The University of Southern California is among the safest large urban research universities in the country. We are committed to both protecting our students and educating them about how to protect themselves in the midst of an urban environment.

• We have one of the nation's largest campus security offices, with more than 240 officers and staff members.
• Our officers patrol the community areas surrounding both our University Park and Health Sciences campuses and work closely with the Los Angeles Police Department to identify emerging threats in our communities.
• The USC Department of Public Safety works in partnership with units across the university - including Student Affairs, Housing and Transportation - to provide the best possible services for students, faculty, staff and campus guests.

In September 2010, USC became the first university in the world to obtain the International Safe Community designation from the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion. This distinction acknowledges USC's comprehensive approach to safety.

We recognize that safety is a collective responsibility, involving a partnership among the university, students, parents and our neighbors. And President C. L. Max Nikias has pledged to redouble our efforts "to strengthen USC as a beacon of safety and as a role model for other universities and communities around the world."