Illinois Institute of Technology continuously strives to provide services designed to keep our campus safe. In support of this effort, the IIT Public Safety Department (IITPSD) offers security escorts to IIT faculty, staff, and students in situations where individuals have a significant concern about their personal safety.
The following updated policy for the IIT Main Campus Public Safety Escort Service will be effective beginning Monday, February 16. Please note that 1) security escorts are not a convenience in lieu of other transportation options such as taxi/car services and the CTA; 2) requests that are not safety-related will not be accepted; and 3) IIT’s regular intercampus shuttle service is also available to faculty, staff, and students. For information, click here.
IIT Main Campus Public Safety Escort Policy
A Public Safety officer will escort members of the IIT community to any IIT facility on Main Campus if individuals express a significant concern about their personal safety. Security escorts to off-campus locations from Main Campus will also be available, during specific hours, to a limited number of destinations. As previously noted, such security escorts are not in lieu of taking public transportation or using a taxi/car service.
New Security Escort Request Telephone Number
To keep emergency phone lines open, IITPSD has activated a new security escort request number, 312.808.6310.
Priority
Security escorts are provided on an as-available basis and are based on priority. Requests for security escorts to on-campus locations will be given first priority, particularly security escorts between university facilities and residence halls, oncampus parking lots, and public transportation sites. Escorts to off-campus locations will be given using a specific Public Safety vehicle, and such escorts will be only to specific sites in the local area.
Hours of Service
On-campus security escorts may be requested at any time if students, faculty, or staff express a significant concern about their personal safety.
Off-campus security escorts are available between the hours of 7 p.m.–3 a.m. for students, faculty, and staff. If an off-campus security escort is requested outside of these hours, it must be for a specific safety concern and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
On-Campus Escorts
On-campus security escorts may take several forms. A Public Safety officer on bike patrol may ride next to you. An officer on foot may walk with you to your destination on campus, or an officer may follow you or drive you to your destination in a marked patrol car.
Off-Campus Escorts
Off-campus security escorts will be by vehicle only. Beginning this semester, IITPSD has put into service a new Chrysler Town & Country van to improve our capacity to provide security escorts to off-campus locations—and IITPSD has added an officer to its team solely for the purpose of operating this van during peak hours. Our previous practice of using other Public Safety vehicles for security escorts to off-campus destinations has been discontinued.
Off-campus security van escorts begin from a central pick-up point and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. The van will leave Galvin Library (Sunday through Thursday nights) and Hermann Hall’s southeast entrance (Friday and Saturday nights) at regular intervals from 7 p.m.–3 a.m. Passengers will be dropped off at the following off-campus locations, making one stop at each location as necessary based on the destinations of the passengers in the van:
• 32nd and Rhodes (Lake Meadows)
• 29th and Vernon (Prairie Shores)
• 2941 S. Indiana (South Commons)
• 31st and Normal (Bridgeport)
• 35th and Halsted (Bridgeport)
At Galvin Library, please wait in line at the south end of the lobby, opposite the circulation desk, Sunday through Thursday nights. At Hermann Hall, please wait at the southeast entrance, Friday and Saturday nights. The van will pick up passengers on a first-come, first-served basis. The number of people waiting for the escort van may exceed its capacity, and this will result in longer waits, especially during peak periods.
The van is expected to make approximately two round trips per hour, depending upon how many passenger destinations are requested and traffic conditions. The exact time of arrival and departure, however, cannot be guaranteed.
Miscellaneous
IIT identification must be shown in order to receive security escorts. No alcoholic beverages or controlled substances are permitted in the vehicles.
If you have questions, please call the Public Safety security escort number at 312.808.6310.