University of Florida - Safety & Security

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

UF’s state- and nationally-accredited police department is not just some lame rent-a-cop force. They keep an eye on the campus 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in patrol cars, on motorcycles and bicycles, and by foot. In an emergency, they can be just about anywhere on campus in what seems like an instant. In fact, you might be a little dismayed with how fast they’ll be there at just the moment you decide to put the pedal to the metal and zoom past 20 mph on your speedometer. However, the noticeable police presence on campus makes anyone who remembers the UF tragedies of the early nineties feel better, and anyway, most of them are really nice people who genuinely want to help students feel safe at school. The infirmary adds to the feeling of safety, with its student-centered programs, low prices, and friendly staff.

Of course, UF is not perfect—you may not actually be able to see a blue light phone from every point on campus; bicycles are sometimes stolen; if you leave your laptop alone in the library someone just might pick it up; and, like many other places, it does tend to get dark at night. However, they’re always installing new blue phones and other lighting, the police department patrols constantly, and there are escort services and buses to help you get where you’re going safely. They’ve even got signs near the paths through the woods to remind you that using them in the dark is not a good idea (in case you forgot). Like dealing with academics at such a big school, the thing to remember is to take a little personal responsibility, and it shouldn’t be an issue.

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Students Speak Out

gatorgirl1 says: University of Florida 2016 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies, and Humanities

I feel very safe at UF. There were... I feel very safe at UF. There were numerous nights when I walked on campus by myself at midnight (and I'm a girl) to the Reitz to get food and then back to my room. But, I still made sure to stick to the main well-lit roads. 12345 Safety & Security: May 23, 2009 Report

Anonymous says:

I feel very safe here. The... I feel very safe here. The University has its own police force that responds to calls. In the residence halls there are also nighttime security assistants who patrol the area. 12345 Safety & Security Report

Anonymous says:

UF makes a big effort to keep the... UF makes a big effort to keep the campus as safe as possible. Dorms all have several locks to prevent intruders and blue-light phones are spread throughout campus. If you pick one up, the University Police Department will be there in about three seconds. SNAP also provides walking escorts or van rides for students out on campus late at night. Of course, in such a large University, crime does exist, but if you are conscientious about it, UF should be a very safe place to go to school. 12345 Safety & Security Report

Anonymous says:

I felt pretty good about the... I felt pretty good about the safety on campus when I first arrived, and it has only improved since then. The University Police are always available and, more often than not, eager to assist. They patrol campus very thoroughly, and they will help you get from point to point at night. The SNAP service they offer, which I both worked for and utilized, is another nice way to get around safely and have a little fun while you’re at it. If you’re reasonably careful, you won’t have any safety problems while at UF. 12345 Safety & Security Report

Anonymous says:

There are campus cops that go... There are campus cops that go around on bike, foot, and car. The University has a program implemented to give rides to people who are on campus late or after dark. All you have to do is call them on one of the many free phones on campus. 12345 Safety & Security Report

Did You Know?

In March 1996, the UF Police Department became only the 14th university law enforcement agency in the country to achieve national law enforcement accreditation, the first university police department in the state of Florida to become accredited, and the second-largest accredited university police department in the country.

UF’s cops are for the most part very pleasant people, but they are, after all, police officers: just because they work on campus and not for a county or a city doesn’t mean that you won’t get a ticket for going more than 20 miles per hour on campus, or be arrested for doing something even dumber. It’s also not a good idea to get off the late bus from downtown and stagger across the UPD parking lot drunk and/or puking.

The image you conjure up in your mind when you hear the word “infirmary” probably does not match the huge, friendly, multifunctional health center we’ve got at UF. Though you’ll want to spend as little time there as possible, it’s in the nature of the freshman to end up at the SHCC at least a few times during the year. The good news is, the nice people there will be able to patch you up, no matter what your ailment. The bad news is, sometimes they have to stick you with a needle. But they’ll give you a lollipop if you don’t cry. Seriously.

When you make an appointment at the SHCC, the receptionist will ask what team you’re on. You see, UF students are assigned to specific medical care “teams,” each of which is designated by a letter of the alphabet, in order to provide continuity and a better professional relationship with the care providers. Learn from my mistakes and you can avoid feeling like an idiot at the SHCC: just tell the receptionist you’re new and don’t have a team yet, and it’ll be smooth sailing—until they nail you with those blasted throat cultures!

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