Carnegie Mellon University

Enhancing Public Safety Across Campus

Carnegie Mellon University has begun a process to map out the future of public safety across campus. In the fall of 2021, a neutral, third-party review was conducted to look at the Carnegie Mellon University Police Department's (CMUPD's) operations, policies and practices. The review included multiple opportunities for community members across and beyond campus to provide input.

The assessment affirmed that the university has a solid foundation for campus safety, and provided recommendations for how to further enhance police interactions and support the Carnegie Mellon community. A report summarizing the assessment findings was released in February 2022.

Implementation of more than 60% of the recommendations is already underway. View the report [pdf] for more details about the recommendations.

Recommendations for CMU Police (Full Report)

Cover of CMU's February 2022 police report

The Review Process

A third-party consulting team, 21CP Solutions, conducted a review of the Carnegie Mellon Police Department’s (CMUPD's) operations, policies and practices.

The assessment:

  • Considered the CMUPD in light of national best practices and 21st-century policing principles
  • Included document reviews, virtual interviews and focus groups
  • Identified obstacles in implementing these practices and principles

As part of the assessment, 21CP Solutions met with a cross-section of the CMU community and our neighbors and partners.

Participants weighed in on:

  • Their sense of safety on campus
  • Their experiences with the CMUPD
  • Their ideas for how to improve safety measures
  • Their vision for a cohesive safety response system across the university

Review Focus

The assessment did not involve an investigation or review of the events surrounding any individual case or incident. Instead, it focused on where the CMUPD is, where it should or could be, and what pragmatic steps the university and CMUPD might take to ensure safe, fair and effective policing for everyone. 21CP Solution’s assessment provides the CMUPD and the greater university community with a fair and honest assessment of the police department and opportunities for ongoing improvement.