Duties and Responsibilities

The St. Mary's University Police Department supports the University's mission, and the vision statement of the University Police Department is "together we can." Our vision statement indicates that "together we can" as members of the St. Mary's University Police Department exists to serve the community in a joint effort, where department members, students, faculty, staff, visitors, and neighbors of St. Mary's University create the reality of a safe and secure environment for this community. The mission of the St. Mary's University Police Department is to protect life and property, to understand and serve the needs of the community, to actively seek to identify community problems, to support the University's mission and to improve the quality of life in this community through innovative and creative measures, setting the trend for service to the community founded by the Society of Mary.

Whereas Section 51.212 (a) of the State of Texas Education Code provides that the governing Board of Trustees of respective private institutions of higher education, including private junior colleges, are authorized to employ and commission campus security personnel for the purpose of enforcing the laws of this state on the campuses of private institutions of higher education. Any officer commissioned under the provisions of this section is vested with all the powers, privileges and immunities of peace officers while on the property under control and jurisdiction of the respective private institution of higher education or otherwise in the performance of his/her assigned duties. St. Mary's University Police Officers are certified by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education as meeting the established training requirements of the State of Texas for Peace Officers, and make arrests pursuant to the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure for crimes defined in the Texas Penal Code. They are supported by three non-commissioned University Service Associates and three civilian staff members.

St. Mary's University Police Officers are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Patrol is conducted on foot and through the use of marked patrol vehicles and bicycles 24 hours a day.

The University Police Department is responsible for law enforcement, security and emergency response on campus, to include property owned, leased or otherwise under the control of the University. Crimes committed on campus and suspicious incidents that pose a threat to the University community are forwarded to the Investigations Division. Investigations may lead to the arrest of suspects, recovery of lost or stolen property, clearance of suspects of any wrong action, or recommendations and actions to improve the safety of the University community.

The University Police Department maintains close working relationships with the San Antonio Police Department, Bexar County Sheriff's Office, federal, state, and other law enforcement agencies, as well as the San Antonio Fire Department and Emergency Medical Service (EMS).