SANTA FE COLLEGE POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Santa Fe College Police Department is located on the Northwest Campus and operates 24 hours a day. The SF College Police Department has a full-time staff of sworn officers, security and dispatchers. The department operates under the authority of Florida Statute Section 1012.88 and has full law enforcement authority, including arrest powers for violations occurring on or in any property or facility of the college.
SF was the first and is still one of only four institutions in the Florida College System to have a police department. The Santa Fe College Police Department provides a full range of police services to the college community, including mobile and foot patrol, criminal investigation, special events management and safety escorts.
AWARD WINNING
• International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Leadership in Victim Services award, 2023
• Second place, Higher Education Department of the Year by the National Campus Safety Summit. 2020
• Named one of “Safest Colleges in America” by the National Council for Home Safety and Security. 2019
• “Special Recognition in Community Policing” from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the world’s largest law enforcement organization. 2016
• “Florida Crime Prevention Unit of the Year” from the Florida Crime Prevention Association. 2015
COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING
The Santa Fe College Police Department is committed to Community Oriented Policing. As such, the department works with every area of the college. Our officers work with the public to increase safety and security at the college. We have officers professionally trained and able to teach in many disciplines including active threat response, crime prevention, self-defense training such as RAD, and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), among other things. This training allows officers to recognize environmental factors that could reduce the opportunity for crime. Our officers work hand-inhand with facilities to identify potential problem areas and correct them. Additionally, our officers take the time to get to know and interact with our staff, faculty and students under positive circumstances. Our personnel take part in all aspects of our college community including participating in Student Life and community events. The SFPD also assists in providing food and clothing for those in need. These are just a limited number of the many services that our department offers to our college community.
SFPD SERVICES
The Police Department offers or supports a number of free services to students and college staff. In addition to those listed, staff can access cash and deposits security, be assigned keys, get help with building and room access, and pick up parking decals.
Bicycle Registration
By registering your bicycle with SFPD, you will help deter crimes, gain help in identification of lost or stolen bicycles, and help the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management to plan for bicycle parking and safety. Once you complete the registration form, you can stop by the Police Department, Building T, to pick up your decal.
Scan the QR Code below to view our free online bicycle registration form.
Safety Escort
Safety Escorts are available for nighttime security. To arrange an escort, call the department at 352395-5519.
Lost and Found
The Santa Fe College Police Department is charged with securing all items found on campus. Found items should be turned into the police department as soon as possible. Lost articles may be claimed Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. in Building T.
Bus Service
Regional Transit System (RTS) is free with your student ID. Buses stop at Northwest Campus in front of Building S. Bus route information is available at Building S, the Robertson Administration Building, the Safe Santa Fe app and go-rts.com.
Safe Santa Fe App
Download the Safe Santa Fe app for quick access to emergency contacts and safety resources. Find interactive, search maps as well as an alarm, location sharing and health and wellness services and more.
CAMPUS REGULATIONS
Parking and Traffic Control
• The speed limit on campus is 20 mph.
• SF does not require a decal for students or charge a fee for parking.
• Students are not permitted to park in faculty/staff lots. Faculty/staff parking is designated in blue.
• Disabled parking is enforced at all times. Parking violations are $100.
• Parking on the grass is prohibited except where signs expressly designate otherwise.
• Motorcycles must be parked in designated motorcycle zones.
• Bicycles must be parked in bicycle racks and may not be taken into buildings or parked anywhere other than in these racks. Bicycle traffic shall be restricted to roadways.
• Skateboards, scooters, roller skates, and in-line skates may not be ridden anywhere on the property of Santa Fe College.
Alcoholic Beverages
Under college policy, alcoholic beverages are prohibited on campus.
Smoking on Campus
Under college policy, smoking, tobacco use and electronic cigarette products are not permitted on campus.
RAPE AGGRESSION DEFENSE (RAD) PROGRAM
The Rape Aggression Defense program (RAD), is a self-defense course designed specifically for women. RAD is offered by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with the Santa Fe College Police Department. The program was founded in 1989 by a former campus police officer. Today the course is taught at more than 400 colleges and universities and has trained more than 150,000 women.
The RAD program’s instructional objective is to develop and enhance the options of self-defense so they become viable considerations for women if they are attacked. The RAD System begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and avoidance while progressing to the basics of hands-on self defense training. RAD is not a Martial Arts program. Because the class emphasizes awareness as well as selfdefense, it addresses the threat from both a stranger and an acquaintance perspective. The course differs from other self-defense programs in that it provides a foundation of risk reduction through avoidance strategies in addition to active defensive tactics.
