Michigan State University Police and Public Safety

What Michigan State University Police and Public Safety does

Michigan State University Police and Public Safety (MSU DPPS) is the state-certified, full-authority law enforcement agency serving Michigan State University's East Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Flint campuses. Established in 1927 and operating 24/7 with 69 sworn officers and 60+ professional staff, the department delivers a comprehensive suite of public safety services including patrol, criminal investigation, emergency notification, survivor support, behavioral health crisis response, parking enforcement, and special event security to students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors. Funding flows entirely through the Michigan State University operating budget; the department does not generate commercial revenue, and ancillary fees (parking, fingerprinting, background checks) are immaterial.

The department's technology portfolio centers on the SafeMSU mobile application (emergency alerts, virtual friend walk, What3Words location sharing, Safe Ride/NightOwl transportation integration, police tip submission), the MSU Alert mass notification system (text/email/phone/AVAYA VoIP/Green Light phones/outdoor sirens), a 24/7 Security Operations Center, and safety infrastructure including walk-through metal detectors at Spartan Stadium, Breslin Center, Munn Ice Arena, and the Tennis Center, plus hundreds of classroom door-lock installations. Supporting programs include the P.E.A.C.E. Team (joint with East Lansing PD), comfort canines (River and Beau), a trauma-informed soft interview room, a Police Social Worker Unit, Special Victims Unit, Community Care Unit, and the legislative MSU Police Oversight Committee under Michigan Public Act 120.

Following the February 13, 2023 active violence incident, MSU DPPS undertook a structural capability expansion across physical security, mass communication redundancy, and community wellness programming. The department holds Clery Act compliance responsibility and pursues Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) standards, evidenced by full-scale exercises and systematic alert system testing. The department is operationally embedded in a mutual aid network of 46+ law enforcement agencies and 30+ fire/EMS partners, and is structurally subordinate to MSU's Vice President and Chief Safety Officer, currently Marlon Lynch.

Name

Michigan State University Police and Public Safety

Legal name

Michigan State University Department of Police and Public Safety

Website

https://dpps.msu.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Michigan State University Police and Public Safety is the state-certified, full-authority university police department serving MSU's East Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Flint campuses, operating 24/7 with 69 officers and 60+ staff to provide law enforcement, emergency notification, survivor support, and community policing to the Spartan community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Campus Public Safety and Law Enforcement

NAICS

Police Protection (922120)

akta.pro primary industry

School Resource Officer (SRO) & Law Enforcement Liaison Services (EDAEACAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Disaster Medical Assistance & Field Care (DMAT/Field Hospitals) (HLAJAGAE)

Keywords

• Campus law enforcement
• Emergency notification systems
• Public safety services
• Survivor support services
• Parking enforcement

Headquarters

HQ city

East Lansing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Safety Services: University police department funded through Michigan State University operating budget. Services provided to campus community as a public safety function of the university.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MSU DPPS provides 24/7 law enforcement, emergency response, crime prevention, and community policing services to the Michigan State University campus community. Core offerings include patrol and investigative services, the SafeMSU mobile safety app, a multi-channel MSU Alert mass notification system, survivor and victim support through specialized units, parking enforcement, special event security, and community engagement programs. The department is funded through the Michigan State University operating budget and serves students, faculty, staff, and visitors across the East Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Flint campuses.

Product overview

Michigan State University Police and Public Safety operates as a comprehensive campus public safety department offering a unified portfolio of technology-enabled safety services and community-focused programs. The core technology products include the SafeMSU mobile application (providing emergency alerts, virtual friend walk, and transportation integrations), the MSU Alert mass notification system (delivering alerts via text, email, phone, desk phones, and outdoor sirens), and the Security Operations Center (providing 24/7 centralized monitoring). Supporting services include Spartan Security for event protection, comfort canine and soft interview room programs for survivor support, the P.E.A.C.E. Team for proactive community engagement, Police Social Worker Unit for behavioral health response, and the MSU Police Oversight Committee for accountability. Safety infrastructure includes metal detectors at major venues and door lock installations. The department serves approximately 69 officers, 60+ professional staff, and operates 24/7 to protect the MSU campus community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SafeMSU App: A mobile safety application providing emergency alerts, safe rides, virtual friend walk, and location sharing for the Spartan community.
• Comfort Dog Program
• P.E.A.C.E. Team
• MSU Police Oversight Committee

