Public Safety offers a variety of routine services to assist the Middlebury College community.

Please note that emergency response takes preference over routine services.

For life-threatening emergencies call 911.

Medical Transports and Safety Escort Services

Medical Transports

Tri-Valley Transit - 802-388-2287  

Tri Valley Transit (TVT) accepts student requests for transportation to medical/dental appointments around Middlebury, to Burlington and other locations with advanced notice.

Students with an appointment known in advance should call TVT, identify themselves as a Middlebury student and ask for assistance in scheduling a ride.  The scheduler will work with the student to determine the appropriate option to accommodate their request.  

Many appointment needs may be met by utilizing an existing public transit bus route schedule.

For medical transport requests to Porter Hospital or the Center for Health and Wellness, please contact the Department of Public Safety at 802-443-5133. Emergency response takes preference over routine services.

Safety Escorts

Public Safety officers on patrol will provide walking safety escorts to and from on-campus locations during the hours of darkness when personal safety is a concern.

Bike Lock Removal

Public Safety officers can remove some types of bike locks upon request. Kryptonite locks are not able to be removed as specialized equipment is required. Proof of ownership is required for unregistered bicycles.

Lost and Found

If you believe one of your possessions was stolen, please contact the Department of Public Safety to file a report.

Currently, there is not a single location for all Lost and Found items. The information below may help in recovering your lost item.

If you have accidentally left an item in a specific room or area, your best bet for locating it is to first check the area thoroughly. If your item was lost in a dining hall or cash op (i.e. the Grille, Wilson Cafe, etc…), ask the staff in that area as each dining hall may have their own lost and found. If the item was lost in an academic space, ask one of the staff or faculty members with an office in that building if there is a designated location for lost & found. Many buildings designate a coordinator or receptionist to hold items.

Designated Lost and Found Locations on Campus

  • Library Circulation Desks: Main (x2000) and Armstrong (x5449)
  • Kenyon Front Desk at the Athletics Complex (x5250)
  • Box Office at the Mahaney Center for the Arts
  • Axinn Center (Rm 243)
  • McCardell Bicentennial Hall (Rm 330)
  • Twilight Hall - office of Trish Dougherty (Rm 202)
  • Department of Public Safety: Valuables such as jewelry, cameras, ipods, cell phones, wallets, keys, and identification are secured within the Public Safety office. Please ask at the counter for assistance.
  • Facilities Services (x5472) may also be a good resource for locating lost items.

Tips for Increasing Recovery

If a lost item is turned in to Public Safety, and the owner can be identified, an e-mail will be sent notifying him/her that it has been found and should be promptly retrieved. To increase the chance that a lost item is returned, please consider some of the following tips:

  • Cell phones: make sure that “Mom”, “Dad”, and/or “Home” are programmed in the address book, as this will allow us to contact a parent or other relative to determine the rightful owner. Also, if you stop at Public Safety bring the cell phone charger with you. Often times, cell phones are turned in with a very low or dead battery. Powering up a phone is often necessary to verify ownership.
  • iPods: have your name engraved on the back and make sure that your contact information is stored in the iPod’s owner information.
  • Flash drives (or other external hard drives): save a file called “owner information.txt” or “owner info.doc” with some basic information.

Check in from time to time with the Public Safety Office as it may take a few days (or even weeks) for other departments to deliver lost & found items to DPS. Often times they will hang onto items for a while as they are the closest location to where the item was originally lost.

Storage Information

Bicycle Storage

For more information on Bicycle Storage, Contact the Student Run Bike Shop.

Weapons Policy and Storage Information

The use and possession of weapons are prohibited on Middlebury property and at Middlebury sponsored events, including in motor vehicles. Antique, imitation, and replicas of weapons are also prohibited unless they are possessed or stored in accordance to the Exceptions section below. Discovery of a weapon on Middlebury property or carried by a person (openly or concealed) on Middlebury property, or at Middlebury sponsored events, or any other violation of the weapons policy, shall result in confiscation of the weapon. Disciplinary action against the owner and/or person in possession may be taken, which may include but not be limited to removal from Middlebury property, arrest, expulsion, suspension, probation, discipline, dismissal or termination.

This policy applies to all faculty, staff, students, employees, and visitors at all Middlebury property, including those who have a valid permit to carry a concealed weapon. This policy shall not apply to a law enforcement officer while engaged in law enforcement duties, or an active duty member of the armed forces.

Definitions of key terms are provided below.

