Please use this page to find important information about personal safety and security.

The University is committed to providing and maintaining an environment in which all members of the UCSB community are able to work without fear of uncivil behavior or violence. In the aftermath of recent national and county shootings, questions naturally arise regarding the safety of our own community and procedures in place to address the prevention and/or response to acts of violence on campus.

While there are no failsafe solutions to preventing violence, we do have measures in place to enhance our community's safety. These measures include:

This multi-discipline approach to evaluating and mitigating potential workplace violence was first established on campus in 1998 (formally known as CARE). This group has expanded and undergone improved training to address the needs of today's environment. Direct contact for assistance can be made via campus extension 5465 or visit their website at: http://www.tmt.ucsb.edu/overview/ (link is external)

One or more of these warning signs may be displayed before a person becomes violent and should trigger concerns that can be reported to TMT:

  • Verbal, nonverbal, or written threats or intimidation, explicit or subtle
  • Fascination with weaponry and/or acts of violence; carrying a concealed weapon
  • Expression of persecution, expressed distrust, especially with management
  • Fear reaction to employee among coworkers/clients
  • Expression of extreme desperation over family, financial or personal problems
  • Frequent interpersonal conflicts, displays of unwarranted anger
  • Unable to take criticism of job performance
  • Violence towards inanimate objects
  • Sabotaging projects, computer programs or equipment
  • Holding a grudge against a specific person; verbalizing a hope that something will happen to him/her
  • Romantic obsession, stalking, and/or domestic violence

The UCSB Police Department maintains a staff of approximately 103 members, consisting of 38 sworn police officers and 70 student CSO's dedicated to crime suppression and prevention. Police officers receive extensive scenario training that includes active shooter situations. Because of our involvement in the Isla Vista Foot Patrol, our officers also train with the Santa Barbara sheriff's deputies in all areas of mutual concern. We recommend that you program the police department phone number into your cell phone, 805-893-3446 (open 24 hours). Call 911 in case of emergency.

In keeping with effective emergency planning, all campus employees should be familiar with their department emergency plans and evacuation routes. In response to a report of a shooting from a building or other area of campus, we recommend the following additional safety tips.

  • Get everyone to lie down, away from windows, lock doors and secure in place.
  • Do not evacuate rooms or buildings if you are safely secured unless told to do so by police or unless it is absolutely clear that it is safe to do so.
  • If you must flee the immediate area of gunfire, run in a zig-zag pattern and try to utilize any obstructions between you and the gunfire. Try not to run down a long hallway.
  • Call 911 (or 9-911 from campus phone). Remain calm and provide as much information as requested to provide a proper emergency response.
  • If you are in an open area, move swiftly away from the sound of gunfire and find safe cover positions. Try to get inside or behind a building.
  • Wait and listen for directions from police.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Police personnel are trained to respond to an active shooter incident by entering the building or facility as soon as possible, and proceeding toward the threat or shooter(s). They will move quickly and directly toward the threat. Early on in an incident, the police may not be able to rescue individuals because their main goal is to stop or neutralize the threat. Individuals need to follow the responding officers' orders exactly as told. Rescue teams will be formed as resources become available, normally, this will be shortly after the first responders.

If you have any questions or suggestions, or would like to schedule emergency preparedness training for your building or department, please contact our Community Outreach Team at, community@police.ucsb.edu

Safety Tips

Safety at Home

  • Lock your doors- Keep your doors and windows locked when you are home and away.
  • Do not let anyone into your home that you do not know and trust.
  • Do not give your phone number to "wrong phone number" callers. Ask the caller "What number are you calling?"
  • If you receive a threating, harassing, or obscene phone call, notify the University Police Department. Keep a record of the date, time, and content of each call.

Running and Walking
Before you leave home

  • Plan your outing. Always tell someone where you are going and when you will return. Tell friends of your favorite routes.
  • Know where telephones are located along the route.
  • Carry identification. If you don't have a place to carry ID, write your name, phone number, and blood type on the inside of your shoe. Include any medical information.
  • Don't wear jewelry or carry cash.
  • Wear reflective material.