Products and services

• SafeMSU App Mobile safety application providing emergency alerts, virtual friend walk, one-touch emergency calls, access to Safe Ride and NightOwl transportation, police tip submission, and What3Words location sharing for faster first responder response. Available on iOS and Android for MSU students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
• MSU Alert Mass Notification System Comprehensive mass notification system delivering emergency alerts and timely warnings via text, email, phone calls, the SafeMSU app, AVAYA desktop phones, MSU Green Light emergency phones, and outdoor siren system. Operates in compliance with Clery Act timely warning and emergency notification requirements.
• Security Operations Center (SOC) Centralized 24/7 security monitoring facility that resolves incidents in real time and coordinates emergency response across the MSU campus.
• Spartan Security Event security and patrol services staffed by MSU DPPS personnel for campus events and university functions.
• Fingerprinting Services Fingerprinting services offered to students, faculty, staff, and community members for background checks and identification purposes.
• Police Records and Background Checks Access to police records and background check services for campus community members and authorized requests.
• Active Violence Incident (AVI) Training Online and in-person training for active violence situations, available to all MSU students, faculty, and staff on the AbilityLMS training platform. Includes video and knowledge checkpoint questions.
• Door Lock Installations New door locks installed in classrooms and teaching lab spaces across campus, allowing occupants to lock doors from inside while still allowing emergency personnel to enter.
• Walk-through Metal Detectors at Athletic Venues Walk-through metal detection systems installed at Spartan Stadium, Breslin Center, Munn Ice Arena, and MSU Tennis Center for enhanced venue security screening.
• Security Cameras Security camera installations deployed across campus as part of the university's safety and security portfolio.
• Comfort Canine Program Animal-assisted intervention program featuring comfort canines (Beau and River) working with DPPS personnel to provide emotional support, attend campus events, and build community connections.
• P.E.A.C.E. Team Proactive Engagement and Community Enhancement Team — a collaborative unit between MSU DPPS and the East Lansing Police Department that responds to incidents, initiates police activity, and engages communities based on crime statistics and community concerns, with a focus on de-escalation and crisis intervention.
• MSU Police Oversight Committee
• Soft Interview Room Trauma-informed interview room at DPPS headquarters providing a calming environment with soft decor, comfortable seating, and audio/video equipment for survivors meeting with police.
• DPPS Police Social Worker Unit
• Special Events Services
• Car Seat Safety Check
• Clery Crime and Fire Log
• Ride Along Program
• Community Program Participation
• Special Victims Unit
• Community Care Unit
• Investigations Unit
• Parking Services

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MSU Center for SurvivorscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2024Partnership for trauma-informed support services for survivors of sexual assault and other crimes. The Center also has its own trauma-informed interview room, allowing survivors to have follow-up meetings at either location.
• Paws with a Cause (PAWS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPAWS is a program based in Wayland, Michigan dedicated to enhancing independence and improving quality of life through custom-trained Assistance Dogs. MSU DPPS partners with PAWS for comfort/therapy canine program. Dogs like River and Beau are trained through PAWS and placed with MSU DPPS to provide emotional support, attend campus events, and foster positive community interactions.
• East Lansing Police Department (ELPD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative policing partnership through the P.E.A.C.E. Team (Proactive Engagement and Community Enhancement Team). Joint team responds to incidents, initiates police activity, and engages with communities based on crime statistics and community concerns. Team consists of MSU DPPS and ELPD officers working Thursday through Saturday evenings.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• UCLA Police Department: Sworn police agency serving UCLA, a large public research university campus with comparable urban setting, mass notification requirements, and major venue security at the Rose Bowl-adjacent events.
• Ohio State University Department of Public Safety: Police and public safety agency for Ohio State University, a peer Big Ten institution with comparable enrollment scale, urban campus footprint, and major venue security demands (Ohio Stadium). Directly comparable in scope of services and sworn officer headcount.
• University of Texas at Austin Police Department: Police department for UT Austin, a flagship public university with large urban campus, major athletic venues, and similar trauma-informed survivor support and emergency communication infrastructure.
• Penn State University Police and Public Safety: Police department serving Penn State's University Park campus and surrounding areas. Comparable as a large Big Ten university police agency with similar mass notification, Clery Act compliance, and major event security responsibilities.
• Northwestern University Police Department: Police department serving Northwestern's Evanston and Chicago campuses. Comparable as a large private research university police agency with multi-campus operations, trauma-informed services, and integrated emergency notification infrastructure.
• UC Berkeley Police Department: Police department serving UC Berkeley, comparable as a large public research university with urban campus dynamics, protest and crowd management exposure, and similar Clery Act and emergency preparedness obligations.
• University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department: Sworn police agency serving UW-Madison, a Big Ten peer with similar urban campus dynamics, large event venues (Camp Randall), and analogous survivor support and emergency notification needs.
• University of Florida Police Department: Police agency for the University of Florida, a large public research university with analogous mass notification, major venue (Ben Hill Griffin Stadium), and survivor support requirements. Comparable scale and sworn officer headcount.
• University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security: Public safety and police department serving the University of Michigan's Ann Arbor campus. Most directly comparable peer given Michigan proximity, Big Ten affiliation, similar campus scale, and overlapping leadership pedigree (MSU DPPS Deputy Chief Bryant came from U-M DPSS after 21 years).
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Police Department: Police department serving UIUC, another Big Ten flagship with comparable size, Big Ten athletic venue security requirements, and Clery Act/emergency preparedness responsibilities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/msupolice
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5sWTPCgZT7ehqz0zM2RF4w
• Facebookfacebook.com/msupolice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/michigan-state-university-police-and-public-safety
• Instagraminstagram.com/msupolice

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Michigan State University Police and Public Safety