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A message from UWPD regarding safety on campus

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University of Washington published a UW Alert Blog update on or about 2020-03-27. Full text is preserved from the official emergency blog.

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Killed
0
Injured
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Institution
University of Washington
Public R1 · WA
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~50,000 studentsUW Alert
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Read when and how UW says it will use UW Alert: summarized, quoted, and analyzed.
Documented Timeline

Alert Sequence

1 message in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Confirmed wording is transcribed character-for-character from a primary source. Use Verify this quote under each message to open that source in a new tab and compare the text yourself.

INITIAL ALERTMulti-channel
Verified verbatim2746 chars
When it comes to safety on campus, the UWPD takes a community-based, student-centered approach to teach the importance of safety and security. These become lifelong skills and ultimately assist our campus community members in making safety a priority in their daily lives. Due to the impact COVID-19 has had on our regular campus routines, UWPD's approach to crime prevention has been modified in order to best protect our community. With far fewer people on campus due to stay-at-home restrictions, we don't have as many eyes and ears on campus. Though officers continue to perform their usual duties, it is even more important now to embrace, accept and participate in the concept of "See Something, Say Something." Now, more than ever, it is a call to action for all of our community members to be vigilant. For example, call 911 whenever you see unauthorized individuals in closed buildings. Please do not let unauthorized people follow behind you when entering a locked building. Letting that occur may impact your safety and the safety of others, potentially increasing the likelihood of theft from the building. If someone does follow you into a building, report it to a supervisor, building coordinator or the police, and call 911 if you are concerned for your safety. In addition to unauthorized persons in buildings, UWPD urges you to call 911 immediately if you see any crime in progress. With fewer people on campus it is possible you may be the only person witnessing a crime. Don't rely on someone else to call 911, please do so yourself and immediately. Here are some additional tips as we continue to work together to provide safety and security for campus during the COVID-19 pandemic: - When walking on campus, pre-plan your route, take pathways that are established and well lit, walk confidently and pay attention to what is going on around you. Walk with a friend but do so observing social distancing guidelines. - If you see a crime in progress, immediately report it by dialing 911. Be prepared to describe what you are observing and offer a description of the individual or car that might be involved. - When necessary, remind friends not to congregate. Respect the guidance given about social distancing. - Keep abreast of pertinent COVID-19 information posts by the UW and the CDC. During the COVID-19 pandemic, please be mindful that some individuals may be experiencing anxiety, trauma and anguish. If you are concerned about a friend or co-worker, please refer them to their supervisor or UW Human Resources: https://hr.uw.edu/. Please refer students to LiveWell resources: https://depts.washington.edu/livewell/. If this is a crisis or emergency, call 911 immediately for police, fire or medical assistance.
Verify this quote
UW Alert Blogemergency.uw.edufind archived copies
Transcribed from official emergency.uw.edu Alert Blog entry body.
Confirmed-verbatim recovery from live institutional source.
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, Claude Opus 5 (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

When it comes to safety on campus, the UWPD takes a community-based, student-centered approach to teach the importance of safety and security. These become lifelong skills and ultimately assist our campus community members in making safety a priority in their daily lives. Due to the impact COVID-19 has had on our regular campus routines, UWPD's approach to crime prevention has been modified in order to best protect our community. With far fewer people on campus due to stay-at-home restrictions, we don't have as many eyes and ears on campus. Though officers continue to perform their usual duties, it is even more important now to embrace, accept and participate in the concept of "See Something, Say Something." Now, more than ever, it is a call to action for all of our community members to be vigilant. For example, call 911 whenever you see unauthorized individuals in closed buildings. Please do not let unauthorized people follow behind you when entering a locked building. Letting that occur may impact your safety and the safety of others, potentially increasing the likelihood of theft from the building. If someone does follow you into a building, report it to a supervisor, building coordinator or the police, and call 911 if you are concerned for your safety. In addition to unauthorized persons in buildings, UWPD urges you to call 911 immediately if you see any crime in progress. With fewer people on campus it is possible you may be the only person witnessing a crime. Don't rely on someone else to call 911, please do so yourself and immediately. Here are some additional tips as we continue to work together to provide safety and security for campus during the COVID-19 pandemic: - When walking on campus, pre-plan your route, take pathways that are established and well lit, walk confidently and pay attention to what is going on around you. Walk with a friend but do so observing social distancing guidelines. - If you see a crime in progress, immediately report it by dialing 911. Be prepared to describe what you are observing and offer a description of the individual or car that might be involved. - When necessary, remind friends not to congregate. Respect the guidance given about social distancing. - Keep abreast of pertinent COVID-19 information posts by the UW and the CDC. During the COVID-19 pandemic, please be mindful that some individuals may be experiencing anxiety, trauma and anguish. If you are concerned about a friend or co-worker, please refer them to their supervisor or UW Human Resources: https://hr.uw.edu/. Please refer students to LiveWell resources: https://depts.washington.edu/livewell/. If this is a crisis or emergency, call 911 immediately for police, fire or medical assistance.

