About Public Safety

The Public Safety Department is responsible for maintaining a safe and secure learning environment at Berklee. The department maintains a constant presence, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and its main responsibility is protection of and assistance to students, faculty, and staff.

The department is run by a professional security firm. The college and the firm work together with the goal of making Berklee a safe and secure community. The company specializes in providing professional security services and special police officers to academic institutions in Boston and the surrounding area.

All public safety personnel receive initial and periodic training in crime prevention, fire safety, nonviolent crisis intervention, emergency procedures, CPR and first aid, patrol techniques, customer service, incident reporting, and other security- and safety-related topics. Certain members of the staff (Special Police Officers) maintain arrest powers granted by the Massachusetts State Police (under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 22C, Section 63).

The department maintains close working relationships with the college; the Boston police, fire, and emergency medical services departments; and with appropriate state and federal law enforcement agencies. Security and safety concerns are also addressed through peer collaboration on the Berklee Campus Advisory Safety Team (CAST), which consists of senior managers and administrators from across the campus.

Berklee complies with the federal Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990, which requires the publishing of information with respect to campus crime statistics and campus security policies. The college also publishes an annual brochure on security practices, titled Playing It Safe, which promotes safety on campus.