Safety Tips & Resources

A list of the University’s safety policies can be found on the BU Policies website.

Behavioral Medicine
Behavioral Medicine, a department of BU Student Health Services, is available to assist students experiencing a mental health emergency 24/7/365. During office hours, students can call or walk into the office if they are in crisis and will be connected with the triage clinician on staff. After hours, students can call the main Behavioral Medicine phone number and follow the prompts to be connected with an on-call clinician. Clinicians will assess and provide support, as well as assist students in identifying necessary next steps for care.
617-353-3569

BU Police Department
The BU Police Department works closely with Behavioral Medicine, Residence Life, and community police departments to conduct wellness checks when a student is experiencing a mental health emergency. On scene, they can assist students with connecting to a mental health professional in the moment. When a student needs further evaluation at a hospital, BUPD is present to ensure a safe and efficient transport.
617-353-2121

Alternate Resources
For any community member wishing to use resources outside the University, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is accessible as follows:

• 988 (Call, Text, or Chat)
• 1-800-799-4TTY (4889) (Deaf/ Hard of Hearing)
• 1-866-488-7386 (LGBTQIA+ Youth)

BU Police Department
The BU Police have specially trained officers who investigate sexual assaults. BU Police will make every effort to offer survivors an opportunity to have an officer of a preferred gender present following an asault. In addition, the BU Police will help a survivor, who wishes to do so, make contact with other resources on or off-campus.
617-353-2121

Sexual Assault Response and Prevention (SARP)
For emotional support, assistance in reporting, and to learn more about your available options, contact Sexual Assault Response and Prevention (SARP), Boston University’s primary, confidential, on-campus resource for issues pertaining to sexual assault, stalking, sexual harassment, and domestic/dating violence.
617-353-7277

BU Equal Opportunity Office
Boston University Equal Opportunity Office’s (EOO) Title IX Coordinator responds promptly and effectively to complaints of all kinds of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment and sexual violence, and will take immediate action to eliminate the offending conduct, prevent its recurrence, and address its effects.
617-353-9286

BU Dean of Students Office of Judicial Affairs
Judicial Affairs handles all BU student judicial conduct cases and is the primary administrator of the Code of Student Responsibilities. The Student Code is a body of principles consisting of the University’s expectations of its students, provisions for sanctioning rule violations, and due process mechanisms.
617-358-0700

Off-Campus Resources
Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC): 1-800-841-8371
SAFELINK Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-877-785-2020
Victim Rights Law Center:617-399-6720

We urge all members of our community to be vigilant against theft and fraud. Always take a moment to consider the possibility that a situation may be a scam or a fraud. Police will NEVER ask for payment to resolve a criminal matter. Most schemes are designed to capitalize on a fear of not cooperating with government authorities, and many seem to target the Asian community. We remind students that they should not enter into any financial transactions with unknown people online.

How to Report
BU Police: 617-353-2121. If you are off campus: call 9-1-1. If you are unsure if a communication is a fraud, you may call the BUPD for advice anytime. You can also reach BUPD by texting the word ‘BU’ to (847411). We welcome your messages and inquiries at any time.

You may also report phishing and potentially fraudulent emails to abuse@bu.edu. Examples of phishing messages can be found at the BU Information Security’s Phish Bowl site. Please note that the University will never ask you for your password or to “click a link to verify your email address or identity,” no matter how convincing the email may appear.

Below are some useful tips provided to consumers by the Federal Trade Commission. Sign up for free scam alerts from the FTC to get the latest tips and advice about scams sent right to your inbox.

Signs that Someone May be Attempting to Scam You

• You receive a call, message, or email unexpectedly from someone claiming to be from a company, bank, government agency, or law enforcement entity.
• The caller claims that someone is using your identity, you owe money, someone in your family has had an emergency or is in trouble, or says you are involved in a crime.
• You are told you need to prove your innocence.
• You are threatened with legal action, arrest, or deportation.
• You are told that you must pay a fee, fine, bond, or bail money to resolve a criminal matter.
• You are told not to speak to anyone.
•  You are told to keep your camera on all the time as you are under surveillance.
• You are asked for personal information, such as your passport details, date of birth, or bank information.
• You are asked to pay through cryptocurrency, money wires, payment app, or gift cards.
• You are sent a check and asked to deposit it before sending the money back.

