About ASU Police

The Police Department
The University Police Department is responsible for protecting life and property at Appalachian by providing emergency and non-emergency law enforcement services, crime prevention, safety, and criminal investigation services. The department consists of 21 full-time state commissioned Police Officers, nine civilian support staff and five Security Officers. The University Police Department is located in the Rivers Street Parking Deck. Should the need arise, our professional and courteous staff is ready to assist you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays.

Partnerships
Through partnerships we reach out to students, staff, faculty and other community groups. By working with student, staff and faculty leaders we hope to open better lines of communication to help us identify and solve crime and quality of life problems before they become major issues. We have permanently assigned police officers working with RAs and RDs in each campus housing community. We are also proud of our active partnership with the staff of Residence Life. By working together with R.A.s and R.D.s, we feel that we are making on-campus housing a safer and better place for students.

Pro-Active Patrolling
At Appalachian, patrolling means more than being mobile and highly visible, it means getting officers out of the patrol cars more often, so they can interact with students in a more positive manner. That is why we employ Bike Patrols and Foot Patrols as well as Motorized patrols. Our Bike Patrol Officers give us the ability to patrol areas not readily accessible by vehicles. They also give us the capability to respond to emergencies in these areas much faster than on foot. When on Foot Patrol, our officers check University buildings and doors to ensure they are locked and secure. They can also be seen providing security, crowd control and traffic control at special events on campus.

Officer Training and Education
Appalachian State University is striving to maintain a quality and professional Police Department. Many of our officers have college degrees, and we are increasing officer skills and professionalism through quality training programs. In addition to the technical skills officers learn in traditional training (such as radar, CPR, marksmanship and defensive driving), we have implemented a Community Oriented Police Training Program that teaches officers non-traditional subjects such as Conflict Management, Victim Sensitivity, Cultural Diversity, Problem Solving and Customer Relations.

University Police Authority and Jurisdiction
Appalachian State University Police officers are state certified by the North Carolina Criminal Justice Training and Standards Division. Our officers have complete police authority to apprehend and arrest anyone who violates North Carolina State law while on campus. When minor offenses involving University rules or regulations are committed by an Appalachian student, our officers may refer them to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs by issuing them a University Citation. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and other local law enforcement agencies may assist with investigations upon our request. By mutual aid agreements with the Boone Police Department and the Watauga County Sheriff's Department, our officers may enforce violations of North Carolina law off-campus when requested.

Criminal Activity Off Campus
Although University Police officers may enforce violations of North Carolina law off-campus when requested, Appalachian State University does not regulate the off-campus conduct of students. The University relies on local law enforcement agencies to handle off-campus crimes. However, the University reserves the right to address allegations of these crimes through the Code of Student Conduct when appropriate.