Sworn University Police Officers

Community Caretakers

Sworn University Police Officers have the authority of commissioned police officers with full power of arrest deriving their law enforcement authority from New Jersey statutes (Title 18A, Sections 6-4.2 and 6-4.5) and the Trustees of Princeton University. Title 18A, Section 6-4.5 provides that the University police officers “shall possess all the powers of policemen and constables in criminal cases and offenses against the law anywhere in the State of New Jersey [including the powers of arrest], pursuant to any limitations as may be imposed by the governing body of the institution which appointed and commissioned the person.”

Protect and Serve

Training Requirements

Our officers are required to complete the same police academies and annual training as their municipal counterparts. This training has been approved and authorized by the State of New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice Police Training Commission. Our University police officers, who are unarmed on a daily basis, have access to a police service rifle in limited situations. Police officers may access service rifles when there is an in-progress threat with an individual brandishing a firearm, an active shooter, or an individual actively committing serious bodily injury or death with a deadly weapon on or “contiguous” to campus. All police officers have qualified with a firearm while at the police academy and are required to requalify several times each year. 

International Gold Standard

Accreditation

The Department of Public Safety was awarded initial Law Enforcement Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in July of 2015 and re-accredited in July of 2018 and 2022. This re-accreditation award is valid for four years. CALEA is recognized as the "International Gold Standard for Public Safety Agencies" and oversees a rigorous accreditation process. The Department of Public Safety was also awarded Law Enforcement Accreditation from the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP) in March 2019 and re-accreditation in March of 2022. This re-accreditation award is valid for three years. Thereby making The Princeton University Department of Public Safety a dual accredited agency, which is relatively unique in New Jersey.

Supporting relationships

Interagency Cooperation

Due to the fact that we have concurrent police jurisdiction over several geographic areas of the Princeton University campus and its vicinity which fall within the political subdivision of the Town of Princeton, West Windsor Township and the Township of Plainsboro, we work closely with their Police Departments. Each department is committed to working together, keeping each other apprised of important information about crimes and crimes trends and to finding opportunities to train together.

Working Together

Officers from the municipality often work at events on the Princeton University campus. In addition to sharing critical information, DPS is in direct contact with the Princeton police 911 center.  This arrangement provides us with immediate access to aid and support from the PPD.  All callers who dial 911 utilizing a University wired telephone service or any wireless phone service provider will automatically be routed through the state approved 9-1-1 Switched Telephone Network and terminate at the appropriate state approved PSAP which would in most situations be the Department of Public Safety.