Public Safety Announcement
March 8, 2017
Dear Faculty and Staff,The wave of threatening calls made to Jewish community institutions across the country has continued. Several were made yesterday in the Boston area, including a Jewish day school in Newton. None of those phone threats were found to be credible.
Brandeis has not received any such calls, but we take these ongoing concerns very seriously and reassure you that our campus police continue to work closely with area law enforcement in response to these issues.
Anyone on campus who receives a suspicious call should note as much information as possible, including:
- time of day
- incoming number
- whether the caller sounds male, female or recorded
- as much information as can be gleaned from the caller
As soon as the call is over, call Campus Police from any campus phone at ext. 6-3333 and relay any information you have. From there, Campus Police and university administration will determine next steps with local law enforcement based on policies developed for such incidents using national best practices.
While there are not currently any distinct threats to our campus, security is an issue for every college. The safety and wellbeing of our community is our highest priority. A wide variety of measures help secure our campus, including our police force, all of whom are trained and accredited by the Massachusetts State Police, on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Brandeis police have instant response connectivity with the Waltham Police Department and a strong, collaborative relationship with that department, Waltham Fire and Emergency Medical Services, as well as state and federal law enforcement agencies. Additional campus safety measures include closed circuit cameras across campus and more than 70 emergency call stations that provide 24-hour direct connection to Brandeis police dispatch.
Brandeis regularly reviews our safety and security policies and procedures to ensure they are aligned with best practices, and conducts regular drills throughout the year. We greatly appreciate your support for those drills, and for the efforts of our police and safety personnel to keep our campus a secure place to live and learn while remaining open to the public.
Ron Liebowitz, President
Ed Callahan, Director of Public Saftey