Quick Stats
Number of Public Safety Officers
116
Safety Services
- Bike registration
- Blue-light phones
- Closed circuit television system
- Electronic crime/emergency alerts
- Handivan
- PennBus
- Outdoor siren system for emergencies
- LUCY (Loop through University City)
- Restroom alarms
- Safer Living seminars
- Student-run medical emergency response team
- Walking escorts
Health Services
- Alcohol and other drug abuse services
- Allergy
- Counseling and psychological services
- Dental
- Dermatology
- Immunizations
- Medication services
- Men's health
- Nutritionists
- Ophthalmology
- Orthopedics
- Podiatry
- Primary care
- Routine physicals
- Sports medicine
- STD screenings
- Surgery
- Travel clinic
- Victim support
- Women's health
College Prowler Take
Students are wary of the traditionally dangerous reputation of West Philadelphia, but most feel very secure walking around campus at any time. Most believe that the campus is in as safe of a neighborhood as a large city can provide and believe that the less than perfect safety record is a small price to pay if you want an urban campus. Students appreciate the strong efforts made by the University administration to improve security in recent years which include a increased police force, technological security innovations, and the use of a Penn ID Card for access into most buildings after-hours.
Penn, being one of only two universities to receive the Clery Award for improvements in safety in 2003, has proven that it is committed to improving the streets of West Philadelphia and making the area safer for students and local residents alike. While crime rates may be significantly lower than a decade ago, there is yet progress to be made to ensure that Penn students enjoy an even more secure learning environment. Hopefully, the school will continue to implement new and improved safety procedures so that every trip home from the library at 4 a.m. be a safe one.
Students Speak Out
Love your school more than free food? Hate your school more than term papers?
Somewhere in between? Show the world what YOU think of YOUR school:
hstuckey says: University of Pennsylvania 2016 Engineering  |
Though the school is in West...
Though the school is in West Philadelphia, the security at Penn is phenomenal. There is security at the entrance of every dorm, and you can't walk a block without seeing a guard on a bike. Blue light phone are all over campus, and students have to walk quite a few blocks to get into a bad area.
Safety & Security: April 06, 2009
Report |
lukep says: |
If anyone is worried about...
If anyone is worried about security, there is 24-hour access to Penn security escorts, and they will take you anywhere in University City. The incidences that occur are almost always a result of overconsumption of alcohol or plain stupidity. I feel 99 percent safe anywhere on campus at all times. Only when you go out into West Philly does it start to get sketchy.
Safety & Security: November 08, 2008
Report |
Anonymous says: |
It’s very secure! There have been...
It’s very secure! There have been only two ‘violent’ crimes on campus that I know of all year. 10 years ago, that was unheard of. However, Penn has recently beefed up security to the point where I know my female friends have no problem walking home late at night from the library or anywhere else. You can always see a SpectaGuard after dark, and that’s comforting. |
Anonymous says: |
It’s West Philadelphia, so the...
It’s West Philadelphia, so the second you’re off campus, it’s questionable, but that’s what you get for living in an interesting area. On campus, it’s really safe; it’s very well taken care of. |
Anonymous says: |
Penn has very tight security when...
Penn has very tight security when it comes to the college houses. Students have to swipe their Penn ID Card every time they want to enter the building, or they have to get people to sign them in. It’s very tight but reassuring. Most people I know don’t lock their doors in the dorms; it’s pretty relaxed here. |
Did You Know?
In 2003, the University of Pennsylvania was honored with the “Clery Award for Campus Safety Improvements.” This honor recognizes the University’s innovative technological programs as well as its outstanding campus police patrols.
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