Exceptions

  1. Matriculated students and students enrolled in a Middlebury program and living on a Vermont campus are permitted, in accordance with Vermont law, to possess weapons for hunting and sporting related activities only, such as target practice. Assault weapons and semi-automatic weapons with rapid-fire capability are expressly prohibited. A handgun is only allowed to be on campus if it is a duty weapon issued or authorized by the student-owner’s employer. 
  2. All permitted weapons must be registered with and stored at the Department of Public Safety located at 125 South Main Street, Middlebury, Vermont. Requirements for storage in Vermont can be found on the Department of Public Safety website. The Institute of International Studies at Monterey does not allow or provide for weapons storage.
  3. Due to their realistic likeness to weapons and potential for causing community alarm, possession or use of toy or replica weapons in a Middlebury-sanctioned activity or academic program must be approved in advance by the Director of Public Safety in Middlebury, or Campus Security in Monterey.

Definitions

  • “Explosive” is defined as any material, liquid, or substance that causes a sudden, instantaneous release of air, pressure, gas, and heat, including bombs, grenades, rockets and fireworks.
  • “Firearm” is defined as any weapon, whether loaded or unloaded, which will expel a projectile by the action of an explosive such as but not limited to a pistol, revolver, handgun, rifle (bolt action, lever action, pump action, semi-automatic, and single-shot), gun, machine gun or shotgun.
  • “Knife” is defined as a blade six inches or longer in length or with blades less than six inches that, by design, can be used as weapons, such as switchblades or double-edged blades.
  • “Middlebury property” is defined as any property, facility, or grounds owned, leased, controlled or subcontracted by Middlebury. This includes the campuses of Middlebury College, Bread Loaf, and the Institute of International Studies at Monterey, as well as the Middlebury C.V. Starr Schools Abroad.
  • “Weapon” is defined as any firearm, explosive, knife, sword, club, bow or other object that has been designed with the intent to inflict bodily harm or physical damage to property.

Storage

The Department of Public Safety provides weapon storage for the exceptions noted above. 

  1. In order to store a weapon, contact the Department of Public Safety (802.443.5133) to arrange an appointment date and time.
  2. Storage is limited to one weapon per student (owner).
  3. Owner must provide a soft case for the storage of their weapon.
    • If the weapon is a firearm, a chamber locking device must be provided and attached by the owner.
  4. A Middlebury College weapon permit may be issued for one academic year or the length of the student’s program.
  5. Owner must make an appointment to remove or return the weapon to storage during the academic term.
  6. Owner must claim and remove their weapon from campus at the close of the academic term or at the time they move out of campus student housing.
  7. Any request to store more than one weapon must be submitted in writing to the director of Public Safety at least 15 business days prior to the start of the academic program.
  8. Any violation of this policy will result in the loss of the privilege to store a weapon on campus and may result in disciplinary action.

Lockout Services

The Department of Public Safety may be able to provide access to buildings or spaces when a person becomes locked out. In order to protect the privacy and security of a space, the owner or person responsible for the space must be present.

Academic Building Lockout

Department heads or department assistants are the primary contacts for lockouts in academic spaces. If no one is available, Public Safety will allow a faculty or staff member into their assigned space only. The Department is unable to allow students or others who are not assigned to that space access to locked academic areas without permission from the owner. Identification will be requested.

Residence Hall Lockouts

Individuals that are locked out of their dorm rooms will need to first check the housing portal for their touch code.  If the touch code is not available or the individual does not have access to an electronic device to log into housing portal, they will need to contact a Residential life staff member to assist them. If the residential life staff member is not available an Officer can assist. There may be a $10.00 fee for this service. Officers will request identification before allowing access to any residential room.

Note: When residence halls are closed for the holiday break, Public Safety will not be able to provide access unless the student is on the approved list from the residential life office. 

Rooms/Buildings for Events

Certain rooms (ex. lecture halls) and buildings are approved for after-hour events; arrangements must be made with the Department of Event Management. If Public Safety receives a room reservation request, or request form, an officer will open spaces for events. Areas which are not reserved will not be opened. 

Classrooms

Classrooms are under the control of particular departments. Public Safety generally does not unlock (or lock) all classrooms. Some rooms have specific equipment that requires them to be locked and unlocked by the department; other classrooms are typically open. Department chairs or assistants should be contacted to access locked rooms.

Motor Vehicles

Public Safety has tools that may provide access to locked motor vehicles. However, there is no guarantee that a vehicle can be opened. The person requesting the lockout must provide proof of ownership of the vehicle and must sign a waiver before Public Safety can attempt to open it.

Note: Public Safety’s tools will not open trunks; they only work on the passenger area of a vehicle

Display of American Flag

President Biden has proclaimed December 7, 2023 as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day and has urged all Federal agencies and interested organizations, groups and individuals to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff on this date in honor of those American patriots who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor (see the complete Presidential Proclamation at:  https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/12/06/a-proclamation-on-national-pearl-harbor-remembrance-day-2023/).

In observance of this proclamation, the American flags on campus will be at half-staff on 12/7/23.

Department of Public Safety
125 South Main St.
Middlebury, VT 05753