about their safety & security.
  • Walk with another person after dark or call CSPS at 509-313-2222 for a security escort
  • Be aware of your surroundings and any signs that something is amiss or out of place
  • Stay in well-lit areas and avoid alleys, dark corners and bushes whenever possible
  • Keep a phone in hand and have CSPS or 911 on "speed dial" for unexpected emergency situations
  • When walking to your vehicle, you should keep your keys in hand and ready to use when entering the parking lot or street
  • Consider wearing or carrying medical identification if you have a chronic medical condition 
  • Identify police and fire stations, libraries, emergency telephones – as well as the hours of operation of local stores and restaurants
 
  • Immediately call 911 in the presence of flames or smoke 
  • Do not intentionally set fire of items not intended to be burned including: furniture, books, posters, etc. 
  • Keep copies of records, important papers and documents stored in a safety deposit box, off site
  • Keep important paperwork such as passports, birth certificates, insurance policies, etc. in a fireproof, locked box in your home
  • Maintain functional home sprinkler systems and smoke detectors 
  • Gather all residents in the home to create an agreed upon home escape plan
  • Perform a periodic inspection and eliminate typical fire hazards including: overloaded outlets, out-of-date electrical cords, space heaters within 3 feet of combustible materials, etc. 
 
  • Lock all doors while driving and after parking
  • Help secure your vehicle against theft or burglary with an electronic alarm
  • Keep a copy of your registration, insurance, and title in a safe place separate from your vehicle
  • Store valuables out of sight or locked in the trunk, and do not keep visible change in the car
  • If you don't use your car regularly, check on it every day or two
  • Immediately report all thefts, as well as suspicious activity in parking lots and near parked cars, to CSPS at 509-313-2222
  • Park in a well-lit area so you can see your car and the surroundings from as far away as possible.
  • Glance into the back seat and floor boards of your car before you enter
  • If you think you are being followed, do not go home. Go to a safe place such as a police station, fire station, business or other populated area and call 911
 

Effective Fall 2022, Gonzaga University’s Campus Security & Public Safety officers will be wearing body-worn cameras that record video and audio. Security industry research has shown that body-worn cameras strengthen law enforcement transparency, accountability, report accuracy and training. This one-year pilot program has been reviewed by Gonzaga faculty, staff, and students, and is supported for its ability to verify incidents involving officers and the community.

Learn more about Gonzaga's body-worn cameras pilot program.

 
  • Always keep doors and windows locked, including access to garages and sheds
  • Consider installing solid core entry doors with reinforced door frames and dead bolt locks
  • Keep your front, back and side doors well lit overnight
  • Get to know your neighbors and share information about suspicious activities
  • If going out of town, have a neighbor, friend or landlord perform periodic checks of the home 
 
  • Do not loan out office keys or allow them to be copied
  • Keep your purse, wallet, or other valuables locked in a cabinet or drawer. Office thieves know the usual unlocked "hiding places"
  • If your office will be unattended, even for just a minute, lock the door
  • Record the description and serial numbers of office equipment- especially highly portable computer equipment
  • Lock your computer screen whenever you are not using the computer, especially in a shared office environment
  • Keep petty cash locked up at all times and make periodic checks of the amount
  • Lock doors and close windows at the end of the working day
  • Never prop exterior doors.
  • If you see someone who appears lost or out of place, offer assistance with directions
  • If an individual is hostile, evasive or a potential safety threat, immediately contact CSPS at 509-313-2222 with the location, description and behavior of the subject
 
  • Close exterior doors behind you as you enter your hall. Do not allow anyone to enter who is not accompanied by another resident
  • Escort your visitors to the exterior door when they leave
  • Soliciting and sales are not allowed in the residence halls. Report solicitors you encounter to CSPS at 509-313-2222 and residence hall staff
  • Do not prop exteriors door (even when it's hot) and immediately close those that you find open
  • If a door lock is broken, call 509-313-5656 to report it. After hours and on weekends, call CSPS
  • If you live on the ground floor or have a balcony keep your balcony doors and windows locked
  • Be sure to lock your room door if you will be away, even for a minute, and when you are sleeping
 
  • If possible, don’t walk alone during late-night hours
  • If you feel unsafe, call CSPS at 509-313-2222 for a security escort 
  • Let a family member or friend know your destination and your estimated time of arrival or return
  • Stay in well-lit areas as much as possible. Avoid alleys, vacant lots, wooded areas, and other short-cuts or secluded areas. They are usually not well-lit or heavily traveled
  • Know the locations of blue light emergency telephones. They are a direct line to CSPS assistance
  • Walk confidently, directly, and at a steady pace
  • If you are wearing headphones, don’t turn up the volume so high that you cannot hear outside noises
  • Identify police and fire stations, libraries, emergency telephones – as well as the hours of operation of local stores and restaurants
 

Anyone can be sexually assaulted, and there are no sure means to prevent sexual assault because the only people who can prevent sexual assault are those who perpetrate it.

Here are some tips to help to reduce the risk of becoming a victim:

  • Always trust your instincts. If you feel uneasy or sense something is wrong, do what you can to get out of that situation.
  • If you engage in sex, be sure you understand your partner’s limits, and communicate your own limits clearly. Don’t engage in sexual activities without affirmative consent from your partner.
  • CSPS is available to provide safety escorts on campus 24 hours a day. Call 509-313-2222.
  • Studies of sexual assault incidents show a high correlation between acquaintance rape and drug/alcohol usage. An individual who is incapacitated from drug or alcohol consumption, or some other reason, cannot consent to sexual activity.
  • Make a plan with your friends on how to get home safely, and follow through.
  • Be a good bystander and take action to help someone may be at risk of sexual assault.
  • Make sure your cell phone is easily accessible and fully charged.
  • Be familiar with where blue light phones are installed around campus.
  • Take major, public paths rather than less populated shortcuts.
  • Be alert and aware of your surroundings and avoid unnecessary distractions.

Resources