How to Protect Yourself from Falling Victim to a Scam/Fraud Attempt

• Safety First. If you are concerned for your safety, contact the police immediately by calling 911 or the Boston University Police at 617-353-2121.
• Don’t Answer / Just Hang up. If you answer the phone and hear a recorded sales pitch, hang up and report it to the FTC. These calls are illegal, and often the products are bogus. Do not press one to speak to a person or to be taken off the list. That could lead to more calls. Better yet, don’t answer telephone calls from people you don’t know.
• Don’t be pressured. Scammers often threaten and pressure you to prove your innocence. Hang up and don’t respond.
• Talk to someone. Before you give money or personal information, talk to someone you trust. Con artists want you to make decisions in a hurry. They might even threaten you. Slow down, check out the story, do an online search, consult an expert, or just tell a friend.
• Get others involved. If someone tells you that you are being investigated, speak to the local police, the Boston University Police, a parent, or a trusted friend.
• Spot imposters. Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust, like a government official, a family member, a charity, or a company with whom you do business. Do not send money or give out personal information in response to an unexpected request — whether it comes as a text, a phone call, or an email.
• Google it. Type a company or product name into your favorite search engine with words like “review,” “complaint” or “scam.” Search for a phrase that describes your situation, like “IRS call.” You can even search for phone numbers to see if other people have reported them as scams.
• Do not believe your caller ID. Technology makes it easy for scammers to fake caller ID information, so the name and number you see are not always real. If someone calls asking for money or personal information, hang up. If you think the caller might be telling the truth, call back to a number you know is genuine.
• Do not pay upfront for a promise. Someone might ask you to pay in advance for things like debt relief, credit and loan offers, mortgage assistance, or a job. They might even say you have won a prize, but first you have to pay taxes or fees. If you do, they will probably take the money and disappear.
• Consider how you pay. Credit cards have significant fraud protection built in, but some payment methods do not. Wiring money through services like Western Union or MoneyGram is risky because it is nearly impossible to get your money back. That’s also true of cards (like MoneyPak or Reloadit) and gift cards (like iTunes or Google Play). Government offices and honest companies won’t require you to use these payment methods.
• Be skeptical about free trial offers. Some companies use free trials to sign you up for products and bill you every month until you cancel. Before you agree to a free trial, research the company and read the cancellation policy. In addition, always review your monthly statements for charges you do not recognize.
• Do not deposit a check and wire money back. By law, banks must make funds from deposited checks available within days, but uncovering a fake check can take weeks. If a check you deposit turns out to be a fake, you are responsible for repaying the bank.
• Never rent without visiting the actual premises. Always sign a written lease which identifies the owner before sending money to hold an apartment.

The following is provided as a further reminder to our BU Community:
Risk reduction/safety precautions: If you do not feel comfortable intervening in any situation, notify someone to help.

• BU Police 617-353-2121. If you are off campus, call 9-1-1.
• Text BUPD anonymously by texting “BU” to 847411.
• Emergency telephones are located throughout the BU campus.
• Utilize Scarlet Safe Walk 617-353-4877 or public transportation.
• Be aware of your surroundings.
• Trust your intuition – if a situation makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, get away or call for help.

• Don’t confront a thief yourself. These individuals are generally in search of property, and it is not worth getting in a physical confrontation with them.
• Recognize the signs. If you see damage to your door, especially around the door handle, don’t enter the room. You don’t want to surprise a thief. Go somewhere safe and call BUPD to come check it out.
• Make it hard on them. Thieves will look for unlocked doors and windows. By locking the door to your residence and locking any window with access to a fire escape, you dramatically reduce your chances of being victimized.
• Help your neighbor. Close any common doors to the building that are left propped open and unattended. If a thief can get easy access to the building, they can look for unlocked rooms.
• Know your neighbors. When you recognize your neighbors, it’s easier to spot someone who shouldn’t be in your building.
• If You See Something, Say Something.

Safety Awareness For Everyone (SAFE)  is an on-demand informational video and training to inform the BU community about the comprehensive support provided by the Boston University Police Department (BUPD) in the event of an active threat. SAFE is a series of videos in which members of the BUPD, Emergency Management, and Behavioral Medicine provide vital information and resources to utilize before, during, and after an active threat event.

SAFE has two components, one public is facing for prospective students, families and the public, and the second is more interactive, providing members of our community with more in-depth information.

1. A 10–13-minute informational video for public display.
2. A 30–40-minute Asynchronous Training for students, faculty and staff.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I FIND MYSELF INVOLVED IN AN ACTIVE SHOOTER SITUATION?
If an active shooter is outside your building or inside the building you are in, you should:

1. Remain calm.
2. Warn other faculty, staff, students, and visitors to take immediate shelter.
3. Go to a room that can be locked or barricaded.
4. Lock and barricade doors or windows.
5. Turn off lights.
6. Close blinds.
7. Block windows.
8. Turn off radios or other devices that emit sound.
9. Keep yourself out of sight and take adequate cover/protection (i.e., concrete walls, thick desks, filing cabinets.)
10. Silence cell phones.
11. Have one person call 911 and state: “(exact location). We have an active shooter on campus, gunshots fired.”

WHAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL LAW ENFORCEMENT BE LOOKING FOR?

• Description of the offender(s): sex, race, height, weight, clothing, type of weapon(s), location last seen, direction of travel, and identity if known.
• Description of any victims: provide location(s) and number of victims.
• If you observed any suspicious devices (IED), provide the location of the device and a description.
• If you heard explosions, provide a description and a location.

