Mission, Vision and Values

UPPS Vision

It is the vision of the Penn State University Police and Public Safety Department to:

     Be a leader in innovative campus policing and public safety practices;
     Engage stakeholders in problem-solving and crime prevention strategies;
     Provide consistent professional and value-added service to our communities;
     Establish a cohesive, inclusive, and innovative work environment;
     Establish a resilient University; and
     Maintain a commitment to excellence.

Values

Integrity: We act with integrity and honesty in accordance with the highest academic, professional, and ethical standards.

Respect: We respect and honor the dignity of each person, embrace civil discourse, and foster a diverse and inclusive community.

Responsibility: We act responsibly, and we are accountable for our decisions, actions, and their consequences.

Discovery: We seek and create new knowledge and understanding, and foster creativity and innovation, for the benefit of our communities, society, and the environment.

Excellence: We strive for excellence in all our endeavors as individuals, an institution, and a leader in higher education.

Community: We work together for the betterment of our University, the communities we serve, and the world.

UPPS Community Policing Philosophy

All Penn State University Police and Public Safety (UPPS) employees are expected to embody the department’s Community Policing Philosophy daily through their respective roles. This philosophy, based on The Final Report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing and Community Policing training from the Police One Academy, includes understanding and demonstrating that:  

Community policing improves public safety, enhances social connectivity, enhances economic strength, increases community resilience to crime, and increases police job satisfaction.

Community policing involves collaboration and communication with fellow employees in UPPS as well as employees and students across Penn State in order to help solve community problems.  

Community policing begins with police interacting with community members unrelated to criminal matters and having positive interactions with the community before a crisis occurs so that the community and police trust each other when a crisis does occur.  

Community policing means understanding that trust cannot be attained without the community's belief that police place community members’ well-being at the heart of all law enforcement activities.

Community policing means demonstrating to the public that police officers are allies with community members, guardians of human rights, and protectors and promotors of the dignity of all, especially the most vulnerable.