Rice University Police Department

06/24/2021

It is with tremendous sadness that we announce the passing of our Retired Officer Ruth Maxwell. Ruth joined RUPD in 2003 and retired last year in March 2020. During her time at Rice University, Ruth impacted so many lives through her kind and friendly spirit. She was very involved with the Rice community throughout her time with RUPD. We will greatly miss her.

Ruth was involved in a vehicle accident while traveling with her son. Her son is currently in the hospital so please keep him in your prayers.

Please also keep her husband, Griff, their children, Dennis and Ashley, and grandchildren in your thoughts and prayers. We will forever cherish the time we shared with Officer Maxwell.

05/31/2021

Today we honor the memory of our fallen heroes and their families who sacrificed so much for our country. #MemorialDay2021

Today we honor the memory of our fallen heroes and their families who sacrificed so much for our country. #MemorialDay2021

05/26/2021

Is your bike registered? If not, it doesn't take long! Use this link to register: https://rupdadmin.rice.edu/bikes/register/

Is your bike registered? If not, it doesn't take long! Use this link to register: https://rupdadmin.rice.edu/bikes/register/

05/15/2021

Congratulations Class of 2021

On behalf of the women and men in RUPD, congratulations to the graduates of 2021!

05/13/2021

🚨It's still #NationalPoliceWeek, so we're still celebrating our officers!🚨

🚨It's still #NationalPoliceWeek, so we're still celebrating our officers!🚨

05/12/2021

We love our RUPD officers! Yesterday, we celebrated #NationalPoliceWeek with lunch and cookies. We are so grateful for their hard work and dedication to the university.

We love our RUPD officers! Yesterday, we celebrated #NationalPoliceWeek with lunch and cookies. We are so grateful for their hard work and dedication to the university.

05/06/2021

An Eastern Screech Owl made its way to campus today. Thanks to Officer Anderson and the wildlife refuge, it will find a safe home nearby. #RiceOwls

An Eastern Screech Owl made its way to campus today. Thanks to Officer Anderson and the wildlife refuge, it will find a safe home nearby. #RiceOwls

04/21/2021

Last week, Chief Rodriguez met with Lorna and Rhonda Rhodes (Jones '80). Lorna is the widow of former RUPD Chief of Police Harold "Ike" Rhodes and Rhonda is his daughter.

Chief Rodriguez was honored to give the family a tour of the police station and to present Mrs. Rhodes with a coin commemorating RUPD's 50 years as a department.

04/17/2021

As a small token of appreciation, RUPD provided our dispatchers with dinner and dessert this week. We greatly appreciate all of our dispatchers and everything they do! #NPSTW2021

04/13/2021

This week we are celebrating our telecommunicators/dispatchers who so often are the voice of calm in the storm. Please join us in thanking all the wonderful telecommunicators who answer the call when it means the most. If you see one of our dispatchers please thank them for their hard work and dedicated service to the Rice community. #NPSTW2021

04/10/2021

We had a pleasant surprise this week from Sam Zorek, a Rice Alumni from the Class of 2019. As a token of appreciation, Sam provided breakfast to RUPD.

Thank you for your support and your kind gesture, Sam!

We had a pleasant surprise this week from Sam Zorek, a Rice Alumni from the Class of 2019. As a token of appreciation, Sam provided breakfast to RUPD.

Thank you for your support and your kind gesture, Sam!

04/05/2021

It has been three years since we lost our brother officer, Rommel Espinola. Rommel was tragically killed on April 5, 2018, in an automobile accident. He will always be remembered and honored. Please join us in honoring his memory.

It has been three years since we lost our brother officer, Rommel Espinola. Rommel was tragically killed on April 5, 2018, in an automobile accident. He will always be remembered and honored. Please join us in honoring his memory.

04/01/2021

We are saddened to hear of the passing of Highway Patrol Trooper Chad Walker. Trooper Walker was stopping to assist a driver, when he was shot multiple times and later died from his injuries.

We send our deepest condolences to the Texas Department of Public Safety and to Trooper Walker’s family. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that DPS announces the passing of Trooper Chad Walker. Trooper Walker is a hero who bravely served his community. He died following injuries sustained while on patrol.

A beloved father and husband, Trooper Walker was one of DPS’ finest. His dedication to duty and his selfless sacrifice, in both life and his death, will never be forgotten.

02/18/2021

Feb. 17 - Winter Storm Update - Rice University is suspending normal operations and classes both Thursday and Friday (Updated) | Emergency | Rice University

Given the difficulties faced by so many in our community, Rice University is suspending normal operations and classes both Thursday and Friday. Only essential personnel should report to campus on Thursday and Friday.

