WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO
The Public Safety Department is responsible for providing a safe, secure living and learning environment for the Villanova University community.
Operating 24/7/365, the Department is the University’s first responders to emergency situations, including police, medical and fire calls. The Department oversees and dispatches the University’s in-house EMS service, VEMS. Both the Bryn Mawr and Radnor Fire Departments are summoned in the event of a fire on campus.
In addition, the Department has responsibility for parking and transportation services on campus. More information on those services can be found on the Parking and Transportation website.
The Department of Public Safety is located at Garey Hall at the corner of Spring Mill Road (Rte.320) and County Line Road. For specific travelling directions or to download a campus map, please see the Villanova Visit page.
DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE
The Villanova University Department of Public Safety works hard to be a trusted resource for all students, faculty and staff. We pride ourselves in being guardians of Villanova’s community—an integral part of our Augustinian Catholic University and examples of our values of fairness, compassion and integrity.
We are always striving to do better. In that work, we particularly focus on the following elements: community outreach, accountability, ongoing training and hiring the right people to provide police and public safety services in a college environment.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions, concerns, or general comments regarding campus safety or the service you’ve received. I can be reached by phone at (610) 519-6982 or by email at david.tedjeske@villanova.edu.
Sincerely,
David G. Tedjeske
Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police
DEPARTMENT STRUCTURE
The Department of Public Safety reports to the Executive Vice President and is led by the Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police. The Department is organized into the following functions:
- Communications Function: Communications Officers receive emergency calls and dispatch appropriate resources (Police, Fire, EMS). Communications Officers also monitor campus alarm systems, card access, and CCTV systems. Communications Officers access University records and state law enforcement information, including drivers license, vehicle registration information, and criminal history information. The Communications Office, located in Garey Hall, is open 24/7.
- Patrol Function: Functional responsibilities of patrol officers include preventative patrol; incident, crime and accident reporting; safety escorts; assisting motorists with vehicle lock outs and jump starts; and physical security.
- Investigative Function: The Department utilizes both sworn and non-sworn investigators, who conduct follow up investigations for incidents occurring both on and off campus. The Department also employs a full-time Title IX Investigator, who is responsible for investigating potential violations of Villanova University’s Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment, and other Sexual Misconduct Policy.
A Police Oversight Committee provides vision, guidance and oversight to the delivery of police services to the Villanova University community.
Department Accreditation
In September 2019, the Villanova University Department of Public Safety was awarded accreditation by the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (PLEAC), becoming one of only 126 Pennsylvania police departments accredited by PLEAC. Accreditation is a progressive and time-proven way of helping police departments evaluate and improve their overall performance. The cornerstone of this strategy lies in the promulgation of standards containing a clear statement of professional objectives. Participating administrators then conduct a thorough analysis to determine how existing operations can be adapted to meet these objectives. When the procedures are in place, a team of independent professionals is assigned to verify that all applicable standards have been successfully implemented. The process culminates with a decision by an authoritative body that the institution is worthy of accreditation. For more information on police accreditation, visit the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Program website.
