Public Safety and Service Department

The Public Safety and Service Department is located on Everett way across from Health Services. The Public Safety and Service Dispatcher/College operator is on duty in the Auxiliary Services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The Public Safety and Service Department's mission is to "work in partnership with the community through a continuing commitment to safety and education." The Department is committed to protecting the lives and property of the Mount Holyoke College community. As part of the larger college community, the Department strives to foster an environment in which diversity is celebrated; citizens of all races, creeds, sexual orientations, religions, and nationalities are made welcome; and rights are preserved. The Department encourages community involvement and assistance. Please report safety and security concerns promptly.

The Public Safety and Service Department is responsible for enforcing federal and state general laws through its authority, including the authority to arrest, granted under Chapter 22C, Section 63, and for security and emergency response on the campus. Officers patrol the campus in vehicles, on bicycles, and on foot. Every Public Safety and Service Officer has first responder training and can provide emergency lifesaving medical assistance prior to the arrival of an ambulance. Additionally, the Department employs paraprofessional Public Service Officers and Community Service Officers to augment campus patrols. These Officers are students from Mount Holyoke and other local colleges who have an interest in learning about law enforcement or are interested in assisting the Department in its role of protecting the community.

To provide accurate information, under the Federal Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1992, the Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 6, Section 168C, and the Higher Education Amendment of 1998, the Public Safety and Service Department is responsible for documenting any crime that occurs on campus. Crime information can be accepted by the Department without the victim's name being given. The College recognizes confidentiality issues. Nonetheless, the College is required by federal and state laws to record and act upon certain information affecting the safety of the entire College community.

The Public Safety and Service Department meets statutory requirements imposed under federal and state laws for confidentiality, privacy, and public disclosure of investigatory material. As a general matter of law, the Department must acknowledge that an alleged crime has been reported and release basic information about the location and time of occurrence. Disclosure of this information is always done in a way to protect a victim's privacy.