Safety, Security & Parking

Public Safety

Black Hills State University Public Safety enhances and protects the educational experience of members of the university community by promoting safety on campus. Awareness and concern for the well-being of students, faculty, and staff is always our top priority. As a service organization we are committed to fair, courteous, efficient public service, and respect for the individual.

The Black Hills State University Department of Public Safety assists local law enforcement in the enforcement of local, state, and federal laws. Additionally, Public Safety Officers enforce university regulations and policies. BHSU Public Safety oversees all BHSU property, including parking lots and streets.

BHSU Public Safety officers work closely with local, state, and federal police agencies and have direct radio communication with the Spearfish Police Department, Lawrence County Sheriff's Office, SD Highway Patrol, fire, ambulance, and other emergency agencies.

In coordination with local law enforcement agencies, and student and student organizations, off-campus criminal activity is monitored and recorded. This information is provided to the BHSU Public Safety Office and then is provided to the Dean of Students for any action or follow-up that may be required.

In instances where policy infractions may violate the Student Code of Conduct, BHSU Public Safety will refer the incident directly to the Dean of Students for any action or follow-up that may be required for a campus conduct response

Hate Crime Information

Hate Crimes are defined as a criminal offense against a person or property by an offender's bias against their race, religion, gender, ethnicity, disability, or sexual orientation.

Hate Crime information must be reported for each of the following crimes: criminal homicide, sex offense, robbery, aggravated assault, simple assault, burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft, vandalism, intimidation, arson, and for any other crime involving bodily injury.

Hate Crime Form

Clery Incident Report Form

Please use this form if you are an individual identified as a "Campus Security Authority" to report the required information about specified crimes pursuant to the federal Clery Act.

The information collected from these forms is used to prepare a compilation of statistical crime information for inclusion in the campus' Annual Security Report.

Begin Incident Report

Yellow Jacket Respect

I pledge to R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

R: Take responsibility and ownership to end sexual violence. It is each individual's responsibility to take action rather than being a bystander to the issue.
E: Establish what is acceptable in our community. We will not stand for anything that promotes sexual violence including crude comments toward both men and women.
S: Support everyone working together to end it. It is not an issue for only victims, it is a community issue that requires each of us to address it, stand up, and say NO MORE!
P: Protect and support victims. We will educate ourselves on community resources and be available to listen.
E: Express that enough is enough and that it is time to take action.
C: Change how the Yellow Jacket community views what is the norm. Together we stand up against sexual violence and support the health of our community.
T: Talk openly about it. Vow to bring an end to victim shame and stigma while speaking up against sexual violence.

I will stand up against sexual violence and personally take ownership of bringing about change in our community.