A message regarding TU public safety resources

February 13, 2023

Dear TU students, faculty and staff —

Recently, you've received timely messages from our Office of Public Safety that keep you informed on matters of public safety as they happen around the greater Towson community. 

TU’s Office of Public Safety works closely with the Baltimore County Police Department to thoroughly support investigations of all reported incidents. This collective effort led to a swift arrest following an assault in downtown Towson on Feb. 2. Police are investigating an off-campus shooting on Sunday, Feb. 12, in which county police say the victim, who is not affiliated with TU, was targeted.  

Because we know these incidents have impacted many on our campus and have put safety front of mind, today we write to you to reaffirm our institution-wide priority around public safety, and to reintroduce you to all of the established practices, programs and procedures TU has in place. Find a listing of those services on TU's public safety page and a snapshot below:

Emergency notifications

As part of TU’s commitment to public safety, the university issues alerts in the event of an emergency on or near campus. Students, faculty and staff are automatically enrolled to receive all emergency alerts. Parents, community members and other non-affiliated individuals are encouraged to register to also receive emergency text alerts. Text alerts are part of TU’s comprehensive emergency notification system and include critical updates for active safety threats, severe weather events, traffic advisories and more.

SaferMobility App

TU partners with the SaferMobility app to offer a mobile-escort feature, a video chat capability that allows you to send the Towson University Police Department (TUPD) real-time video of an ongoing crime, and an instant messaging feature that silently connects you with the TUPD. Search for “SaferMobility” in the App Store or on Google Play.

TU SafeRide

SafeRide is an on-call service provided from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. seven days a week.  Pick-up and drop off service is available for all areas on  campus and in the University Village. Service may also be requested from any designated Tiger-In-Town stop on York Road between Towsontown Blvd & Joppa Road. Pick-up locations must be accessible by a vehicle. While service is usually provided within 10-15 minutes of the request, during high-demand windows pick-up may take up to 30 minutes.  Please plan accordingly. To request a ride, call 410-704-SAFE. You can also hail the SafeRide driver whenever on campus.

TU SafeWalk

If at any time you are uncomfortable walking on campus, you may request a SafeWalk escort. Call the TUPD at 410-704-SAFE to request an escort at any time of day.

Emergency phones

TU’s campus has more than 100 emergency phones — exterior blue light emergency phones and additional emergency phones on the exterior of buildings, at entrances to buildings and in campus garage elevator lobbies. Activating the emergency telephone system prompts a call directly to the TUPD.

TU Counseling Center

Towson University’s Counseling Center offers resources to support the entire community. Through TogetherAll, TU students can access FREE, 24/7 online peer-to-peer support, connecting with others who are experiencing similar struggles and support one another through their shared lived experiences with stress, anxiety, isolation and other common mental health challenges. To access the service, go to the mobile-responsive webpage, www.togetherall.com and enter your TU email address to register.

Additionally, TU’s Office of Public Safety works closely with the Baltimore County Police Department on matters immediately surrounding the TU campus, where Tigers live, work and socialize. TU has invested in that partnership, funding a grant to the county police to provide additional resources for public safety in the downtown Towson area. The grant enables two additional county police officers to patrol the downtown precinct in the overnight hours seven days a week.

For immediate concerns around public safety, please contact TU’s Office of Public Safety at 410-704-4444.

We all need to continue to support and care for one another to keep our campus a safe and comfortable place to learn, work, live and play. We know that safety is a top priority for all of our community members, so please take advantage of the safety videos, tips and resources TU offers and share them with others.

Thank you for supporting one another. 

Sincerely,

Melanie Perreault, Ph.D.
Interim President

Vernon Hurte, Ph.D.
Vice President, Student Affairs

Charles "Joe" Herring
Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police