Frequently Asked Questions
About DPS
- The Department of Public Safety is operational 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. For non-urgent requests, please contact dispatch at 310.506.4442.
- The parking window is open Monday-Friday, 9 am to 4 pm. To speak with a member of our parking our administration team, please call 310.506.4700.
Public Safety is located on the first floor of the Center for Communication and Business building, below the Seaver Drive / President's Drive intersection.
We are proud of our profession, our colleagues, our department, and Pepperdine University. We recognize that individual and team contributions are essential to a high-performing department. If you have a compliment for a team member that went above and beyond their duties of service you can fill out a Commendation Form.
We also would like to know if you have any complaints or concerns about the way an incident was handled by one of our officers. You can submit this information to us via our Complaint Form.
Both forms may be submitted anonymously.
Parking
Parking permissions at Pepperdine are determined by the parking permit you are assigned and have displayed on your vehicle. For a more detailed view of where each permit type can park, please refer to the “Where To Park” page.. For more information on visitor parking, please refer to the “Visiting Campus” page.
All motorized vehicles on campus, including motorcycles, must be appropriately registered with Pepperdine University.
University students and employees must complete annual vehicle registration at this parking portal website. Registration requires WaveNet login credentials. Students are permitted to register one vehicle. Faculty and staff may register two vehicles without fee, with a $25 fee for each subsequent vehicle registered.
Wave Associates, Malibu Country Estates residents, campus vendors, and other affiliates should use this registration form to complete their vehicle registration.
Citations may be appealed up to 14 days after issuance. Consistent with Pepperdine’s Traffic and Parking Regulations, citation appeals initiated more than 14 days after issuance of the applicable citation are not accepted. All citation appeals must be submitted via the Citation Appeal Form; appeals submitted in person or via email will not be considered. All citation appeals are carefully reviewed, and decisions are communicated via email. Once the appeal is adjudicated, the decision is final and not subject to further consideration.
Only Pepperdine employees who believe their current position requires a genuine need to access/park in a greater area of campus on a regular basis than what their current permit allows may request an exception via the Employee Parking/Access Exception Request Form.
Temporary vehicle permits are available at the Public Safety Office for any student, employee, or contract vendor temporarily driving a new or temporary vehicle other than one registered with the University, such as a rental car or borrowed car. Drivers may be required to present identification. Temporary permits are not transferable to other vehicles and are only valid on the dates indicated on the permit.
Pepperdine employees and commuter students with a valid Commuter, Faculty, or Staff vehicle registration who are entering campus with two or more passengers may stop at the Seaver Drive or John Tyler Drive entrance booth and obtain a carpool pass. Commuter students may request carpool passes until 5:00 pm each weekday, and Faculty or Staff may request carpool passes until noon each weekday. Carpool parking areas are marked with green painted curbs and signs on Seaver Drive, Banowsky Boulevard, Presidents Drive, and Huntsinger Circle, unless otherwise specified. The Main Lot carpool area is designated for Faculty, or “F”, and “AD” permit holders. Carpool passes are only valid on the day for which they are issued. Carpool passes must be hung from the vehicle’s rear view mirror with the heading, “Carpool Pass”, facing out.
Visitors are encouraged to register their vehicle prior to arriving on campus. Upon arrival on campus, a visitor pass can be obtained from either campus entrance booth. Visitors may park in any legal parking space on campus, with the exception of red zones, yellow zones, and blue-lined accessible spaces (unless displaying a valid DMV-issued accessible placard or license plate). Visitor passes must be hung from the vehicle’s rear view mirror with the “Visitor Pass”, facing out. Visitor passes are only valid on the day they were issued.
Crime and Safety
In case of an on or off-campus emergency such as a crime in progress, medical emergency, or fire, dial 911, followed by calling DPS at 310-506-4441 (if safe to do so).
To report a non-urgent emergency, such as a suspicious person or activity, call DPS dispatch at 10.506.4442, submit a concern via the LiveSafe app, or via the Tip Hotline at 310.506.7634.
You can report a concern anonymously via the Tip Hotline at 310.506.7634 or through the LiveSafe app.
LiveSafe is the name of a mobile application focused on personal safety, particularly in campus and community settings. It provides tools to enhance individual and collective security, such as:
- SafeWalk: Allows friends and family to virtually accompany you during walks, providing real-time location tracking.reddit.com
- Emergency Communication: Enables users to report suspicious activities or emergencies discreetly via text.
- Location Sharing: Shares your location with designated contacts or authorities during critical situations.
