Campus Safety FAQs

Boston University has established the BU Alert notification system for the purpose of communicating with the campus community for weather closures, utility outages, emergencies, or situations requiring the response or attention of the university community. The intent of this system is to provide guidance and information on how individuals can secure themselves and make decisions for their own safety.

Notifications are delivered via text, phone, email, and the Everbridge mobile app. The Everbridge app is available on the App Store or Google Play. Once you have downloaded the app, search for Boston University and sign in with your BU username and Kerberos password. Use of the app is optional, and you will still receive notifications if you do not download the app.

BUPD offers free self-defense training on campus throughout the academic year for students, faculty, and staff. Seats are offered on a first-come/first-served basis. Specialized and private classes are also available. Email selfdef@bu.edu for inquiries.

BU offers Safety Awareness For Everyone (SAFE) training, which is an on-demand informational video and training module to inform the BU community about comprehensive support in the event of an active threat. SAFE is a series of videos in which members of the BUPD, Emergency Management, and Behavioral Medicine provide vital information and resources to utilize before, during, and after an active threat event.

For more information about how to prepare for and respond to specific threats, please refer to the Emergency Management website.

Boston University is private property. The University reserves the right to grant or restrict access to any or all of its grounds, facilities, and programs. During business hours, the University’s nonresidential facilities on both the Charles River and Medical Campuses will be open to students, parents, employees, contractors, guests, and invitees. During non-business hours, access to nonresidential facilities shall be limited to authorized personnel only.

The University has a guest and visitor policy for all residences. Specific information concerning the University’s Guest Policy and use of Security Assistants is available at the Dean of Students website, at residence staff offices, or at the Residence Life office. All large residences have 24-hour security during the semester when students are in residence. Small residences have 24-hour lock and key protection. Additional information about access to University residences and information about residence keys is also available.

The possession of marijuana is prohibited across all Boston University campuses, irrespective of the possessor’s age. Despite the legalization of limited marijuana possession for individuals aged 21 and above in the state of Massachusetts, it remains illegal at the federal level. Given BU’s receipt of federal funding and facilitation of federal financial aid programs, the University is mandated to comply with federal regulations.

The possession of weapons of any kind, including replicas, is strictly prohibited on campus. This includes, but is not limited to: firearms, all chemical sprays, knives, and martial arts weapons. The University will impose disciplinary sanctions on students and employees who violate University regulations and standards of conduct regarding weapons. Violations of weapons laws are reported under federal and state law.

Carrying an illegal weapon is a felony punishable by up to five years in state prison. Students or employees who violate public law are subject to criminal prosecution and University sanctions. A conviction for unlawfully carrying a firearm without a license in Massachusetts mandates a one-year jail sentence. Even if one has a valid firearm license, carrying a firearm on a college or university campus in Massachusetts is a crime (with the exception of full-time police officers).

To find more information, please visit the BU Polices website.

More information and safety precautions regarding theft, fraud, sexual assault, and active threats is available on the Safety Tip & Resources page.

The BUPD maintains a lost and found at the station, located at 32 Harry Agganis Way. Found property can be turned in 24 hours a day. Articles such as books, cellphones, keys, wallets, jewelry, etc. that are turned in are held for a period of time.

Every effort is made to return lost items to their rightful owners; however, it is the owner’s responsibility to report and/or claim lost articles. If you suspect your item has been stolen, call us at 617-353-2110 or visit the station to file a stolen property report. For more information, visit the BUPD Lost and Stolen Property page.

If you lose your Terrier Card, report it missing to BU Housing to receive a replacement.

To file a report, please call BUPD’s non-emergency number 617-353-2110, or visit the BU Police station at 32 Harry Agganis Way.

To report a crime anonymously, please call 617-353-6516 and leave a message. You can also text BUPD anonymously by texting “BU” to 847411, or fill out the Silent Witness Form.

Complaints can be submitted via the Complaint Form on the BUPD website.

Compliments can be submitted via the Commendation Form on the BUPD website.

Please note, contact forms on the BUPD website are not monitored 24/7. If you or someone else are in need of immediate assistance on the Charles River, please call the BUPD emergency line at 617-353-2121.

