The men and women of the Department of Public Safety welcome you to the College of Charleston and our department webpage. The College of Charleston is the 13th oldest college in the nation and the first municipal college in the country. Its founders included three signers of the Declaration of Independence and three fathers of the U.S. Constitution. So as you can imagine, like the beautiful City in which we are located, the College is steeped in history and tradition.

Located in the heart of historic Charleston, with its thousands of visitors annually, coupled with the more than 12,000 students, faculty and staff that comprise our college community, our officers are well prepared for the challenges of policing in an urban setting such as ours. The Department of Public Safety is comprised of 66 dedicated men and women, 35 of whom are sworn law enforcement officers, certified by the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, with state-wide jurisdiction. The Department of Public Safety is comprised of three main units: Uniformed Patrol, Investigations/Crime Prevention and Fire & Life Safety. Our mission is to support the educational mission of the College of Charleston by providing a safe, orderly and secure environment where the students can learn, the faculty can teach and the staff can work to support the College’s learning and teaching environment. While reported crime at the College of Charleston is low, it is important for students, faculty, staff and visitors to be cognizant that we are located in an urban setting. Thus, it is incumbent upon each of us to take responsibility for ensuring our personal safety by practicing good crime prevention habits. The Department of Public Safety is here to provide a high level of service to the college community, however the safety and security of the College is the shared responsibility of the entire community.

It is important to note the Department of Public Safety is dedicated to providing a stable environment in which security is balanced with freedom of movement and most importantly, one in which individual rights are balanced with community needs. Our success is dependent upon the formation of a true partnership between the members of our department and the diverse population of students, faculty, staff and visitors who constitute our community. Through this partnership a respect for the needs and rights of the community can be recognized simultaneously with seeking new and better ways to reduce the opportunity for crime, increase safety awareness and promote a sense of communal concern for each other’s safety and well-being.

This web site offers a picture of the Department of Public Safety and its services. Students, faculty, staff and visitors can become safety-smart via Campus S.M.A.R.T.S.; provide important feedback and input for improving services; learn how to report a crime or just view our outstanding officers. We hope you enjoy this web site and find the information offered both helpful and useful. We also hope you enjoy the College of Charleston, as well as the City and its rich history.

For more information please feel free to call us at (843) 953-4980, email us at publicsafety@cofc.edu or just stop by our headquarters at 81-B St. Philip Street, which is located on the first level of the St. Philip Street Parking Garage.

Sincerely,

Paul V. Verrecchia
Chief/Director of Public Safety