St. Thomas is dedicated to creating and promoting a safe, secure, and peaceful environment on the St. Paul campus, including Residence Halls. Our Public Safety department is staffed 24 hours a day with a focus on the safety and security of the campus community.
In addition to the security measures noted here, you can review the St. Thomas Emergency Guides, review your own Personal Safety Habits, and other ways the University is promoting campus safety.
Non-emergency: 651-962-5100
Emergency: 651-962-5555
Report a Crime (non-emergency)
Walking Patrols: |
Day and night, our St. Thomas Security Officers walk around campus, patrolling the outdoor spaces, parking lots, and building interiors, checking entryways and hallways, ensuring doors are locked, and providing a visible presence throughout campus. |
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Trained Security Team: |
The St. Thomas Security Officers are employees who receive ongoing training on detecting and deterring a crime, safety best practices, and managing a campus or personal crisis. The Security team responds to campus-wide emergencies (such as fire or burglary), as well as medical emergencies (both physical and mental). |
Call Boxes: |
Conveniently located throughout campus, these lighted call boxes connect directly to Public Safety and help the patrol staff quickly get to a person in need. |
| Campus Safety Escort: | Anyone on campus can request a Public Safety officer to escort them to their cars, class or anywhere within a six block radius of the St. Paul campus. Contact Public Safety to request a safety escort. |
Campus Lighting: |
Lamps are strategically placed around campus, illuminating the quads, walkways, entryways, and parking lots and ramps throughout the St. Paul campus. |
Video Cameras: |
Nearly 700 video cameras are placed in public locations throughout our campuses, and are monitored by Public Safety staff 24 hours a day. |
Office Lockouts: |
If you get locked out of your office, the Public Safety team can help. You will need your St. Thomas ID to gain access. |
Community Updates and Reports: |
Public Safety provides ongoing reports of campus incidents and oversees the Emergency Notification System. |
Vehicle Assistance: |
Public Safety can assist if you lock your keys in your car or need a battery jump. This service is available on campus and within a 6-block radius of the St. Paul campus. Get more details on Vehicle Assistance. |
Research and Development: |
The Public Safety Department continually reviews best practices and current research in the development of the department and its employees. In addition, the department tracks federal and state legislation and other policies that relate to public safety. |
Keeping students safe and secure is a key focus of Public Safety and Residence Hall staff. We have a number of systems designed to keep the residence halls safe and secure.
Each residence hall is assigned a Public Safety officer who attends floor meetings and hall events, creating a casual opportunity for students to ask questions and give feedback. If you don't know who your liaison is, ask your RA, hall director, or contact Public Safety.
The residence hall team includes full-time professional staff, graduate-level staff, and student leaders who live in the residence halls and provide assistance as needed. One member of the staff is always in the hall and on-call for any safety or other concerns.
Residence Halls are locked 24 hours a day and accessible via the St. Thomas ID card, which is coded to allow access only to the hall where the student lives.
In addition to building locks, each student room is locked and only the people residing in the room have access.
Security cameras are placed in various common areas in the residence halls, such as lobbies, stairwells, corridors, elevators, entry points and parking lots. These cameras are consistently monitored by Public Safety staff.
Each year, Public Safety officers provide education and training to student leaders, including resident advisors and student government. All students can connect with Public Safety officers at Welcome Days and regularly-scheduled community events on campus.