The success of any law enforcement agency and the safety of the campus is contingent on receiving timely reporting of incidents. LSUHS encourages accurate and prompt reporting of all crimes to UPD or local law enforcement agencies, when the victim of a crime elects to, or is unable to, make such a report. In the event of an emergency or ongoing threat, please get to a safe location first. Notify UPD in a timely manner to report any criminal or suspicious activity, fire, or other emergency by calling 318-675-6165 or 911 or reporting in person. UPD is located in the BRI Building, Ground Floor, UPD entrance is located to the right of the elevators. Crimes occurring off-campus should be reported to the appropriate local law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction in that area.
UPD dispatchers are available 24 hours a day to dispatch police officers. When a crime or an emergency is reported to the dispatcher, the department will initiate the required action by dispatching an officer to meet with the victim or witness to file an incident report. Criminal reports are initially investigated by officers of the Patrol Division. Patrol responsibilities include searching for suspects, collecting available evidence, and completing police reports. Reports that require additional investigation are reviewed by the Investigations Division and, when appropriate, are assigned to an Investigator for a follow-up investigation.
Calling dispatch to report crimes and emergencies will typically generate a law enforcement response. Whenever possible, the survivor or witness of the crime should call UPD directly to report the incident. Firsthand information is always more accurate and complete. It is critical for the safety of the entire campus community that all incidents are reported in a timely manner which will allow UPD to assess the complaint for the purpose of issuing timely warnings regarding Clery Act crimes or an emergency notification. Any person who willfully makes or participates in making a false or frivolous report is in violation state and federal laws.
When calling to report a crime or incident, please be ready to give as much as you can of the following information:
- A brief description of the occurrence.
- When and where the incident occurred.
- Where and when the suspect(s) was last seen.
- If there were any weapons involved.
- A description of the suspect(s) (including gender, race, age, height, weight, hair color/length, clothing, facial hair, tattoos/scars, etc.).
- Any other relevant information.
UPD makes every effort to provide a report of incidents involving students to the Dean for review and follow-up action. Allegations of student misconduct are forwarded to the designated official at the school the student attends for review. Some police reports could be forwarded to other departments as necessary for review and referral based on the reported incident. Any matters involving employees are forwarded to the Office of Human Resources and Office of Compliance and Risk Management for review. When appropriate, an incident will be referred to the Title IX Office for review.
There are many different reporting options available for the campus community. While some reporting options will initiate a police investigation, others will not. Please review the other methods of reporting available.
Voluntary, Confidential Reporting
All witnesses of crime and crime victims, including crime victims who elect not to or are unable to make a formal complaint or victims who do not want to pursue action within the University system or the criminal justice system, are encouraged to submit a voluntary report of crimes on a confidential basis to UPD.
It is important to know confidential reporting is different than anonymous reporting. Confidential reporting means a UPD officer can file the report detailing the incident without revealing the identity of a victim or witness, to the extent allowed by state and federal laws. Confidential reports filed pursuant to this paragraph must be counted and included in the Annual Security Report, daily crime log, and for assessment on whether a timely warning should be issued (without disclosing any personally identifiable information). Anonymous reporting means the person reporting is not known at all. UPD does not have an online anonymous reporting form available.
LSUHS offers anonymous reporting via EthicsPoint https://www.lsu.ethicspoint.com. The LSU Shield app offers the capability of submitting anonymous tips via cell phone, but neither of these options will automatically generate a report with UPD. You must contact UPD at 318-675-6165, if you need a report filed.