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25. The message is issued in the voice of "the UWPD" and routes readers to UW Human Resources and LiveWell, leaving no doubt who is speaking.

    Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: The message is explicitly from UWPD, the University of Washington Police Department.
    2. present: The message is explicitly from "the UWPD" and describes its crime prevention approach.
    3. present: It is written by and about "the UWPD" throughout.
    4. present: The message is from "the UWPD" and refers to UW resources throughout.
    5. present: The message is from UWPD, the University of Washington Police Department, named throughout.
    6. present: The message is expressly from "the UWPD" speaking about its own crime prevention approach.
    7. present: The message is explicitly from "the UWPD", the campus police department.
    8. present: The message is plainly from "the UWPD", which speaks in the first person throughout.
    9. present: The message is explicitly from UWPD about safety on campus.
    10. present: The message is from the UWPD, which is named repeatedly as the author and authority.
    11. present: The message is explicitly from "the UWPD" about campus safety.
    12. present: The message is explicitly from "the UWPD", the University of Washington Police Department.
    13. present: The message is explicitly from "the UWPD", the campus police department.
    14. present: It is written in the voice of "the UWPD" describing its own crime prevention approach.
    15. present: The message speaks for UWPD, the University of Washington Police Department.
    16. present: The message is explicitly from the UWPD about safety on campus.
    17. present: The message is explicitly from "the UWPD," a named police department.
    18. present: The message is explicitly from "the UWPD", the university police department.
    19. present: The message is from UWPD, which is named repeatedly as the source.
    20. present: The message is attributed throughout to "the UWPD", a named police department.
    21. present: Written by and about "the UWPD", plainly the sending authority.
    22. present: The message is explicitly from "the UWPD", the campus police department.
    23. present: The message is from "the UWPD" and refers to its crime prevention approach.
    24. present: The message is plainly from the UWPD, which is named repeatedly.
    25. present: The message is from "the UWPD", named repeatedly as the author of the guidance.
  • Hazardpresent24/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 24 of 25. It names concrete crime risks, "unauthorized individuals in closed buildings", theft from the building, and "any crime in progress"; one read called the piece merely general prevention advice.

