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To the Johns Hopkins Medicine community
Dear Colleagues,
Increasingly, many more of us—including faculty members, students, staff members and trainees—are choosing to live in Baltimore City near The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. We often do so for the culture and amenities that our vibrant city affords, to be involved in our communities, and for the convenience of being close to work and school. We are witnessing a sincere and renewed interest by many of us to help support, revitalize and invigorate our many diverse neighborhoods.
But just as in other major cities, safety can be of concern in Baltimore. In the past two months, three of our trainees and staff members were assaulted in neighborhoods near our campuses. I want to assure you that your safety and well-being—whether you live or work in Baltimore, or are visiting the city and one of our campuses—are absolutely paramount to us. This has always been the case, and it will remain so as we constantly hone our efforts to improve awareness of safety and protection in our urban settings.
With that in mind, I want to share with you steps Johns Hopkins Medicine has been taking to enhance the safety of the East Baltimore and Johns Hopkins Bayview campuses.
Patrol Strategy
Our Corporate Security team maintains a robust patrol presence on and in areas immediately adjacent to our campuses. We are continually adjusting our security resources on and around our campuses to best mitigate crime and enhance visibility by increasing our mobile, bike and foot patrols. Over the past year on the East Baltimore campus, Corporate Security has significantly enhanced security coverage with additional protective services officers, who are now posted in the commercial area expansion to the north, with two additional mobile patrols and the assignment of off-duty Baltimore police officers. A new canine program will launch in mid-December. This team of specially trained dogs and their handlers from Corporate Security’s special response unit will patrol parking garages, hospital corridors, the Emergency Departments and other locations throughout the East Baltimore campus to help prevent and defuse volatile confrontations, and to detect explosives. The dogs will also be on call to bolster security at other Johns Hopkins campuses should the need arise. On the Johns Hopkins Bayview campus Corporate Security has increased patrols on the southeast side adjacent to the residential community where many of our staff members live. Mobile patrols are focused on monitoring staff and community members as they enter and exit the campus.
Partnership with the Baltimore Police Department
A key partner in our security response is the Baltimore Police Department (BPD). Corporate Security has always had strong relationships with the BPD, including the leadership of the eastern and southeastern districts, where our East Baltimore and Johns Hopkins Bayview campuses are located, and street patrol officers. The BPD and Corporate Security share information and support each other’s work daily, a collaboration that, again, helps in our response as incidents occur. In addition, Johns Hopkins University faculty members are partnering with BPD on the Collaborative for Violence Reduction, a research and practical application initiative informed by the best scientific evidence, by marshalling our academic expertise in public safety, violence prevention and gun control.
Security Technology
Corporate Security has more than 250 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras around the exterior of the East Baltimore campus. A little over 1,200 cameras in total cover the entire campus (internal and external) of approximately 9.5 million square feet (not including seven garages). The cameras report back to a state-of-the-art communications center. On the Johns Hopkins Bayview campus, Corporate Security has increased our CCTV capabilities to provide video coverage to monitor pedestrian traffic in and out of the adjacent neighborhood and along the public properties that traverse the campus.
I would also like to reiterate some basic crime prevention tips that can help keep us safe. Please review these tips and share them with your colleagues.
- Always be aware of your surroundings. This requires that you be able to hear what is going on around you. If you listen to music while walking, jogging and/or biking, consider keeping one earbud out so you can listen to what is going on around you. Many times you will hear what is happening before you see it.
- Whenever possible, walk in groups of two or more. There is safety in numbers.
- Walk and park in areas that are well-lit and well-traveled. Stay away from dark and/or secluded areas.
- Secure your valuables in the trunk or in the rear of your vehicle and out of plain sight.
- Avoid using outdoor ATMs after dark.
- Cross the streets at designated crosswalks. At controlled intersections, cross with the signal and remember that while state law gives the right to the pedestrian in the crosswalk, it is also your responsibility to make good decisions when entering the crosswalk.
- When on the East Baltimore or Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center campuses, use Corporate Security/campus safety escort services. To request a security escort, call the campus communications center. On the East Baltimore campus, call 410-955-5585. On the Johns Hopkins Bayview campus, call 410-550-0333. On the Homewood campus, call 410-516-4600.
- Any time your office, workspace or lab is left unattended, please secure your personal and institutional property, and lock the doors when feasible.
- Take advantage of the free shuttles around the East Baltimore campus or the shuttle to and from the Johns Hopkins Bayview and other Johns Hopkins campuses. Call the Transportation Office at 410-502-6880 or access shuttle route information.
I encourage everyone to assist our Corporate Security team by reporting any suspicious activity. Call our emergency communications center at 410-955-5585, which is staffed 24 hours a day. If you do become a victim of a crime or a theft attempt, try to stay calm, quickly surrender any property that is demanded, take note of the suspect’s description, and immediately notify our security or the police. I also encourage you to share your ideas and alert security immediately of any suspicious people or activity by calling 410-955-5585 for East Baltimore, 410-550-0333 for Johns Hopkins Bayview and 410-516-7777 for the Homewood campus. For more information and additional safety tips, please visit the Corporate Security website.
There is nothing more important to us than the safety and well-being of you and our patients. We have to work together to continue improving the safety, vibrancy and well-being of our city.
Thank you for your watchful care and partnership as we take every possible measure to ensure your safety. I also want to take this opportunity to tell you how much Johns Hopkins Medicine values each and every one of you, and your dedication to our patients, one another and our mission.
Sincerely,
Keith Hill
Vice President, Corporate Security
Johns Hopkins Medicine
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