In Massachusetts, there is not a strict deadline for filing a police report for most crimes. However, it’s generally recommended to report incidents promptly to ensure the best chance of collecting evidence and investigating the matter effectively. While there’s no specific time limit, it’s wise to file a police report as soon as possible after an incident occurs.

To report a crime anonymously, please call 617-353-6516 and leave a message. You can also text BUPD anonymously by texting “BU” to 847411, or fill out the Silent Witness Form.

By October 1 of each year, Boston University publishes a campus security report for each of its campuses, in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, or Clery Act. This report includes crime statistics for the prior three years, policy statements regarding safety and security measures, including fire safety, a description of campus crime prevention programs, and procedures to be followed in the investigation of allegations of sexual misconduct.

Boston University is committed to fostering a safe learning environment for all members of the University community and preventing sexual misconduct. All forms of sexual misconduct, including rape, acquaintance rape, sexual assault, domestic and dating violence, stalking, and sexual harassment are violations of Boston University’s policies, whether they happen on campus or off campus.

Refer to the Equal Opportunity Office website for the latest sexual misconduct information and resources, including information on how to report, BU’s Title IX contacts, and more.

Campus police officers generally have authority in the enforcement of laws and regulations, maintaining public safety, conducting investigations, providing assistance and support, and collaborating with external agencies.

BUPD and BUMC Public Safety are responsible for maintaining peace, order, and safety on BU campuses. This involves activities such as patrolling the campus, responding to emergencies, and preventing and addressing criminal activity. They are empowered to enforce local, state, and sometimes federal laws within their jurisdiction on campus grounds. This includes responding to and investigating crimes that occur on BU property.

Boston University provides students living in University housing on campus the opportunity to provide confidential contact information to the University whom the University will notify within 24 hours of a determination by BUPD that a student is missing. Students may identify their confidential contact by visiting the MyBU Student Portal (www.bu.edu/mybu) and clicking on the “Personal” tab and updating the “Address & Phone” information to identify a “Missing Person” contact. Students may identify someone other than their emergency contact to be notified in the event the student is determined to be missing and, if students designate someone other than an emergency contact, that individual and his or her contact information will be confidential and accessible only to authorized campus officials and may not be disclosed, except to law enforcement personnel in furtherance of a missing person investigation. This person will be notified in the event the student is officially reported as missing.

The University will notify the local law enforcement agency, which is BUPD for the Charles River, Fenway, and Medical Campuses, within 24 hours of a determination that a student is missing. The Boston University Police Department will investigate every report of a missing BU student and initiate an investigation based on department policy.

If a student for whom a missing person report has been filed has been missing for more than 24 hours, then within the next 24 hours the BUPD will:

• Begin search procedures.
• Notify appropriate law enforcement officials in the Boston area with an administrative  message, radio broadcast, or other similar measure.
• Notify the individual identified by the student to be contacted in such circumstances
• If the student is under 18 years old and not emancipated, also notify a parent or guardian

Depending on different factors surrounding the investigation, certain police actions will occur sooner than 24 hours after confirmation of the original report. For example, when a person under 18 is reported missing, it is investigated as a missing child case and police will immediately make a computer entry into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) missing persons database and initiate a search. Persons age 18 to 20 must be entered within two hours.

Students, employees, or other individuals who believe that a student living in on-campus housing has been missing for 24 hours may report it to any Residence Life staff member, Resident Assistants, Residential Safety, or to the Boston University Police Department at 617-353-2121.

All faculty, staff, or students who receive a report of a missing student should immediately report it

to the Boston University Police Department.

If a crime occurs off-campus but involves a student at Boston University, the response and handling of the situation would depend on various factors, including the nature of the crime, the jurisdiction in which it occurred, and the policies of the university. If a student is the victim of a crime, the university may offer support services to the student, including counseling, advocacy, and resources for reporting and navigating the legal process.

If a student commits a crime, depending on the severity and nature of the incident, the university may initiate its own disciplinary proceedings against the student involved in addition to any disciplinary proceedings held by the department patrolling the jurisdiction in which the crime was committed, especially if the conduct violates the university’s code of conduct or policies.