    What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It names concrete risks: unauthorized individuals in closed buildings, theft and crimes in progress.
    2. present: It names concrete threats including "unauthorized individuals in closed buildings", theft, and crime in progress.
    3. present: It names crimes in progress, theft from buildings, and unauthorized individuals in closed buildings.
    4. present: It names concrete threats: "crime in progress", theft, and "unauthorized individuals in closed buildings".
    5. present: It identifies crime risks: unauthorized individuals in closed buildings, theft, and crimes in progress.
    6. present: It names unauthorized people in closed buildings, theft and crimes in progress amid COVID-19.
    7. present: It names crime in progress, theft and unauthorized individuals in closed buildings.
    8. present: It names crime in progress, unauthorized individuals in closed buildings, theft and the COVID-19 pandemic.
    9. present: It names concrete risks including unauthorized individuals in closed buildings, theft, and crime in progress.
    10. absent: It discusses crime prevention generally during COVID-19 without naming any actual current threat.
    11. present: It names crimes in progress, theft from buildings and unauthorized individuals in closed buildings.
    12. present: It names crimes in progress, theft, and unauthorized individuals entering closed buildings.
    13. present: It names crimes in progress, theft and unauthorized individuals in closed buildings.
    14. present: It names unauthorized people in closed buildings, theft and crime in progress as the threats.
    15. present: It names theft, crime in progress and unauthorized individuals in closed buildings.
    16. present: It names crime in progress, theft and unauthorized individuals in closed buildings.
    17. present: It names unauthorized individuals in closed buildings, theft and crimes in progress.
    18. present: It warns about unauthorized individuals in closed buildings, theft and "any crime in progress".
    19. present: It names crime in progress, theft and unauthorized individuals in closed buildings alongside COVID-19.
    20. present: It warns of unauthorized individuals in closed buildings, theft and crimes in progress.
    21. present: Warns about "unauthorized individuals in closed buildings" and "any crime in progress" such as theft.
    22. present: It names crime risks including theft, unauthorized individuals in closed buildings and crimes in progress.
    23. present: It names concrete risks: unauthorized individuals in closed buildings, theft, and crime in progress.
    24. present: It names crimes in progress, theft and unauthorized individuals entering closed buildings.
    25. present: It names concrete risks: unauthorized individuals in closed buildings, theft, and crime in progress.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25. The scope is the UW campus itself: "safety on campus", locked and closed campus buildings, and campus walking pathways.

    Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It concerns the campus, its locked buildings and walking pathways.
    2. present: It concerns "safety on campus", locked buildings, and campus walking routes.
    3. present: It concerns "safety on campus", campus pathways and locked buildings.
    4. present: It concerns safety "on campus", closed buildings, and campus pathways.
    5. present: Campus buildings, pathways, and the UW campus are the referenced setting.
    6. present: It concerns campus pathways, locked buildings and the UW campus generally.
    7. present: The setting is repeatedly "on campus", including closed campus buildings and pathways.
    8. present: It concerns safety "on campus", in locked buildings and on campus pathways.
    9. present: It concerns walking and buildings "on campus" during the pandemic.
    10. present: It concerns safety "on campus", in closed buildings and on campus pathways.
    11. present: It concerns walking and buildings "on campus" during the pandemic.
    12. present: It concerns safety "on campus" and in locked campus buildings.
    13. present: It concerns walking and buildings "on campus" during the pandemic.
    14. present: It concerns walking and buildings "on campus" during the pandemic.
    15. present: It concerns walking and buildings "on campus" throughout.
    16. present: The subject is campus buildings, pathways and the UW campus generally.
    17. present: It concerns "on campus" walking routes and locked campus buildings.
    18. present: It concerns "on campus", closed and locked buildings, and campus pathways.
    19. present: Campus buildings, pathways and the campus generally are the places discussed.
    20. present: It concerns walking and building access "on campus" at UW.
    21. present: Concerns safety "on campus", locked buildings and campus walking routes.
    22. present: It concerns campus, its buildings, walkways and locked entrances.
    23. present: It concerns safety "on campus", in locked buildings, and on campus pathways.
    24. present: It concerns campus buildings, campus pathways and the UW campus generally.
    25. present: It concerns safety "on campus", locked buildings, and campus walking routes.
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25. Readers are told to "call 911 immediately", not to let unauthorized people follow them into locked buildings, and to "pre-plan your route" on well lit paths.

