Like a city of similar size, the University has its own police force. The UT Police Department currently employs 65 officers who patrol the campus 24 hours a day. There are approximately 120 "POLICE HELP" call-box phones on campus for requesting police assistance. UTPD provides several other services that include loaning out electric engravers and timers, presenting crime prevention programs on request, providing a free nationally recognized self-defense program for female faculty, staff and student members (RAD) while providing general police assistance to the University community. The Police Department Crime Prevention Unit also publishes the Campus Watch, a daily e-mail that addresses the crimes that occur on the UT Austin campus. To sign up for this free e-mail, log on to www.utexas.edu/police/campuswatch/.
In an effort to help identify stolen bicycles, the University of Texas Parking and Transportation Services Staff have developed an on-line method of registering your bicycle. For that reason, anyone who operates or parks a bicycle on campus is required to register his or her bicycle.
Student Government administers a program called S.U.R.E. WALK, which provides walking escorts and rape prevention education services for students. Designed to eliminate assaults against University students, the program is not a bodyguard system, but instead focuses on awareness and prevention measures to combat potential problems. The walking escort service is located in the Perry-Castaneda Library (PCL), the Undergraduate Library (UGL) and Gregory Gym. Students can call 512-232-WALK from anywhere on campus to request an escort between the hours of 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Sunday-Thursday during fall and spring semesters. University Police also operate a nighttime escort service in addition to the S.U.R.E. WALK program. If you would like additional information, telephone the Student Government office at 512-471-3166 or visit room 4.206 of the Student Services Building.