On the Road

  • Stay alert at all times. The more aware you are, the less vulnerable you are.
  • Run with a partner.
  • Don't wear headsets.
  • Consider carrying a cell phone.
  • Avoid unpopulated areas, deserted streets, and overgrown trails.
  • Trust your intuition about a person or an area. React based on that intuition.

The crime of Identity Theft is on the rise and has become a significant problem. Taking a few steps can reduce the chance of falling victim to Identity Theft.

  • Minimize the amount of information a thief can steal, do not carry extra credit cards, a social security card, birth certificate or passport in your wallet or purse, except when needed.
  • Keep a list and/or photocopy of all of your credit cards and bank account numbers.Keep customer service telephone numbers for those institutions.
  • Never give your credit card numbers or other personal information over the phone. Many people have fallen victim to callers claiming you have won a prize.
  • Order a credit report once a year to check for accuracy.

Report any unauthorized use of your credit card and/or identity to the Police Department and the appropriate financial institution immediately.

Room Safety Tips

  • Always lock your door behind you - even if just to go to the restroom.
  • Close and lock your windows whenever you leave your room.
  • Keep your valuables, wallet or purse out of plain view from the window or front door.
  • Keep your curtains and blinds closed at night.
  • Do not loan your keys to anyone.
  • Report any suspicious persons or activity to the Police Department immediately.

Keep your property safe

  • Engrave your property with your driver's license number. In the event your property is stolen it can be easily tracked back to you.
  • Write your driver's license number on all CDs and DVDs with indelible ink. Keep an inventory of all your CDs and DVDs.
  • Keep records of serial numbers. If your property is stolen and you have the serial number, the police can enter the information into a national computer database.
  • Keep your backpack in your room when eating in the dining halls. The cubbyholes are not a secure location for your valuables.
  • Never leave your valuables unattended anywhere on campus. Even if it is just for a minute. It only takes a thief a few seconds to steal a backpack or wallet.
  • Keep your vehicle locked with the windows rolled all the way up.

How to keep your bike.

  • Register! Register! Register! -If your bike is stolen and it was not registered, the chances of recovering your bike are drastically reduced. Thieves are less likely to steal bikes that are registered because they know the serial numbers will be entered into a national computer database. Bikes can be registered at the CSO office located behind the Police Department.
  • Lock your bike! - We recommend a good U-lock. Also lock your bike frame to the racks. Do not lock your bike to itself.
  • Cheap Bike- Inexpensive bikes are less likely to be stolen.

I just discovered my bike was stolen, what do I do?

  • Report! Report! Report!- If your bike was stolen on University property, report it to the UCSB Police Department immediately. Officers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We can be reached at the Public Safety Building 574, Mesa Road, SB, CA, 93106 or by phone at 893-3446.
  • If it was stolen in Isla Vista, report it to the Isla Vista Foot Patrol at 6504 Trigo Road or call 681-4179.
  • Have the necessary information needed for the report. Bike brand name, model, serial number, value, etc.
  • Keep a lookout for your own bike. Many times people are able to find their own bikes. If you find your bike call the Police Department immediately.

Additional Information

Be careful where you buy your bike. Many people are in the business of selling stolen bikes. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Abandoned Bikes: no bikes are free. It is unlawful to take what appears to be an abandoned bike and use it without first taking it to the Police Department for processing.

  • Pay attention to your surroundings.
  • Travel with friend(s); there's safety in numbers.
  • CSOs are available for escorts if you don't have a friend to walk you home.
  • At night, remember that 90-foot cliffs bound one side of Isla Vista. Serious injuries have occurred, including loss of life.
  • Watch your drink. Do not allow anyone to make you a drink or fill your glass. People have been given drugs without their knowledge.
  • Drink Safely
    1. Eat first. With food in your stomach, alcohol gets absorbed more slowly.
    2. Space your drinks. If you feel you need to have a drink in your hand, alternate alcoholic with nonalcoholic ones.
    3. Don't pound (beer bong) your drinks.

Having the registration tabs stolen from your license plate can be a frustrating experience. Below are some tips on how to retain them:

1. Peel off old stickers before applying a new one. New stickers are much harder to remove when they are applied directly to the plate.

2. After apply the sticker, score it wit a razor blade in a diagonal cross hatching pattern. This will prevent the sticker from being removed in one piece and make it much harder for anyone to reassemble.

Reg tabs