The course is taught in three sections by law enforcement officers certified to provide RAD training. The class is free, but enrollment is limited to ensure the highest level of quality instruction. To register for RAD, contact the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office at 352-374-1800. Please provide your name, email address, phone number and which class dates you would like to attend. Remember, the class consists of three, four hours sessions. You need to attend all three sessions. Class schedules can be found at sfcollege.edu/pd.
S.A.F.E. PROGRAM
S.A.F.E. (an acronym for Self-defense Awareness and Familiarization Exchange) is an unparalleled two-hour educational awareness, crime-victim prevention program. S.A.F.E. encompasses strategies, techniques, options and prevention. S.A.F.E. provides teenage and adult women with information that may reduce their risk of exposure to violence and introduces them to the physical aspects of selfdefense.
Focusing on both mental and physical preparedness, S.A.F.E. provides women with solid public safety awareness information to incorporate into their everyday lives.
To schedule a S.A.F.E. class, contact the Santa Fe College Police Department at 352-395-5291.
VICTIM SERVICES
Building T • 352-395-5519
SF is committed to educating its students, faculty and staff about the realities of sexual assault and the means to prevent such assaults. SF provides programs for the college community periodically to educate and promote the awareness of rape and other forcible and non-forcible sex offenses.
The Victim Advocate provides a wide range of free services that are catered to each individual’s needs. Some services include: emotional support, crisis intervention, risk assessment and safety planning, resource referral, advocacy for special accommodations, wellness follow-up services, rights/policy/ procedural consultation, liaison between victims, services and third party organizations and case management.
Counselors at the Counseling and Wellness Center in Building S, Room 227 on the Northwest Campus, provide sexual assault prevention information through personal and relationship counseling. Prevention information is available to students, faculty and staff at the Counseling Center.
The Human Resources department coordinates victim assistance for employees and their families. Special assistance with leave, change of a victim’s academic situations and other personnel matters are made available.
Assistance to both students and staff may include services provided by external agencies, such as victim assistance programs of local law enforcement agencies.
Victims of sexual assault are encouraged to report such incidents to the appropriate law enforcement authorities, which may be on campus or local. College personnel will assist students in notifying the authorities when they request such assistance. SF will offer to serve as a resource and referral source in providing counseling and other appropriate assistance with academic, job-related, and personnel matters to any victim of sexual assault, whether or not the offense occurred on campus.
If you or someone you know is the victim of a crime, it is important that you contact agencies that can help you.
Alachua County Sheriff’s Office
2621 SE Hawthorne Road Gainesville, FL 32641
352-367-4000 • alachuasheriff.org
Alachua County Crisis Center
218 SE 24th Street, Gainesville, FL 32601 • 352-264-6789
alachuacounty.us/Depts/CSS/CrisisCenter/Pages/CrisisCenter.aspx
Alachua County Victim Services and Rape Crisis Center
218 SE 24th Street, Gainesville, FL 32601 • 352-264-6760
alachuacounty.us/Depts/CSS/VictimServices/Pages/VictimServices.aspx
Bradford County Sheriff’s Office
945-B North Temple Avenue, Stark, FL 32091
904-966-2276 • bradfordsheriff.org
Peaceful Paths
352-377-8255 • Toll Free: 1-800-500-1119 peacefulpaths.org
Report Rape Gainesville ReportRapeGainesville.org
State Attorney’s Office of Victim Services 120 West University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32601 352-374-3670 • sao8.org/location.html
Santa Fe College Counseling and Victim Services
Building R, Room 227 • 352-395-5508
COMMITMENT TO EQUAL ACCESS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
Santa Fe College (SF) is committed to maintaining a work and educational environment that embraces diversity and where no member of the college community is excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subject to discrimination in any college program or activity based on: their race, ethnicity, national origin, color, religion, age, disability, sex, pregnancy status, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information, political opinions or affiliations, or veteran status. This commitment applies to employees, volunteers, students, and, to the extent possible, to third parties, applicants for admission, applicants for employment, and the general public.
Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies or concerns about discrimination or harassment, including concerns about sexual harassment or sexual violence under Title IX, should be directed to SF’s Equity Officer and Title IX Coordinator, 3000 NW 83rd Street, R-Annex, Room 113, Gainesville, Florida 32606, 352-395-5950, equity.officer@sfcollege.edu.
INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION
Santa Fe College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Santa Fe College.
The purpose for publishing the Commission’s address and contact numbers is to enable interested constituents: to learn about the accreditation status of Santa Fe College, to file a third-party comment at the time of Santa Fe College’s decennial review, or to file a complaint against Santa Fe College for alleged non-compliance with a standard or requirement.
To find out more about the college’s accreditation status, visit the SACSCOC website and type in Santa Fe College in the Search By Institution Name or Keyword search box.
To learn more about college admission requirements, financial aid, educational programs, etc., please contact Santa Fe College directly.
