Department Organization

Twenty-four armed officers constitute the police staff. They are empowered to make an arrest on Carnegie Mellon property or any areas adjacent to the university. Additionally, there are 37 security guards, and five radio dispatchers on the staff. Foot patrols by guards support the officers' surveillance of the campus academic buildings and residence halls.

Officers, including four sergeants, a lieutenant and the director of security, are sworn and commissioned under the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Officers receive specialized training in current police issues, such as auto theft, drug awareness, crime scene search procedures, hazardous materials, firearms, CPR and First Responder. Sworn officers receive their authority from Act 501 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes. Officers are also trained under Act 120, known as the Municipal Police Training and Education Act.

While they are not sworn officers, each security guard receives orientation training in areas such as building security, key control, procedures related to arrests by officers, and criminal and patrol procedures. Guards also train in specialty areas including medical emergencies and hazardous wastes, and assist police officers in all of these areas. Security guards supplement campus police by patrolling academic buildings and residence halls every night of the year. During the day, two traffic monitors also patrol campus parking areas.