Changes coming Dec. 16 to campus' duress alarms
Effective January 1, 2025, the University Police Department will transition to What-Comm 911 for emergency and non-emergency dispatch services. This move aligns Western’s University Police Department (UPD) with other local agencies and enables a more comprehensive approach to public safety.
This transition is expected to enhance safety measures, maintain the department’s high level of service, and reduce costs while supporting the university community and the critical work of our university police.
By partnering with What-Comm 911, Western will benefit from improved inter-agency communication, have access to advanced dispatch technology, and increase resilience during high-demand situations. Please note that the non-emergency number for reaching the University Police will remain (360) 650-3555, and you should continue to call 911 for emergencies.
As part of this transition, we have evaluated the various services previously managed by UPD Dispatch to determine which should be handled by What-Comm 911 and which will be managed in an alternative way. One significant change involves monitoring alarms, a task typically not undertaken by consolidated dispatch centers. To address this, we have partnered with Guardian Security, who will begin monitoring fire and security alarms on Western’s main campus starting January 1, 2025.
With the priority of increasing the university community’s safety, some alarm-response changes will occur. While most alarms you are familiar with will continue to be supported, we are phasing out individual duress alarms. Over the past 20 years, police tactics, mobile communication, and safety best practices have evolved significantly. The duress alarms throughout Western’s main campus reflect an outdated approach to the emergent need for police services. Contacting police services using a duress alarm adds considerable response time over using 911 in an emergency.
Beginning December 16, all duress alarms will be disabled and unusable. Decreasing the number of false alarms and ensuring that staff use the most effective means to communicate a need for police services will strengthen safety and police effectiveness. Those impacted have been advised of the upcoming change.
If you need the police, calling 911 and providing necessary information to the responding emergency personnel is always the best response. What-Comm 911 also has a text-to-911 capability, How to Text to 911. You can use the Western SAFE app, which can be downloaded to your mobile device to access police services 24/7 and 911 for emergencies. Download the Western SAFE app here.
We are committed to ensuring a smooth and seamless transition for our university community and will provide updates as needed. As always, the University Police Department remains dedicated to maintaining a safe and secure environment for our students, faculty, and staff.
For additional information, please refer to the Q&A on the UPD dispatch transition page.