Shuttle Service. Shuttles will operate on campus between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday. They will carry passengers to the Rice Village Apartments and the Rice Graduate Apartments. The shopping shuttle from the RGA and RVA will run on Thursday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. On Saturday, the RGA and RVA shopping shuttle will operate from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. and the undergraduate shopping shuttle will operate from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Warming Center. The Fondren Library will be open and available as a warming center for Rice students, faculty, and staff on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. On Sunday, the library will be open from 12 noon until 6 p.m.

Water. A water filling station will be open until further notice from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the loading dock at Old Sid (the previous Sid Richardson tower) for anyone on campus who needs potable water. Bring your own container.

Let me start with the main purpose of this communication. Given the difficulties faced by so many in our community, Rice University is suspending normal operations and classes both Thursday and Friday. As you know, the ongoing winter storm has created a cascade of problems and has left many in the H...

02/14/2021

Winter Storm Alert - Feb 14, 2021 | Emergency | Rice University

🚨❄ Weather Update for February 14 ❄🚨
ICYMI: it's gonna be cold!

02/14/2021

Home

🚨❄️ Rice Alert ❄️🚨
Rice shuttle service will not be available beginning today, Sunday, Feb. 14, through Tuesday, Feb. 16 due to weather conditions. An update will be provided by the Crisis Management Team on Monday (Feb. 15).

Please monitor https://emergency.rice.edu/ for updates and information related to the winter weather. ❄️

Officials at Rice, along with health officials worldwide, are actively monitoring the local and global health status of the novel coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 disease.

02/14/2021

Winter Storm Alert - Feb 13, 2021 Crisis Management Team | Emergency | Rice University

Stay safe, be ready, and remember RUPD is here if you need us.

The National Weather Service expects the winter storm heading toward Houston to create what forecasters describe as “life-threatening impacts” beginning Sunday night and continuing into Tuesday. Sleet and freezing rain are forecast on Monday, and the bitterly cold temperatures are expected to dr...

02/13/2021

From the National Weather Service: Frigid, life and property threatening winter weather is expected into Thursday, with most severe conditions Sunday night into Tuesday.
Please be diligent and if, on-campus, please follow the guidelines and advice from the Rice Crisis Management Team.

From the National Weather Service: Frigid, life and property threatening winter weather is expected into Thursday, with most severe conditions Sunday night into Tuesday.
Please be diligent and if, on-campus, please follow the guidelines and advice from the Rice Crisis Management Team.

02/09/2021

We are saddened to hear of the passing of Captain Damien Niko with the West University Place Police Department. Captain Niko served the West University Police Department since 2006.

We send our deepest condolences to Captain Niko’s family and to our neighboring brothers and sisters at West University PD. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

We are saddened to hear of the passing of Captain Damien Niko with the West University Place Police Department. Captain Niko served the West University Police Department since 2006.

We send our deepest condolences to Captain Niko’s family and to our neighboring brothers and sisters at West University PD. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

01/26/2021

The REMS program has always been an integral part of the Rice Community. In these unprecedented times, this program is more important than ever.

Welcome to six new Incharge trainees! REMS student leaders gathered for three days of training at the end of Winter Recess. The new student leaders were able to participate in training on clinical, operational, and leadership topics from campus leaders and REMS alumni, and joined in conversation and planning with the current student leaders. Airway and resuscitation skills were honed, patient assessment skills were reviewed, and driver training was accomplished! Thanks to the students who scheduled time to participate in this training, and to the REMS alumni and campus leaders who made it possible. Looking forward to 2021!!

01/12/2021

So grateful for our Rice University EMS team.

We are all ready to put 2020 behind us. A big thanks to Dr. Hashim Zaidi for helping us kick off the new year with an excellent discussion about personal wellness and vaccines! Thanks to everyone who joined!

01/09/2021

Happy National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day to all the men and women of RUPD, and to all of our fellow law enforcement officers across the nation. Thank you for your service!

12/16/2020

Happy holidays from all of us at RUPD!

10/30/2020

RUPD's involvement in the Rice Children's Campus Halloween Parade looked a little bit different this year, but our officers were still able to pass out special treats! 🍁 🎃

10/20/2020

The Rice University Police Department is saddened to learn that Sgt. Harold Preston, with the Houston Police Department, has died after being shot by a suspect while responding to a domestic disturbance call today. Sgt. Preston was a 41 year veteran with the Houston Police Department who will be greatly missed by family members and his law enforcement family. Please keep the Preston family and the entire Houston Police Department in your thoughts and prayer.

