About Us

Department members regularly patrol campus on foot and in cruisers, and they respond to emergencies. Public Safety reports to the Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration. Public Safety officers are unarmed and non-sworn. Therefore, they don’t have the power to make arrests but work closely with local law-enforcement agencies. Public Safety officers have the authority to stop individuals on campus and to request identification. They also can issue parking tickets and notices of trespass.

Our staff includes the Associate Vice President of Safety, an Associate Director of Public Safety, an Assistant Director of Dispatch Operations, a Lieutenant, three full-time Sergeants, an Operations Manager, a part-time Investigator, Patrol Officers, Telecommunications staff and on-call special-events staff.

Mission

The mission of the Department of Public Safety is to support the educational goals of the college by delivering services that enhance and protect the college community.  An environment conducive to learning requires a commitment from each student, faculty member, staff member, and visitor to uphold the ideals of community living.  It is the role of the members of the Department of Public Safety to ensure that those ideals are held in high regard by enforcing College policies, laws and ordinances, protecting property and persons, and offering services that contribute to an effective living and learning environment.

Agreement with Law Enforcement

Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT

Public Safety has a cooperative agreement with the Middlebury Police Department in the areas of patrol operations, criminal investigation, service of warrants, and parking enforcement, and events security. The Department of Public Safety has an MOU with the Middlebury Police Department, Addison County Sheriff’s Dept. and Vermont State Police regarding events and demonstrations on campus.

Public safety immediately reports serious crimes and missing persons to the Middlebury Police and provides the department with reports of crimes on campus in accordance with college policies. Public Safety informs and encourages victims and witnesses to report criminal acts and suspicious behaviors to the Middlebury Police. When the police must arrest people on campus, Public Safety offers its assistance and cooperation.

The Middlebury Police Department also works closely with Public Safety when notifications must be made to inform and protect the campus community. MPD may provide Public Safety officers with training in local-ordinance education and enforcement, traffic safety and enforcement, special equipment use, and other areas of mutual interest or responsibility.

Bread Loaf Campus, Ripton, Vermont

The Bread Loaf campus has a caretaker living on the property and Bread Loaf administrators living on the Ripton campus during the Bread Loaf School of English. The Bread Loaf Emergency Line is x 2911 from a Bread Loaf phone, or 802-443-2911 from an outside line. The Bread Loaf Front Desk or the Bread Loaf maintenance offices will answer the line during the day or evening, and after hours the line will roll over to the Middlebury College Public Safety Office in Middlebury, which is staffed at all times during the summer.

The Vermont State Police provide law enforcement for Ripton and Bread Loaf. They will respond to the Bread Loaf campus for any police emergency and can be reached by calling 911 from any phone. Public Safety has a good working relationship with the Vermont State Police, but the two do not have a memorandum of understanding.

The Ripton Volunteer Fire Department will respond to any report of fire at Bread Loaf, and the Bread Loaf campus buildings are equipped with fire alarm systems that send a signal to the Public Safety office on the main campus. The Bread Loaf Inn is equipped with a very loud air-raid siren.