OHSU Police
Our agency
OHSU Police is the primary law enforcement and public safety resource for OHSU. Our mission is to provide responsive, collaborative, and professional policing that results in a safe environment for all members of OHSU's community. Our agency receives its police powers under the Oregon Revised Statues (Section 353.125). Police officers commissioned under this section may enforce criminal laws and any administrative rules and policies adopted by the university, and have all the authority and immunity of a peace officer or police officer of this state. Originating as a long-standing public safety agency on campus, the 2007 mass shooting at Virginia Tech drove the institution to create a task force that ultimately concluded an armed police presence on campus was necessary to be ready to respond to a similar incident, but also continue to perform all services required for campus and community safety at a premier academic health center. The Department of Public Safety certified its first police officer February 2012 and we now have an agency of over 30 state certified police officers.
Our training
- All OHSU Police Officers go through standard Oregon State DPSST Police Training and Certification
- Supplemental initial training also includes 132 hour training on de-escalation, crisis communication, Crisis Intervention Training (interaction with persons in behavior health crisis), lawful encounters, active shooter intervention, trauma informed and culturally responsive policing, use of force decision making, weapons retention, OHSU policy as well as advanced skills training
- Annual training is approximately 30 hours quarterly (120 hours annually) to ensure level is training is current and officer competency continuously improving
Our law enforcement services
- Crime in Progress, Violent Incident Response
- Active Shooter Response
- Police, Fire, Emergency Medical Liaison
- Threat Assessment Team, Major Event Support
- Training and Policy Work
- Animal Welfare Activism and Protest Management
- Victim Assistance, Safety Planning and Support
- Missing Persons, Child Abduction Prevention
- Irradiator and Animal Care Response
- Clery and UCR Compliance, Reporting
- Emergency Medical Response
- Investigations, Unwanted Persons, Trespass
- Traffic Crashes and Control
- Lost, Found and Abandoned Property
Recruitment
Are you interested in becoming an OHSU Police Officer?
- Go to https://policecareers-ohsu.icims.com to see any Police Officer openings we may have.
- Go to https://www.ohsu.edu/human-resources to see any other positions within Public Safety
- Fill out a Ride Along Request Form and see what we do every day.
- Questions? - please send an email to dpsrecruitment@ohsu.edu
Chief's message
Welcome to Oregon Health and Science University. The OHSU Police Department would like to welcome you, and endeavors to provide you and the entire OHSU community a safe and secure environment. Your safety is our top priority. Our role in serving this community incorporates customer service and encompasses performing our daily functions consistent with OHSU values and in an exemplary manner that exceeds community expectations. Our police officers, community service officers, telecommunicators, command staff and support personnel are dedicated and skilled in their respective roles and truly seek to provide the highest level of law enforcement and public safety services. Our training and culture is built from the ground up to specialize in the interactions that occur in our unique environment, including crisis communication, de-escalation, interactions with persons in behavioral health crisis, trauma informed care and cultural responsiveness. We pride ourselves on being closely connected to our community and hope that you will engage with us if we can be of service in any way. I encourage you to browse our website for information on our department, and if you have any questions or concerns, please contact us directly at the email or telephone numbers listed.
Thank you,
Heath Kula
Chief of Police