    The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It instructs readers to "call 911 immediately", not to let people tailgate into buildings, and to walk well-lit routes.
    2. present: It instructs readers to "call 911 immediately", not to let people tailgate into buildings, and to plan lit routes.
    3. present: It repeatedly directs readers to "call 911 immediately" and to plan well lit routes.
    4. present: It repeatedly instructs readers to "call 911 immediately", walk lit routes, and not let people tailgate.
    5. present: It repeatedly instructs readers to "call 911 immediately", plan routes, and not let strangers tailgate into buildings.
    6. present: It repeatedly instructs readers to "call 911 immediately", not to let others tailgate into buildings, and to walk lit routes.
    7. present: It instructs readers to "call 911 immediately", not let people tailgate into buildings, and walk lit routes.
    8. present: It instructs readers to "call 911 immediately", walk with a friend and take well lit established pathways.
    9. present: It instructs readers to "call 911 immediately if you see any crime in progress" and not to let people tailgate into buildings.
    10. present: It urges readers to "call 911 immediately", not to let unauthorized people tailgate, and to walk well lit routes.
    11. present: It repeatedly instructs readers to "call 911 immediately", not to let others tailgate, and to walk lit routes.
    12. present: It repeatedly tells readers to "call 911 immediately if you see any crime in progress".
    13. present: It repeatedly instructs readers to "call 911 immediately", not to let strangers tailgate, and to plan lit routes.
    14. present: It repeatedly instructs readers to "call 911 immediately", not to let people tailgate and to plan lit routes.
    15. present: It instructs readers to "call 911 immediately", pre-plan routes and not let strangers tailgate.
    16. present: It repeatedly tells readers to call 911 immediately and not to let people tailgate into buildings.
    17. present: It instructs readers to "call 911 immediately" and not to let strangers tailgate into buildings.
    18. present: It repeatedly says "call 911 immediately" and not to let unauthorized people follow you into buildings.
    19. present: It tells readers to call 911 immediately, not to let unauthorized people tailgate and to plan lit routes.
    20. present: It urges people to "call 911 immediately", not to let others tailgate, and to walk well lit routes.
    21. present: Repeatedly instructs readers to "call 911 immediately" and not to let people tailgate into buildings.
    22. present: It tells readers to "call 911 immediately", not to let others tailgate into buildings and to plan safe routes.
    23. present: It tells readers to call 911 immediately, not to let strangers tailgate, and to walk well lit routes.
    24. present: It tells readers to "call 911 immediately", not to let people tailgate in, and to walk well lit routes.
    25. present: It tells readers to "call 911 immediately", not to let people tailgate into buildings, and to walk well lit routes.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25. Timing is framed by the pandemic period and by urgency language, "Now, more than ever", plus instructions to report a crime in progress "immediately".

    When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: "Now, more than ever" and repeated calls to report "immediately" convey urgency.
    2. present: Phrases like "Now, more than ever" and "call 911 immediately" convey present urgency.
    3. present: Phrases like "Now, more than ever" and "immediately" convey urgency and current conditions.
    4. present: Phrases like "Now, more than ever" and "report it by dialing 911" immediately give recency.
    5. present: Phrases such as "Now, more than ever" and "report it by dialing 911" immediately convey present urgency.
    6. present: Phrases such as "Now, more than ever" and "call 911 immediately" convey present urgency.
    7. present: Phrases such as "Now, more than ever" and "immediately" give recency and urgency.
    8. present: "Now, more than ever, it is a call to action" supplies a recency cue.
    9. present: "Now, more than ever, it is a call to action" supplies a recency cue.
    10. present: Phrases such as "Now, more than ever" and repeated calls to act "immediately" convey timing.
    11. present: "Now, more than ever" and repeated "immediately" convey urgency and current timing.
    12. present: It frames the moment as "Now, more than ever" during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
    13. present: Phrases like "Now, more than ever" and "immediately" mark urgency and recency.
    14. present: Phrases like "Now, more than ever" and repeated "immediately" convey urgency and the present period.
    15. present: "Now, more than ever" and repeated calls to report "immediately" convey recency and urgency.
    16. present: "Now, more than ever" and repeated calls to act "immediately" convey present urgency.
    17. present: Phrases like "Now, more than ever" and "immediately" convey present urgency.
    18. present: Phrases like "Now, more than ever" and "report it by dialing 911" immediately convey urgency in time.
    19. present: Phrases such as Now, more than ever and report it immediately convey present urgency.
    20. present: Phrases like "Now, more than ever" and "call 911 immediately" convey urgency and currency.
    21. present: Uses "Now, more than ever" and asks people to report crimes "immediately" during the pandemic.
    22. present: Phrases such as "Now, more than ever" and "immediately" convey present urgency.
    23. present: Phrases like "Now, more than ever" and "call 911 immediately" convey present urgency.
    24. present: "Now, more than ever" and "call 911 immediately" give recency and urgency.
    25. present: Phrases like "Now, more than ever" and repeated "immediately" convey present urgency.
  • Impactpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25. Consequence is spelled out: letting someone tailgate "may impact your safety and the safety of others, potentially increasing the likelihood of theft from the building".

