Safety Message to the Penn Community 11-13-25

Dear Members of the Penn Community,

As the Vice President for Public Safety, I wanted to communicate with you about some recent disruptive and, in a few cases, criminal activities that have occurred adjacent to our campus in the vicinity of 40^th and Walnut Streets. Several of these incidents involving teenagers which we previously communicated about have resulted in arrests following our investigations. Late Tuesday night, Penn and Philadelphia Police responded to a report of an unaffiliated gunshot victim in the 4000 block of Walnut Street, following a dispute between two patrons of the movie theater located there. The suspect left the area moments after the shooting and Philadelphia Police, with our assistance, is pursuing this investigation.

Reports such as this are alarming for all of us to hear. I want to assure you that gun crimes are rare in our patrol area. We continue to see significant reductions in violent crime across Philadelphia and in our neighborhood, but we are actively addressing these recent incidents. Penn has dedicated additional resources to supplement regular patrols in our area, including additional police and security as a deterrent, as well as additional resources from Philadelphia and SEPTA Transit Police, enhanced lighting, and communication with Penn community members about safety and security as they navigate campus and our neighboring communities.

The Division of Public Safety has a team of more than 180 people, along with an additional 850 contract security, who are responsible not only for the safety and security of our community but also enhancing the quality of life for all students, faculty, staff and our neighbors. Because of all they do, the Penn campus and our immediate surroundings are one of the safest areas in the entire city of Philadelphia, but we live in a large city and are consequently not without incidents.

Penn has a variety of resources available to assist anyone who is impacted or may be feeling unsafe as a result of these or other events. We encourage anyone who feels uncomfortable or unsafe to contact us directly for personal support and connect with our campus resources. Our department of Special Services can be reached at .

Our goal is to continue to make Penn a safe place for everyone to work, study and learn.

Thank you,

Kathleen Shields Anderson, J.D., MBA

We wish to share the following safety information with our community.

Know that it is never the fault of the person impacted (victim/survivor) by crime.

The Division of Public Safety has developed a few helpful risk reduction strategies outlined below:

• Orient yourself to your surroundings (location, garages, parking lots, etc.)
• Be mindful of distractions (i.e., use of cellphones, ear buds, etc.)
• Use our free Walking Escort program any time, 24/7. (215-898-WALK/9255).
• If you believe you see the described suspect, do not engage, call 215-573-3333.
• If you encounter an aggressive panhandler, walk away – go into a business or other safe place.
• If you feel that you are being followed walk towards a well-lighted, populated area.
• If you witness a crime, be respectful of those involved in the incident.

We encourage you to use the free services provided for your safety and wellbeing.

Public Safety Emergency Contact Information

If you should have any concerns or see someone exhibiting suspicious behavior, call the PennComm Emergency Communications Center at 215-573-3333. We are here for you 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, call anytime. If you feel unsafe outside of the Penn Patrol Zone, call 9-1-1 for local police (in the U.S.). A reminder that the Penn Patrol Zone extends from 30th Street to 43rd Street (east to west) and Market Street to Baltimore Avenue (north to south).

Emergencies: Dial 215-573-3333 or 5-1-1 (from any campus phone). Dial 9-1-1 outside of the Penn Patrol Zone.

• Blue Light Emergency Phones: If you observe a potential safety hazard, require assistance, notice suspicious activity, feel unsafe or need a walking escort, you can reach Public Safety directly through any emergency phone on campus. Just pick up the receiver or press the button.
• UPennAlert Registration: For information on how to register or update your contact information.
• Penn Guardian: Use the Penn Guardian App to stay in touch with Public Safety. Penn Guardian is a free app that allows Penn affiliates the ability to rapidly provide information about themselves, such as a medical condition, to the Division of Public Safety during an emergency.