W
University of Washington
 
UW Police

Patrol & Special Operations Bureaus


 

Operations

Emergency: 911 on & off campus

Non-emergency: 206.685.UWPD (8973)

TTY: 206.543.3323

Deputy Chief R. West:
206.616.2114

Other Contact Numbers:

Special Operations:
206.685.2550

K9 Unit - Explosives Detection Dog:
206.616.7532
The Operations Division is commanded by Deputy Chief R. West (206.616.2114). The Division consists of three bureaus: Patrol, Special Operations and Support Services.

Patrol

Patrol is the largest unit in the department and is made up of patrol, bike and residence hall officers. These officers respond to emergencies, crimes and service calls on campus.

Bike Patrol consists of two full-time bike officers. Our bike units patrol areas of campus normally inaccessible to patrol cars and are capable of quickly responding to calls for service during times and in areas where there is heavy vehicle and pedestrian congestion. Because the bike is smaller, quieter, more "approachable" and more agile than a patrol car, bike patrol units interact closely with the public. These characteristics also allow the bike patrol officer to surprise an unsuspecting criminal in the act of a crime. The mountain bike has become a versatile and very useful tool for law enforcement and will continue to meet the needs of the public and the police department well into the future.

Residence hall officers are commissioned police officers who work within the residential areas of campus. These officers are responsible for patrolling and responding to reported crimes and other emergency situations. These officers patrol all seven residence halls, Stevens Court and Nordheim Apartments. These officers are fully trained and equipped and perform the same functions that their counterparts perform on patrol with the exception of traffic-related issues. Residence hall officers also work closely with resident directors and resident advisors and often perform joint patrols with the advisors. Residence hall officers also provide presentations on crime prevention topics to residents upon request.

Special Operations

Special events are the cornerstone for community celebrations and gatherings. The University of Washington campus is the site of over 160 special events every year including athletic events, dignitary visits, dances, concerts, lectures and major public demonstrations that result in the need for traffic and crowd control. Attendance at these events can range from a few hundred to over 70,000 for Husky football games. Precision planning provides the safest and most secure event possible. The special events lieutenant scrutinizes and evaluates the event for safety and security considerations. The lieutenant carefully coordinates with the client, facility managers, UW Parking Services, UW Physical Plant, the Seattle Police Department and other state and federal agencies. If you are in need of the services described, please contact the special events lieutenant at 206.685.2550.

Chaplaincy Program

The Police Chaplaincy Program provides officers and supervisors with a resource for the members of the community who are in crisis as a result of an unexpected traumatic event.  This includes assisting victims, families and witnesses who are directly impacted by a death or serious injury and helping officers with death notifications. The program also responds to the needs of UW police employees and their families in case of serious injury or death of an employee, counseling in response to stress or family crises and training on critical incident stress. The UWPD is currently without a chaplain due to the recent passing of Chaplain Oas.