Campus Safety

The Harvard University Police Department is committed to assisting all members of the Harvard community in providing for their own safety and security. The HUPD website also offers a number of safety tips and resources, registering your possessions like you bicycle, and escort and shuttle services. These are just a few of the suggested safety practices they recommend.

In your residence:

  • Always keep your doors and windows locked.
  • Let a friend or roommate know where and with whom you'll be out, and when you will be returning.
  • Determine who is outside your door before you open it.
  • Never allow anyone you do not know to enter the building.
  • Lock your door, even if you are just going down the hall for a minute.

Out and about:

  • If you suspect you are being followed, stay away from dimly lit areas and head for a store or building that you know to be open. If you feel uncomfortable about someone near you, head for a populated area.
  • Know the locations of "Blue Light" emergency phones on campus.
  • Remain alert and aware at all times. Do not wear headphones.
  • If you are out after dark, use only well-lit routes.
  • Make use of shuttle buses or evening van, 617.495.0400, and Harvard University Campus Escort Program (HUCEP), 617.384.8237.
  • Travel in groups when possible.
  • Look confident when you walk. Make eye contact with passersby, and keep a firm grip on your personal belongings.

To reach HUPD in an emergency, call 617.495.1212.

Harvard's annual security report, prepared in compliance with The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (the "Clery Act"), is entitled Playing it Safe, and can be found on the HUPD website. "Playing it Safe" includes information about the HUPD, how to report a crime, HUPD's crime prevention programs, substance abuse, sensitive crimes, and other important information about security and HUPD services on campus. It also contains three years of statistics on reported campus or campus-related crimes. A hard copy of "Playing it Safe" may be obtained by contacting the Harvard University Police Department at 1033 Massachusetts Avenue, 6th floor, Cambridge, MA 02138, 617.495.1215