WHAT ELSE SHOULD I LOOK FOR?

• Wait patiently until a uniformed law enforcement officer provides an “all clear.”
• Do not respond to voice commands until you can verify with certainty that they are being issued by a law enforcement officer; unfamiliar voices may be an active shooter trying to lure you from safety.
• Attempts to rescue people should only be attempted if it can be accomplished without further endangering the persons inside a secured area.
• Depending on circumstances, consideration may also be given to exiting ground floor windows as safely and as quietly as possible.

WHAT IF THE ACTIVE SHOOTER COMES INTO THE AREA WHERE I AM?
If an active shooter enters your office, lab, or classroom, you should:

• Try to remain calm.
• Try not to do anything that will provoke the active shooter.
• If there is no possibility of escaping or hiding, it is only as a last resort when your life is in imminent danger should you make a personal choice to attempt to negotiate with or overpower the assailant(s).
• Call 911, if possible, and provide the information listed in the previous guidelines.
• If the active shooter(s) leaves the area, barricade the room or go to a safer location.

If you are in an outside area and encounter an active shooter, you should:

• Try to remain calm.
• Move away from the active shooter or the sound of gunshot(s) and/or explosions(s).
• Look for appropriate locations for cover/protection (i.e., brick walls, retaining walls, parked vehicles, etc.)
• Call 911 and provide the information listed in the first guideline.

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT FROM RESPONDING OFFICERS?
The objectives of responding law enforcement officers are:

• Immediately engage or contain the active shooter(s) in order to stop life-threatening behavior.
• Identify threats such as improvised explosive devices.
• Identify victims to facilitate medical care, interviews, and counseling.
• Investigate.

Law enforcement officers responding to an active shooter are trained to proceed immediately to the area in which shots were last heard in order to stop the shooting as quickly as possible. The first responding officers may be in teams; they may be dressed in normal patrol uniforms, or they may be wearing external ballistic vests, Kevlar helmets, or other tactical gear. The officers may be armed with rifles, shotguns, or handguns.

Do exactly as the team of officers instruct. The first responding officers will be focused on stopping the active shooter and creating a safe environment for medical assistance to be brought in to aid the injured.

In case you must flee, do not go to the normal gather site for your building. Get as far away from the shooting scene as possible, and call 911.

Pedestrian Safety
The official census says that almost 600,000 people call Boston home, but when you add the many workers and visitors who come into Boston every day, that number swells to 2 million pedestrians. With that many people walking in our city, pedestrian safety is an issue of critical importance. Learn more about pedestrian safety from Walk Boston.

Bike Safety

To prevent theft:

• Use a U-lock (not a cable lock) and lock your bike well.
• Register your bike with BU.
• Use BU’s secure bike rooms.
• Always wear a helmet.
• Learn, use, and obey traffic signals. Remember bikers must obey the same traffic laws as motor vehicles.
• If riding at night, use reflectors and lights.
• Give pedestrians the right of way.
• Ride defensively. Watch for cars and car doors opening.
• Do not weave in and out of traffic.
• Slow down at intersections. Look both ways before crossing.
• Keep your bike well maintained. A regular tune-up will ensure that your bike is in good riding shape.
• When you are not riding your bike, always lock it.
• When riding at night, make sure to wear reflective clothing and have reflectors on your bike. A light on your bike is also highly recommended.
• To learn more, visit BU Parking & Transportation Services.

MBTA/Green Line Safety

• T passes and tickets can only be purchased from MBTA staff and fare vending machines—tickets sold on Craigslist or on the street are likely counterfeit.
• Be aware of your surroundings, especially if you’re wearing headphones or using your phone.
• Keep your phone, purse, and wallet close to your body, with smaller valuable items in your front pockets.
• Stay in well-lit areas near groups of people whenever possible.
• Be aware of the nearest exits and emergency call boxes at stations.
• When there aren’t many people riding the T, try to sit as close to the operator as possible.
• If someone bothers you on the train, notify MBTA staff and move to a different car at the next stop.
• If you are attacked, scream or yell to bring attention to your situation.
• Share these tips with younger riders who use the T by themselves.
• Never walk on the tracks or in a busway.
• Cross tracks and busways only at marked pedestrian walkways and look both ways before crossing.
• Obey all warning signs and signals.
• Never drive around a lowered gate or in a busway.
• Before driving over the tracks, make sure there’s room for your car on the other side
• Always lock your bike with a hardened steel U-lock to a designated bike rack—most bikes stolen on the MBTA were secured with a light chain or cable lock.
• Register your bike with the Transit Police.
• Please alert the bus and train operators of any suspicious activity, including abandoned bags or luggage. If you’re on the train, please use the call boxes at either end of the car to alert an operator.
• Please notify staff of suspicious activity in or near MBTA stations. If you are leaving a station, please go back and notify staff of unusual behavior in the parking lot or surrounding areas.
• When boarding either a T car or bus move all the way in and place your backpack between your legs

For emergency matters, call 911