The Department of Public Safety collects and shares statistics on crimes committed at Gallaudet University, the Clerc Center, and in the surrounding off campus area. Fire safety overviews and reports are also available for the University and Clerc Center residence facilities.

Campus Security Authority Letter

According to federal law, specifically The Student Right to Know and Campus Security Act of 1990 (re-named the Clery Act in 1998), Gallaudet University Department of Public Safety is required to report “statistics concerning the occurrence of certain criminal offenses reported to the local police agency or any official of the institution who has “significant responsibility for student and campus activities.” Your position has been identified by Federal Law as a “Campus Security Authority.

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Annual Crime and Fire Safety Reports


Annual Security Report 2021 (download full report)

Missing Student Policy and Procedure

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (P.L. 110-315) requires Universities to maintain a missing student notification policy and protocol for on campus residents. Gallaudet University takes student safety very seriously and, to this end, the following policy and procedure has been established to assist in locating any Gallaudet student, living on or off campus who is deemed to be missing. A student shall be deemed missing if a member of the university community has reason to believe that a student is missing.

Any member of the campus community should report a missing student by contacting Gallaudet University's Department of Public Safety (DPS) at (202) 651-5555, or send an email to dps@gallaudet.edu. DPS will collaborate with Residence Life, other university officials, and/or the appropriate external law enforcement agency to make an effort to locate the student and determine his or her state of health and well-being. Public Safety will gather pertinent information about the student from the reporting person or others. Such information may include but is not limited to the student's description, mobile device contact information, clothes last worn, vehicle description, information about the student's health or well-being, or an up-to-date photograph.

University officials also will endeavor to determine the student's whereabouts by contacting friends, associates, faculty members, and/or employers of the student, and/or determining whether the student has been attending classes, scheduled organizational or academic meetings, and work. If the student resides on campus, DPS officers may make a welfare entry into the student's room. If the student lives off campus, DPS may enlist the aid of the neighboring police agency having jurisdiction.

For residential students and for students who live off campus, notices will be made to each of the following individuals within 24 hours of Public Safety's determination that the student is missing:

  • The student's parent or guardian. The university is required by law to notify the student's custodial parent or guardian if the student is under age 19 and is not emancipated at the time he or she is determined to be missing. If the student is age 18 or over, notification may be provided to the student's parent or guardian, in addition to any other person identified as the student's designated emergency contact.
  • Local law enforcement personnel.
  • The student's designated emergency contact (if any). Students are given the opportunity through Blackboard to designate an individual to be contacted by the university if the student is determined to be missing or otherwise in the case of an emergency. The designation will remain in effect until changed or revoked by the student. The contact information will be confidential and will be accessible only to authorized university officials or law enforcement personnel.

After the student has been located, DPS will attempt to verify the student's state of health, well-being, and intention of returning to campus. When and where appropriate, a referral may be made to the Mental Health Center, Student Health Services, and/or other campus and community resources.

Campus Security Authority Training video

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