Crime Prevention

Pacific Lutheran University is a community of over four thousand people working and studying (1700 of them residing) within the borders of a 135-acre campus. While the campus is a relatively safe place to be, it is subject to many of the same problems that occur in the surrounding metropolitan area. This information is provided to assist you in making decisions and developing habits that will significantly reduce the possibility of you being a victim of crime, whether here at PLU or in the surrounding community.

Community vigilance is always a great help.  View our recent restricted from campus (trespassed) individuals.  Requires ePass login.

Bicycle Registration Service

Campus Safety now provides a bicycle registration service designed to record your information along with that of your bike in case of a theft.  You can view our flyer for additional information, or fill out a form and return it to our office at your convenience.

Facilities Access

General

PLU is a private institution, and as such reserves the right to limit the use of its grounds and facilities, as it deems appropriate. PLU in its entirety is restricted for use by PLU students, faculty, staff, authorized visitors, and guests. The general public may be granted a limited invitation to campus facilities for specific purposes such as athletic events, forums, concerts, conferences, etc. However, access to any university facility by any person or persons is strictly limited to those having legitimate legal business in that area or facility. The university reserves the right to limit access to any facility at any time without prior notice. All such access shall be contingent on adherence to all university policies and regulations regarding use of its grounds and facilities.

General Access

Maintenance of campus facilities is coordinated through the university’s Facilities Management Department. Great emphasis is placed on security considerations in the maintenance of campus facilities. PLU’s Facilities Management posts notices far in advance of all major construction projects when those projects are likely to affect members of the PLU community. Employees of the university perform most maintenance operations. In those cases where outside contractors are required, the university selects only reputable firms with a long history of solid performance. Facilities Management personnel who require keys to access their designated work areas carry only the specific keys required to perform their duties. All keys are carefully monitored to ensure that unauthorized personnel do not have access to any secure areas of the campus, such as residence halls, academic buildings, and administrative offices.

Residential Access

Only residents, authorized guests, and those authorized university and contract personnel having specific business are allowed in residential areas. Residence hall rooms are to be occupied only by the students(s) for whom that room is reserved, except as follows:

Visitation is unrestricted:

• In residence hall lounges, hallways and kitchens at all times.  Residents and guests are expected to act courteously and abide by campus policy at all times.  Between the hours of 2:00am and 8:00am, Monday through Friday, and 3:00am to 8:00am, Saturday and Sunday, visitation is restricted to persons of the same sex.
• In resident rooms between the hours of 8 am and 2 am, Monday - Friday, and 8 am - 3 am Saturday and Sunday.
• In South and Kreidler Halls at all times.

Any overnight guest must be of the same sex as the resident student who is hosting them and must stay no longer than four consecutive nights, any four nights out of seven, or any eight nights out of thirty.

Keys are issued to residents for their own use and must be promptly returned upon termination of contract or room change. Lost keys must be reported immediately for the safety of all residents. Duplication of any university keys by other than authorized university personnel is strictly prohibited. Room, mail, or other keys may not be duplicated or given to persons other than those to whom they were issued. Anyone who illegally possesses, uses, or duplicates a university key is subject to disciplinary action.

Residence halls at PLU utilize card access locks on their external doors.  All PLU community members may access a residence hall by "swiping" a current and valid LuteCard in the door reader during the day and evening.  Nighttime access is limited to residents of their particular hall. They are discouraged from letting any other persons into the hall unless they know them to be a resident of that hall. Campus Safety regularly patrols the residence halls and ensures that all entrances are properly secured, and that no unauthorized persons are present.

NOTE: While the laws of the State of Washington grant private landowners broad authority in controlling their grounds, Campus Safety is not a police agency. As a private institution in the state of Washington, PLU may not maintain a police force. Therefore, Campus Safety is an in-house security organization oriented towards crime prevention and physical security. The department is staffed with a combination of unarmed, non-commissioned, full-time security professionals and part-time student personnel. Campus Safety officers and administrators do not have arrest authority. Responsibility for law enforcement response, investigation, and police reporting on campus lies with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. Campus Safety contracts with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department to provide our Director, a contract City Chief, and access to all the Sheriff's resources. On most nights during the school year, off-duty Deputies work with Campus Safety as employees of the university. Even though these Deputies work for the university, they maintain all their authority as commissioned law enforcement officers. This arrangement allows the university nearly instant response from a law enforcement official when circumstances require. PLU also tracks its own crime data, assists in any investigations, reports criminal incidents to the Sheriff’s Department, and actively assists persons reporting crimes in making contact with the Sheriff’s Department.