Campus Security
Campus Security is a service within the University Of Victoria and our Security Officers are employees of UVic. We are a 24/7/365 service on campus and can be reached at 250-721-7599.
Our role is to assist the campus community and to ensure the campus is as safe and secure as possible. Security Officers patrol the campus on foot, bicycle and visibly marked security vehicles and respond to calls for assistance with any situation that is concerning or suspicious. All Officers are happy to help with finding campus resources and information and directions or access to our buildings. Officers are also available to assist with any safety concerns you may have and if needed, Officers will assist you in contacting police or other emergency services.
Our Campus Security staff are a diverse group of employees who come from varying cultures and experiences, whose main purpose is to support the students, employees, visitors and even our furry and feathered friends on campus.
Campus Security provides other services on campus such as first aid response, personal safety support and advice, parking services, emergency planning programs and training, lost and found and motor pool vehicle rental.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of training do Campus Security Officers have?
All Officers are certified and licenced by the province with basic security training and many have taken advanced security training as well. Security Officers receive continual training on subject matter such as mental health, crisis intervention and de-escalation, applied suicide intervention skills training, indigenous cultural acumen training, sexualized violence prevention and response, medical response including occupational first aid level 2, CPR, AED, both injectable and nasal naloxone, epi-pen, conflict resolution, anti-racism, trauma informed practice and response and other courses. This training is ongoing and refreshed as appropriate and required.
Why do Campus Security Officers wear uniforms?
Our Security Officers wear uniforms so they are easily recognizable and identifiable as representatives of the university, both for safety and security purposes. The uniforms are a consistent colour and style with other responders.
What equipment do Campus Security Officers carry with them while on duty?
Our Security Officers carry a radio, keys to campus buildings, a notebook, flashlight, gloves and mask for medical emergencies and Naloxone for overdose situations.
Are Security Officers the same as Police?
No, Campus Security Officers are not police or special constables. Our Officers are UVic employees who are tasked with keeping our University community and property safe. As such they are empowered to uphold many of the University policies and procedures.
Why are Saanich and Oak Bay Police and Fire on campus sometimes?
The University Of Victoria campus is served by both police and fire departments as the campus falls within the jurisdiction of both Saanich and Oak Bay municipalities. These departments come onto campus to provide assistance to our community and our Security Officers when needed. They also conduct fire inspections, routine patrols and traffic enforcement.
Why do people contact Campus Security?
People may call Campus Security for many reasons such as:
- Requesting access into a room or building
- First aid
- A lost and found inquiry
- Personal safety advice
- Questions about parking
- To report a theft of property or to report something or someone suspicious.
What should someone expect if they are calling Campus Security with a concern or request for service?
The officer will ask your name, V number and contact phone number (in case the call gets disconnected or there is any follow up needed).
Be prepared to give your location and what the nature of your concern or request is, in order for the dispatcher to be able to quickly determine the urgency and triage any other calls coming in.
For example, this could sound like ‘I am calling to request access to my office as I am locked out’ or ‘I notice someone hanging around the bike racks near the SUB and I think they may be trying to steal one’.
An access request may result in an officer meeting the person at the location, requesting to see identification to confirm identity and providing access.
A report of a concerning situation may result in an officer(s) attending the location of the concern and speaking with those on scene and requesting identification to further assess the situation to determine what action may be required.
Security Officer Accountability
All Campus Security Officers are employees of the 番茄社区 and are subject to the same policies and procedures as all UVic employees.
Any concerns or comments from the community can be sent be via our feedback form or directed to Campus Security management.
Security Officers are also licenced by the province of British Columbia and concerns may be addressed by contacting the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General Policing and Community Safety Branch Security, Programs and Police Technology Division.
If you would like independent assistance with your concern, please contact the UVic Office of the Ombudsperson at 250-721-8357 or ombuddy@uvic.ca. Information about this Office is available here: .
Does UVic have a safety app?
Yes!
- The UVic SafetyApp is one of the ways you can receive emergency notifications from the university on your mobile phone.
- Find important safety information, contacts, maps and procedures—all in one place!
- It’s free to download at the Apple App Store or Google Play.
- In your app settings, make sure you allow notifications to be “enabled” in order to receive emergency notifications via the app.
For more information please go UVic Alerts page.