Public Safety

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) is a service-oriented agency employing the philosophy of community policing within its jurisdiction. This philosophy is based upon the concept that police officers and the campus community as a whole can work together in creative ways to solve problems related to crime prevention. The primary focus of community policing is to foster positive interactions between the police, students, faculty and staff. The Department of Public Safety maintains and promotes respect for the individual rights and dignity of all persons and is dedicated to excellence in all of the services that are offered on a year-round basis.

Mission Statement

The Department of Public Safety is committed to excellence in law enforcement while protecting and serving the students, faculty, staff, and other constituents of Arkansas Tech University. The Department of Public Safety works in collaboration with the Arkansas Tech University community to encourage civic engagement through innovative safety programs and promotion of the responsive, safe, and secure campus environment necessary for student, faculty, and staff success.

Statement of Authority

Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers are law enforcement officers of the State of Arkansas and are professionally trained and certified by the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training DPS law enforcement authority comes from Arkansas State Statute 24-17-304 which confers upon the president of a state institution of higher education the right to create a university agency with the same powers and authority as any municipal, county, or state police agency in Arkansas. DPS officers have complete police authority to apprehend and arrest anyone involved in illegal acts on campus and areas immediately adjacent to the campus . If any minor offenses involving a violation of Arkansas Tech University rules and regulations are committed by a university student, DPS officers may also refer the individual to Department of Student Conduct.