Police in Our Community
Police officers maintain a safe environment for the community. You may see officers from the UC Davis Police Department on campus, Davis Police Department around town in Davis, or Sacramento Police Department in Sacramento. Other law enforcement agencies in the area include the California Highway Patrol, which ensures safety on highways and freeways, and county Sheriff's Offices, which are responsible for entire counties, such as Sacramento County or Yolo County.
How to Identify Law Enforcement Officers
Law enforcement officers are highly trained and authorities in the community. Your interaction with the police will likely be none or minimal. You may recognize them by their uniforms. Campus and city police officers dress in dark uniforms, and CHP and Sheriff officers wear lighter tan uniforms. All agencies wear a badge and their department insignia, as well as boots, and some may wear protective vests. Officers are highly trained and often visibly carry weapons, including pepper spray and firearms, which are intended for use only in critical law enforcement situations.
UC Davis Police Department
How to Report a Crime
In an emergency, when a crime or emergency is in progress, and you need immediate assistance, please call 911 or, if you are on campus, call the UC Davis Police Department's emergency line: 530-752-1230 for the Davis Campus and 916-734-2555 for the Sacramento Campus.
To report crimes not in progress, the UC Davis Police Department has an online system that allows you to submit a report and print a copy of your preliminary report. Learn more on the Online Crime Reporting webpage.
If you experience or witness an incident of hate, bias, discrimination, or harassment, please report it. You can do so anonymously if you choose. Learn more about how to report a hate or bias incident.
Blue Light Emergency Call Stations
More than 20 blue light emergency call stations are installed throughout the Davis campus for student safety. By pushing the button on the station, users are connected directly to the campus police department's dispatch center, where a group of individuals monitors emergencies to coordinate an appropriate response. Dispatchers can send officers or firefighters as needed.
Safety and the Law
Handling Driving Infractions ("Tickets")
Know your rights regarding traffic tickets for moving violations, such as driving over the speed limit or running a red light. If you owe money or want to challenge a ticket, it is important to respond quickly within the dates identified on the tickets. Your car insurance rates may go up for infractions for which you are found guilty.
Note: Parking tickets are not considered to be "moving violations."
Alcohol and Tobacco Use
In the United States, the minimum drinking age is 21. Consuming alcohol before turning 21 is illegal and could result in legal action. Drunk driving is a serious criminal offense that can result in high fines, jail time, and having your driver's license suspended. For international students and scholars, legal trouble could affect your visa status and result in revocation.
Under California law, you must be 21 years of age or older to purchase tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco and electronic smoking devices.
UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus.
Drug Use
Illegal drugs and the abuse of prescription drugs (for example, prescription drugs that are not prescribed to you by a doctor) are punishable by jail time and/or costly fines. Legal trouble can also impact your visa status and result in revocation.
Although cannabis (marijuana) is legal in the state of California for adults 21 and older, the use or possession of marijuana remains illegal under U.S. federal law. Immigration laws governing your visa reflect the standards of U.S. federal law. You can be deported or barred from entry into the U.S. for evidence of marijuana use or planned marijuana use.
When you enter the U.S. at an airport or border, your social media accounts, texts and emails are all subject to search. Evidence of cannabis use (such as photos or texts to friends about buying or using it) can be reason enough for agents to refuse entry.
University of California policy prohibits cannabis on campus and in campus housing at all times.
UC Davis WarnMe
If there is an emergency on campus or in the area, the WarnMe system will communicate the nature of the emergency, provide instructions, and, if available, refer you to a source for more information. WarnMe uses students' UC Davis email addresses and faculty and staff work contact information to send alerts. Students and scholars should sign up and add their cell phones for text messages. International subscribers can receive WarnMe messages by email and through the Everbridge app.
Preventing Scams and Fraud
Scams are dishonest, illegal attempts to make money off of unsuspecting people. We hope you will never be contacted by someone attempting to scam or defraud you, but unfortunately, there are people who attempt to take advantage of international students and scholars. Learn how to identify a scam and avoid falling victim to one.