Dear Members of the Temple University Community, 

In recent weeks, colleges and universities across the nation have faced the challenges of swatting incidents, active shooter hoaxes and actual threats. These situations, whether real or false, move fast. However, knowing the steps to take during these incidents empowers us all to stay safer.  

At Temple University, we remain committed to ensuring your safety through preparation, training and collaboration. Our police officers receive annual training in active intruder response, and our dispatchers are trained to manage these high-stakes situations with precision and professionalism. Each year, we review and update our policies and procedures on active intruder response to ensure they reflect best practices and evolving threats. We also train alongside the Philadelphia Police Department, knowing that incidents of this nature will prompt a significant regional law enforcement response. 

Preparedness is a team effort and we need you. Please take a few minutes to review and share these resources with your classmates and colleagues. 

Start here. 

• Watch the Community Safety Video and discuss it with your group. 
• We are offering monthly training sessions for departments, student orgs, administrative units, students, faculty and staff to cover how to respond during an active shooter or intruder incident and the role you play in keeping yourself and our campus safe. Please note, registration with your @temple.edu email address is required. The monthly sessions will occur over Zoom on the following dates and times. 
  • Monday, Sept. 29, at 11 a.m.
    • temple.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xUys2cmFTVerxPitNEcxXA 
  • Thursday, Oct. 23, at 3 p.m.
    • temple.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tplgb36dSOCRiLrZDI6E_g 
  • Thursday, Nov. 20, at 11 a.m.
    • temple.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_02uL3ScIReWmhcQzk_E8qw 
  • Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 3 p.m.
    • temple.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9MCs0FGmQEaZv3Ljm2oDmA 
• Download the TUSafe app. Use it to connect with Temple Police, report tips, request a walking escort, send an “I’m OK!” message to friends and family, and more. 

Your participation matters. The more prepared each of us is, the safer our entire community becomes. 

While we cannot always prevent hoaxes or threats, we can control how we prepare and respond. Safety is a shared responsibility, and readiness is key to ensuring the best possible outcomes in moments of crisis. By working together, police officers, dispatchers, faculty, staff and students strengthen the resilience of our entire university community. 

Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping Temple University safer. 

Sincerely,

Jennifer D. Griffin 
Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police