Emergency Preparedness
The University’s emergency communication plan uses the Everbridge Mass Notification System to deliver emergency notifications to your e-mail, your cell phone via voice message and text message, and to your designated emergency contact. The University only uses this notification system in emergency situations or for periodic testing.
The success and effectiveness of this communication system is dependent upon up-to-date contact information you provide in WaveNet. Please log in to WaveNet to update your contact information as necessary.
The practice of “sheltering-in-place” is relocating to a safe location on the premises and remaining there until authorities deem it safe to return to residences or offices. Pepperdine University uses this procedure during wildfires affecting its Malibu campus. The reasons for sheltering-in-place are listed below:
- The Los Angeles County Fire Department reviews Pepperdine’s shelter-in-place plans on a regular basis and supports the plans as the safest course of action.
- Pepperdine University works closely and cooperatively with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. As a result, the Los Angeles County Fire Department maintains a strong presence on campus during a fire.
- Campus buildings are constructed with fire-resistant materials whenever possible; campus roads provide natural fire breaks; fire resistant landscaping is utilized throughout the campus.
- Brush is cleared annually at least 200-feet from campus buildings. This practice creates firebreaks around campus buildings. In some locations, brush is cleared beyond the 200-foot mark.
- There are a limited number of ways to travel to and from the campus. These roads may be closed, congested, or dangerous as wildfires can travel quickly and change unpredictably. Roads should also remain clear to enable emergency responders to move freely and quickly throughout the area.
- The University’s shelter-in-place plan is well-practiced and historically proven successful.
Please visit the Emergency Information Page for additional information on sheltering in place and brush fires.
For more information on emergency preparedness and response, please visit the Pepperdine Emergency Information community page.
I Need a Service
Resident Students
If you are locked out between:
- 8 AM and 5 PM on a weekday, proceed to the Housing Office to pick up a temporary key 310.506.7586.
- 5 PM and 1 AM on a weekday, or between 8 AM and 1 AM on a weekend, call the RA on duty 424.346.0591.
- 1 AM and 8 AM on a weekday OR a weekend, call the DPS non-emergency line at 310.506.4442.
Faculty/Staff
When a faculty or staff member locks themselves out of their office/area, contact Public Safety at 310.506.4442.
Public Safety offers late-night security escorts during hours in which shuttle services are not operating. Call ext. 4442 to request an escort.
A Public Safety Officer can assist in jump-starting a dead car battery. Please call ext. 4442. This service is provided as a courtesy. The University does not assume liability for damage as a result of this service.
Where can I park?
Specific parking areas for Malibu Campus students and employees are listed in detail in the Pepperdine University Department of Public Safety Parking and Traffic Regulations posted online. There are enough parking spaces on campus, even though they may not always be immediately adjacent to where you want to park. When a close parking space is not available, please consider taking the shuttle.
Who can let me in to my room/office? I'm locked out!
Resident Students
If you are locked out between:
- 8 AM and 5 PM on a weekday, proceed to the Housing Office in Rho Parking Lot to pick up a temporary key 310.506.7586.
- 5 PM and 1 AM on a weekday, or between 8 AM and 1 AM on a weekend, call the RA on duty 424.346.0591.
- 1 AM and 8 AM on a weekday OR a weekend, call the DPS non-emergency line at 310.506.4442.
Faculty/Staff
When a faculty or staff member locks themselves out of their office/area, contact Public Safety at 310.506.4442.
How do I reserve a room for a function?
Special Programs is in charge of most room reservations; call 310.506.4264. If it is not an area reserved by Special Programs, they should be able to direct you. To reserve rooms in the HAWC, call Student Activities at 310.506.4201. Public Safety is not authorized to grant access to areas not previously reserved.
How much does a parking permit cost?
Parking permits are currently free. You may obtain as many vehicle permits as you have vehicles registered in your name (or in the name of any other member of your immediate family). You man not register any vehicle that is not registered to you or another member of your immediate family.
Do I need a visitor's pass for the weekend?
Visitor's of students, who are staying for the weekend, must be registered with Housing and Residence Life. A visitor who will be staying Sunday night into Monday morning will be issued a visitor's parking pass from one of the entrance booths, good for 24 hours. Visitor's who will not be staying in to Monday morning do not need a visitor's pass.
Where can I get an ID card?
If you are a student you may get an ID at Tech Central on the 2nd floor of Payson Library. Replacement I.D.s may be obtained at One Stop on the 2nd floor of the Thorton Administrative Center. The replacement fee can be charged to your student account.
Faculty and staff may obtain a replacement card at the Center for Human Resources.