Officer Courtney Waller, who was also on the call with Sgt. Preston was wounded in the arm and is in the hospital recovering from his injuries. Please keep Officer Waller in your prayers for a speedy recovery.

10/20/2020

Prayers for all the officers involved. 🙏

We have two officers who have been shot at a scene at 2600 Holly Hall. HPD SWAT took the barricaded suspect into custody, and he was transported to an area hospital. It is still an active crime scene.

Both wounded officers were taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital. Chief Art Acevedo will provide an update via HPD Periscope/Twitter (@houstonpolice) at 12:30p from Hermann Hospital. We will post a link here also.

10/19/2020

RUPD accreditation commission seeks public comments: A public forum for community comments about the Rice University Police Department will be held during a virtual visit to campus conducted by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).

The commission’s virtual visit will be part of a periodic review of RUPD’s national accreditation, a top recognition of excellence in public safety. Only 3% of all law enforcement agencies in the United States have earned CALEA accreditation.

CALEA will examine all aspects of RUPD’s policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services to verify the department still meets the commission’s best practice standards. An assessment team will review written materials and conduct interviews to determine whether RUPD complies with 189 standards to maintain its accreditation status.

After the assessment team completes its review of RUPD it will report back to the commission, which will then decide if the department will maintain its accredited status. Accreditation continues for three years, during which RUPD must submit annual reports to show it continues to comply with the standards under which it was initially accredited.

The assessment team is comprised of leading public safety practitioners from similar out-of-state agencies, led by Chief Dean Tondiglia of Kent State University and Commander Ernest Knight of the University of Chicago Police Department.

The public forum will be conducted at 10 a.m. Oct. 27, via Zoom at this link: https://riceuniversity.zoom.us/j/99044588684?pwd=NmhvK0UxNDNkK3BJR050NEJBV1RiQT09 (passcode: 229954).

Anyone who cannot participate in the Zoom conference can speak with the assessment team by phone Oct. 26 between 1:30-2:30 p.m. by calling (713) 348-4560 or (713) 348-6350. Written comments about RUPD’s compliance with standards for accreditation can be mailed to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Gainesville VA 20155, or emailed (using “Rice University Police Department” in the subject line) to [email protected].

10/16/2020

Happy Friday!

During the month of October, RUPD officers have been wearing a pink pin to help raise awareness of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is an annual health campaign organized to help raise funds and awareness for research into the cause, treatment, and cure of breast cancer.

09/17/2020

Obituary for Dr. Phillip Hassell at MEMORIAL OAKS CHAPEL INC

We are saddened to hear about the passing of Dr. Phillip Hassel. Dr. Hassel retired from RUPD as a Lieutenant after 20 years of service. We send our deepest condolences to the Hassel family. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

Dr. Phillip Stewart Hassell, 64, of Independence, Texas passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 13th, 2020 in College Station, TX. Phil was born January 10, 1956 in Houston, Texas to Beverly Williams. He received his undergraduate degree from Houston Baptist University, his Masters in Divinity f...

09/04/2020

Masks ✔️
Physical distance ✔️
Good vibes only ✔️

Special thanks to Brown College for all the fun!

08/28/2020

Our 14th Citizens Police Academy Registration is officially open!

Are you interesting in learning about law enforcement?

This is your chance to take a look from the “inside-out” to learn how your police agency works.

Classes begin Wednesday, September 9 at 6pm via Zoom & In-Class Lectures. Social distancing guidelines will be applied.

Click on the link below to register:

https://signup.rice.edu/RUPDCPA14/

08/12/2020

The Rice University Police Department is saddened to learn of the loss of Beaumont Police Officer Sheena Yarbrough-Powell. Officer Powell was killed in the line of duty on August 9, 2020, after she and her partner were struck head-on by a wrong way driver. Her partner underwent surgery and is in stable condition. He has since been released from the hospital. Unfortunately, Officer Powell did not survive her injuries.

We send our deepest condolences to Officer Powell’s family and to our brothers and sisters in blue at Beaumont Police Department during this time. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

05/23/2020

First Christian Church is collecting food for those in need, and RUPD was happy to participate. If you can, please consider supporting the church in this critical endeavor by donating. RUPD is thankful for all of our community partners like First Christian Church.

05/22/2020

Blue skies all day on campus.

05/16/2020

🚨CONGRATULATIONS OWLS🚨
A special message from Chief Rodriguez below wishes the Class of 2020 well. The women and men of RUPD have honored to serve you during your time at Rice. Be well, stay safe and go owls! 👐🏽🦉👐🏽