On any given day in the Penn patrol zone, there are approximately 125,000 people studying, working, living, visiting or simply passing through the area. Policing an open, urban, multicultural and densely-populated university environment such as Penn requires at the core, a strong commitment to the philosophy of community-based policing practices. The primary policing functions of the University of Pennsylvania Police Department are law enforcement, order maintenance and service, but underscoring each of these complex functions, first and foremost, is the belief that the UPPD, needs the support of the community which it serves for effective crime prevention and control. Community needs and crime-prevention tactics are identified in partnership between the UPPD and its constituents, and discussed and reinforced at every level within the UPPD, from the patrol officer to the Chief of Police. Other components of the community policing strategy include:

• Emphasizing the enforcement of public order and quality of life crimes, such as panhandling, disorder, graffiti, public disturbances, traffic violations, obstruction of highway, defiant trespass, skateboarding and retail and bicycle thefts.
• Identifying, analyzing and responding to conditions underlying various types of crime through problem-oriented and evidence-based policing.
• Increasing the level of accountability and transparency of police practices through community surveys; rigorous data collection regarding all interactions between the UPPD and its citizenry; accessibility of citizen complaints against police; feedback lines to the Division of Public Safety, via phone and email; and continuous education for the Penn student, staff and faculty bodies.
• Attending over ten community meetings in University City per month in which University residents can share their concerns, fears and questions about safety and crime.

For the Penn community in particular, UPPD Commanders, Supervisors and Detectives have institutionalized a liaison relationship with various resource centers and divisions, including the following, in which assigned members of the UPPD meet regularly with academic and administrative leaders to provide support, answer questions, and function as a first responder to problems and concerns associated with each respective entity:

• All college house residences under CHAS (two detectives per house)
• All cultural resource centers (LGBT Ctr., GIC, La Casa, MAKUU, PAACH, and Women’s Ctr.)
• Office of Affirmative Action
• Office of Student Conduct
• CAPS
• African-American Resource Center
• Athletics
• Alumni Relations

The Division of Public Safety embraces the motto, “Safety and security is a shared responsibility” and the members of the UPPD work diligently through open dialogue, transparency and collaboration, to deliver the highest quality of service and protection for every valued community member in the Penn and University City area.