    What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It warns that letting someone follow you in "may impact your safety and the safety of others, potentially increasing the likelihood of theft".
    2. present: It warns that letting someone follow you in "may impact your safety and the safety of others", raising theft risk.
    3. present: It warns that letting people tailgate "may impact your safety and the safety of others", increasing theft risk.
    4. present: It warns tailgating "may impact your safety and the safety of others, potentially increasing the likelihood of theft".
    5. present: It warns that letting someone follow you in "may impact your safety and the safety of others, potentially increasing the likelihood of theft".
    6. present: It warns that letting someone follow you in "may impact your safety and the safety of others", increasing theft risk.
    7. present: It warns tailgating "may impact your safety and the safety of others, potentially increasing the likelihood of theft".
    8. present: Letting someone tailgate into a building "may impact your safety and the safety of others, potentially increasing the likelihood of theft".
    9. present: It warns letting someone follow you "may impact your safety and the safety of others, potentially increasing the likelihood of theft".
    10. present: It warns that letting someone follow you in "may impact your safety" and increase the likelihood of theft.
    11. present: Letting someone tailgate "may impact your safety and the safety of others, potentially increasing the likelihood of theft".
    12. present: It warns that tailgating "may impact your safety and the safety of others, potentially increasing the likelihood of theft".
    13. present: It warns tailgating "may impact your safety and the safety of others, potentially increasing the likelihood of theft".
    14. present: It warns that letting someone in "may impact your safety and the safety of others, potentially increasing the likelihood of theft".
    15. present: It warns tailgating "may impact your safety and the safety of others, potentially increasing the likelihood of theft".
    16. present: It warns that letting people follow you in "may impact your safety" and increase theft.
    17. present: It warns that letting people in "may impact your safety" and increase theft likelihood.
    18. present: It warns that tailgating "may impact your safety and the safety of others, potentially increasing the likelihood of theft".
    19. present: It warns that letting people follow you in may impact your safety and increase the likelihood of theft.
    20. present: It says letting people follow you in "may impact your safety" and increase theft likelihood.
    21. present: Says letting someone follow you in "may impact your safety and the safety of others, potentially increasing the likelihood of theft".
    22. present: It warns that letting people follow you in "may impact your safety" and increase "the likelihood of theft".
    23. present: It warns that letting people in "may impact your safety and the safety of others, potentially increasing the likelihood of theft".
    24. present: It warns that letting someone follow you in "may impact your safety and the safety of others", raising theft risk.
    25. present: It warns that letting someone follow you in "may impact your safety and the safety of others", a stated consequence.

Coded by Claude Opus 5

Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.

About this analysis
Context

Background

University of Washington UW Alert Blog multi-update emergency archive.
Analysis

Key Findings

Official Alert Blog page preserves complete multi-update alert text.
Outcome
See official update page for status.
Provenance

Sources

Every claim on this page is meant to be checkable. Open the links below (and the Verify this quote control under each confirmed alert) to read the original university, news, or archive page yourself. Hostnames are shown so you can see where you are going; archived copies survive when live pages move or disappear. See also our methodology.

  1. Official
    A message from UWPD regarding safety on campus
    emergency.uw.edu
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "University of Washington: A message from UWPD regarding safety on campus." Incident of March 27, 2020. Added July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/university-of-washington-a-message-from-uwpd-regarding-safety-on-campus-2020-03-27/

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Added July 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion