September 17, 2025
Dear Members of the HLS Community,
As I do each fall, I am writing to remind all members of the HLS community of our available campus safety and security resources.
To that end, please review carefully the HLS Safety & Security Information Sheet, which summarizes the steps you should take in any emergent situation; the HLS Emergency Information page; and the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) Safety and Security Guide. Please keep these resources bookmarked for easy reference.
Please be aware that Harvard and HLS also have robust safety protocols for supporting the many events that occur on campus each year. Any community member with questions about the safety arrangements for an event they are planning should contact the HLS Office of Event Scheduling and Support at events@law.harvard.edu.
In addition, we ask that all members of our community please be sure to review HUPD’s guidance on how to respond in an active shooter or other violent attack situation. This includes an eight-minute safety and security video and the related two minute video tutorial that covers the “run, hide, fight” protocol, which is an essential personal safety strategy for responding to any exigent situation, whether on campus or elsewhere.
Please remember that — as HUPD regularly advises — the safety and security of our community is a shared responsibility. We ask that you assist us by making sure to:
- Save the number for the HUPD on your phone now: 617-495-1212.
- Sign up for MessageMe, the University’s tool to communicate with the Harvard community when there is an imminent or critical public safety issue. You can sign up for alerts or update your contact information at messageme.harvard.edu. (The annual test of the MessageMe system by the University was performed today for those of you who are already registered for this service.)
Finally and most importantly, should an emergency arise on campus – whether security-related, medical, or otherwise – please call HUPD at 617-495-1212 or dial 911. Securitas personnel are also available for questions and assistance.
We hope this information is helpful. Thank you for taking the time to familiarize yourself with these important resources and for doing your part to contribute to our collective wellbeing.
Best,
Tracee
L. Tracee Whitley
Dean for Administration
Harvard Law School