California Institute of Technology - Safety & Security

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

The Caltech campus is very safe according to almost all of the students. Pasadena is one of the safest cities in California; the crime rate is extremely low when compared to LA or San Diego. Caltech security guards are rather friendly (too friendly, according to some) and very helpful. The security guards roam the campus in Daihatsus (little golf-cart-like things) and give people rides across campus if they need them. Students can also call security ahead of time to arrange a ride across campus, which is not really necessary distance-wise considering the school comprises about a square block; but if students need a ride home late at night, it’s there. Security guards are present all over campus everyday of the week. Also, extra security guards are seen around the school on days when there are parties or large events just to make sure things run smoothly. There have been instances in which lab equipment has been stolen, but security measures have been increased, and the occurrence of stealing has all but vanished. There is the occasional purse robbery, but it is usually not on campus. Caltech is a very safe place if students follow rules and take proper precautions.

Security in the dorms is much better than in recent years. Ironically, there are no locks protecting half of the dorms, but because the school is so small, intruders would be recognized immediately, so that’s not a matter of concern. Most people do not lock their doors, and they really do not need to. Caltech operates on an honor code that forbids stealing, and most students take the code very seriously. Security watches over the students’ stunts and antics, and most large-scale pranks are approved by administration before they are carried out. Caltech, as a whole, is a very tight-knit, safe place to be.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

Security is great. They basically... Security is great. They basically pick me up in front of my house and then drop me off right in front of class. I do less walking than when I lived on campus. 12345 Safety & Security Report

Anonymous says:

Security is more for the control... Security is more for the control of members of the non-Caltech community than the Caltechers themselves, and as such, is friendly and helpful as opposed to suspicious and curt. That having been said, it’s exceptionally safe. 12345 Safety & Security Report

Anonymous says:

The campus is very safe; the areas... The campus is very safe; the areas adjoining campus are quite safe, as well, although it’s advisable to walk in groups at night. 12345 Safety & Security Report

Anonymous says:

I would say security is pretty... I would say security is pretty good. They seem to work largely behind the scenes, so we don’t hear much, but I was walking back from the C-store just the other day, and I saw four guards arresting a young man who looked pretty shady, and they were looking up and down the Olive Walk for others. This event went largely unnoticed and was not publicized, so I think it’s an example of how they do their job while involving us as little as possible. 12345 Safety & Security Report

Anonymous says:

I feel pretty safe, but then... I feel pretty safe, but then again, I grew up in a neighborhood where people got drunk and peed on my lawn, and escaped convicts would use the storm drain behind my house as an escape route. I’ve been hearing about more crime now than before around the campus perimeter, though. 12345 Safety & Security Report

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