Calling 911
911 should be called during an emergency. An emergency is a situation that requires an immediate response from a police officer, the fire department, or emergency medical personnel.
Never hang up if you dial 911 by mistake. Instead, stay on the line and explain to the dispatcher that you dialed 911 by accident.
Additional resources:
When you call 911, a dispatcher will answer the phone and talk you through a sequence of questions to quickly obtain information necessary for dispatching the right responders to the right location.
The dispatcher will confirm your name, address, and the phone number from which you are calling. The dispatcher will ask you what type of emergency you’re calling for, and the location of the emergency. Depending on the situation, the dispatcher may also ask you for a description of a person, vehicle, or other information about what you’re experiencing.
Depending on the nature of the emergency, a dispatcher may also provide you with instructions about what to do until help arrives. The dispatcher will likely keep you on the line until help arrives to make sure first responders successfully reach your location.
Even though protocols are designed to help dispatchers reassure callers and take charge of the situation, the experience can be stressful for a 911 caller who is not accustomed to dealing with emergencies.
Stay calm, speak clearly, and follow any instructions the dispatcher may provide.
Most Frequent
- Hawk Alert is used for emergency notifications. These alerts are sent via text message, phone call, and email when there is confirmation of an immediate threat to the health and safety of the campus community. Users can update their settings online. Text message is the fastest way to receive an alert.
- Crime Alert is used to provide a timely warning about an incident that has already occurred but may pose a serious or ongoing threat to the campus community. These alerts are sent via email when a Clery Act crime is committed within the university's Clery geography and reported to a campus security authority or local law enforcement.
Clery Act crimes include: murder, manslaughter, sex offenses, robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, arson, motor vehicle theft, domestic/dating violence, stalking and hate crimes.
To learn more, visit the Office of Clery Compliance page.
All students and employees are encouraged to review and update their Hawk Alert settings using MyUI and Employee Self Service. Text message is the fastest way to receive an alert.
To learn more, visit the emergency notifications web page.
Campus Safety shares information about crimes and emergencies on campus so students, faculty, staff, and visitors have the information they need to take an active role in their personal safety.
To learn more, visit: safety.uiowa.edu/info.
Campus Safety maintains the central lost and found for campus. If you have lost something, please check our database to see if you recognize your property.
To view the database and/or file a lost item report, visit the Lost and Found web page.
Nite Ride is a free late-night transportation service available to all UI students, faculty, and staff.
The service is powered by an online request application, which allows users to request rides from their mobile device or desktop computer using their Hawk ID. Express rides directly to your final destination are also available beginning at $1.
To request a ride, visit: niteride.its.uiowa.edu/request
To learn more about the Nite Ride service, visit: safety.uiowa.edu/nite-ride
UI Police will provide vehicle, room, and building unlocking services at no charge to students, employees, or anyone parked in an on-campus parking lot.
Vehicle Unlocks
UIPD can provide vehicle unlocks for power and manual locking systems for all vehicles parked in university parking lots or parking ramps.
Room Unlocks
If your keys are locked in your office, UIPD will unlock your office to provide access. If any personal property, belongings, or keys are locked in a room after business hours, UIPD will provide access to retrieve your belongings and then escort you out of the building so the building can be re-secured.
Contact
If you are in need of any of these services, please call our non-emergency line 319-335-5022.
Motorist Assistance
UI Parking and Transportation provides battery jump starts, assistance locating your vehicle, and pumping air into tires in parking lots on the main campus in Iowa City.
To request assistance, call Parking Dispatch at 319-335-8312.
Additional FAQs
To learn more about the UI Police Department, visit their website.