How to Report Crime and Emergencies

The University of Pittsburgh encourages everyone in the Pitt community to report crimes and other emergencies promptly and accurately to the Pitt Police or to other appropriate police agencies if off campus, including when a victim of a crime elects to report or is unable to make such a report due to physical or mental incapacitation. At sessions conducted for first-year students and their parents, participants are advised to report all information regarding any incident to the Pitt Police. Pitt Police seminars and publications offer crime prevention tips and emphasize the importance of reporting crimes.

A student, resident director, resident assistant, Pitt Police officer or any other member of the Pitt community also can refer a violation of the Student Code of Conduct to the Office of Student Conduct.

Reporting to Pitt Police 

If you are experiencing an emergency or are witnessing an emergency, you can always dial 9-1-1.

You can report criminal activity or other emergencies to Pitt Police by calling 4-2121 from a campus phone or 412-624-2121 from a non-campus phone. Crimes also may be reported by:

  • Using the Rave Guardian app on your smartphone.
  • Using the anonymous tips portion of the University of Pittsburgh Police Department.
  • Picking up a campus emergency (blue light) phone. These phones ring directly to the Pitt Police, automatically registering the caller’s location.
  • Visiting the University of Pittsburgh Jerome Cochran Public Safety Building (3412 Forbes Avenue) or any of these substations: Sutherland Hall, Forbes Avenue (between the Barco Law Building and Lawrence Hall), Sennott Square, or Bouquet Gardens J. The substations are not staffed 24/7.
  • Contacting the resident assistant, resident director, or other residence life staff member in the residence halls; guards or welcome attendants; or any University official who will then contact the Pitt Police, if desired.

Incidents involving sexual harassment, sexual violence, stalking, and/or dating and domestic violence, as well as incidents of bias, may be reported to the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at 412-648-7860 or through the Pitt Concern Connection online reporting form.

Demonstration and Protest Information

Students and student organizations have often used demonstrations to effect change at their institutions, as well as to call attention to areas of concern within the community. Prior to organizing and/or participating in an on-campus demonstration, please review the University’s Demonstration and Protest Guidelines.

University of Pittsburgh Anti-Hazing Policy

Hazing at the University of Pittsburgh is considered a violation of the University’s Anti-Hazing Policy and Student Code of Conduct and is absolutely prohibited. Hazing may also be considered a criminal act in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

For purposes of this definition, any activity as described in this definition upon which the initiation or admission into or affiliation with or continued membership in an organization is directly or indirectly conditioned shall be presumed to be “forced” activity, the willingness of an individual to participate in such activity notwithstanding. Therefore, any Student who causes or participates in hazing may be subject to appropriate University discipline and/or may be subject to criminal prosecution. Hazing is defined as follows:

Hazing
A person commits hazing if the person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly, for the purpose of initiating, admitting or affiliating a minor or student into or with an organization, or for the purpose of continuing or enhancing a minor or student’s membership or status in an organization, causes, coerces or forces a minor or student to do any of the following:

(1)  Violate Federal or State criminal law;

(2)  Consume any food, liquid, alcoholic liquid, drug or other substance which subjects the minor or student to a risk of emotional or physical harm;

(3)  Endure brutality of a physical nature, including whipping, beating, branding, calisthenics or exposure to the elements;

(4)  Endure brutality of a mental nature, including activity adversely affecting the mental health or dignity of the individual, sleep deprivation, exclusion from social contact or conduct that could result in extreme embarrassment;

(5)  Endure brutality of a sexual nature;

(6)  Endure any other activity that creates a reasonable likelihood of bodily injury to the minor or student.

Aggravated Hazing

A person commits aggravated hazing if the person commits a violation of hazing that results in serious bodily injury or death to the minor or student and:

(1)  the person acts with reckless indifference to the health and safety of the minor or student; or,

(2)  the person causes, coerces or forces the consumption of an alcoholic liquid or drug by the minor or student.

Organizational Hazing

A Registered Student Organization commits organizational hazing if the organization intentionally, knowingly or recklessly promotes or facilitates a violation of hazing or aggravated hazing.

Students and others are encouraged to report incidents, and suspected incidents of hazing. Reports may be made to the University Police (412-624-2121), the Pitt Concern Connection, the Office of Compliance, Investigations and Ethics via phone at 412-383-2766 or email to compliance@pitt.edu.

Although the University encourages students and others to make formal reports, you may file an anonymous report with the University Police online at police.pitt.edu/submit-tip or by using the Rave Guardian app from a smartphone or using the Pitt Concern Connection’s report. Anonymous reports greatly limit the University’s ability to respond to and investigate the report.

As noted above, all hazing allegations should be reported to the University of Pittsburgh Police Department and/or the CIE Office. In addition, hazing related to any University of Pittsburgh athletics teams may also be reported to the Director of Athletics at 412-648-8230 or the Associate Athletic Director for Student Life and Compliance at 412-648-8452. Hazing related to any University of Pittsburgh fraternity and sorority life chapter organization may also be reported to the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life at 412-648-9523. Hazing related to any University of Pittsburgh student organization may also be reported to the Student Organization Resource Center at 412-624-7115.

