The Department of Public Safety under the leadership of Chief Carey Drayton is one of the largest university law enforcement agencies in the United States employing more than 230 full-time staff and 40 students.

The primary goal of DPS is to provide a safe and secure environment in which the social and academic endeavors of the University community may be fully realized. To achieve this goal, the department needs cooperation and support from students, staff and faculty in reporting incidents, utilizing the services the department provides and adhering to basic crime prevention practices.

We appreciate your visit to our website and encourage you to explore and learn more about the various ways we serve the Trojan family and community. The department employees are committed to preserving the safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors to the University of Southern California, and they do so through a variety of enforcement, prevention and educational programs.

The USC Department of Public Safety renders a wide range of public safety and law enforcement services in the area of preventive patrols, crime prevention, parking enforcement and criminal investigations.

It is the policy of the USC Department of Public Safety to interface and professionally cooperate with its counterparts within the Los Angeles Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms and other local law enforcement agencies.  We do so by disseminating information on reported crimes, trends in criminal activity and intelligence on potential criminal behavior in the University community.

All students, staff and visitors are encouraged to report any emergency situations, criminal activity and/or suspicious or unusual behavior which they observe, are victims of, or of which they have any knowledge promptly to the USC Department of Public Safety.  To facilitate the reporting of such emergencies, behavior, crimes or criminal activity, the Department of Public Safety maintains an emergency number (213)740-4321, as well as the Silent Witness Report Form, along with Emergency Call Boxes which are conveniently located throughout all parts of the campus, within buildings, and in parking lots.  

As you tour our site, we hope you will discover information that interests you as well as gain access to a variety of services and resources that are offered by the department. Our priority is to better our relationship with students and the community in an effort to empower and advise you in measures that are effective in crime prevention and risk reduction. Thank you for your interest in the USC Department of Public Safety. We invite you to visit this site often for the latest public safety information.