In accordance with the Pennsylvania Anti-Hazing Law, the Office of Compliance, Investigations and Ethics and the Office of Student Conduct maintains a five-year report of all incidents of hazing reported to the University. This report can be found on the Office of Compliance, Investigations and Ethics website.

The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life (OFSL) maintains a list of all chapters and their current status at the University. This list can be found on the OFSL website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q Can I carry a gun on University property as a means of self-protection?
A  No. The carrying or possession of firearms and/or other weapons on University property by anyone other than authorized law enforcement officers, such as Pitt Police or city of Pittsburgh Police, is absolutely prohibited.

Q  How do I report suspected child abuse or sexual misconduct with a child at the University?
A   Anyone affiliated with the University who has reasonable cause to suspect child abuse, including but not limited to sexual abuse, shall make an immediate and direct report to Child Line either electronically at compass.state.pa.us/cwis or by calling 1-800-932-0313. Immediately thereafter, the individual also must make an immediate and direct report to the Pitt Police or the Office of University Counsel. Retaliation is strictly prohibited against anyone who makes a good faith report of suspected child abuse or who participates in a related investi­gation. View more information on reporting child abuse.

Reporting to Campus Security Authorities

While the University prefers that community members promptly report all crimes and other emergencies directly to the Pitt Police at 412-624-2121, the University also recognizes that some may prefer to report to other individuals or University offices. The Clery Act recognizes certain University officials as Campus Security Authorities (CSAs). The act defines these individuals as “officials of an institution who have significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including, but not limited to, student housing, student discipline, and campus judicial proceedings.” In addition to the Pitt Police, persons within the University who are designated as CSAs include housing and residence life staff, the Office of Student Conduct staff, athletic coaches and trainers, security guards and welcome attendants, and faculty advisors to student groups.

Confidential and Anonymous Reporting 

Q  Can my report be confidential? 
A  The Clery Act allows individuals working at the University as professional and/or pastoral counselors to be exempt from reporting crimes for Clery Act purposes, allowing these individuals to keep reports confidential. Counselors working at the University Counseling Center (UCC) are encouraged to inform those they are counseling of their reporting options through the institution. For more information on scheduling an appointment and the services the UCC provides, please visit the UCC website at studentaffairs.pitt.edu/cc. Reports made to these confidential resources will not be evaluated for timely warning purposes.

While not confidential, the Pitt Police and the Office of Compliance, Investigations, and Ethics both have anonymous reporting options. Anonymous reports can be made to the Pitt Police using the online reporting form at police.pitt.edu/submit-tip or within the Rave Guardian app. Information on downloading the Rave Guardian app can be found at technology.pitt.edu/rave-guardian-app.

The Office of Compliance, Investigations, and Ethics anonymous reporting option is through the Pitt Concern Connection (PCC). The PCC has reporting options through an online reporting form, phone call, or through text. The online reporting form, as well as Information on the other reporting options through the PCC, can be found at compliance.pitt.edu/make-report.

Crime Alerts—Timely Warning

In the event of a reported crime, the chief of police or their designee is responsible for:
1) determining whether a Crime Alert is required,
2) approving the content of the Crime Alert, and
3) coordinating the distribution of the Crime Alert as promptly as reasonably possible to aid in the prevention of similar occurrences.

Determination

Pitt Police will issue an On-Campus Crime Alert whenever the following three criteria are met: 1) a Clery Act Crime is reported; 2) the crime occurred within University Clery Geography; and 3) there is a serious or ongoing threat to the University community because of that crime. If these three criteria are met and it is determined by Pitt Police that a serious or on-going threat exists, a notice will be drafted using crime-specific templates and will be issued by Pitt Police as soon as pertinent information is available.

Content

Crime Alerts will include the nature, date, time, and general location of the crime; and the type of precautions that individuals should take to prevent similar occurrences. Crime alerts do not contain identifying information about the victim(s). At the discretion of the Chief of Police or their designee, crime alerts may include a description of the alleged actor(s).

Distribution

Several methods are used to notify the community about crime alerts. All faculty, staff and students will receive crime alerts through their Pitt email address. Faculty, staff, and students can register to receive crime alerts via text message.

In addition, crime alerts will be posted on the Pitt Police website: www.police.pitt.edu. A link to the posted crime alert will be placed on the Pitt Police Facebook and X (Twitter) pages. Crime Alerts will remain posted on the Pitt Police website for a period of thirty (30) days. Crime alerts also may be posted at various University buildings, on University bulletin boards, and may be reported to the campus media relations office. In the event these communication media are unavailable, alternate distribution may be made through the University’s voicemail system or other modes of communication.