Campus Safety
Working to provide a safe and welcoming community for everyone
Your safety is our top priority
Simpson prides itself on offering a safe and nurturing academic and social environment for its students. To help carry out this mission, the Campus Security office serves the college in a variety of ways, from making sure buildings are locked after hours, to checking the campus for maintenance problems to identifying potentially dangerous situations. Our officers will, when requested, escort students across campus, or help authorized students enter buildings after hours.
We maintain an open and healthy relationship with neighboring residents, the greater Indianola community and local law enforcement in our effort to create a safe campus environment.
Dear members of the Simpson Community,
Our services
Campus Security Officers are trained to provide a variety of services to campus constituents. We routinely patrol the campus including residence halls, academic buildings, parking lots and sidewalks. Working collaboratively with other college offices, the department is responsible for enforcing policies and regulations of college property. Campus Security Officers do not possess the power to arrest but we work closely with the Indianola Police Department when incidents of a criminal nature arise.
The Simpson College Campus Security Staff also offers programs for students on safety policies, crime prevention, fire safety, alcohol policy and other topics as requested.
Parking
If you are visiting Simpson, welcome! We ask you request a guest parking pass from the Campus Security office to avoid any unwanted citations. There are also several parking spaces reserved for visitors in the parking lot near Hillman Hall. Click Here to see the parking brochure.
If you're a residential student bringing a vehicle to campus, there are ample and convenient places for students to park. You will be assigned to a lot as part of your orientation process.
If you are a commuter student, you can register your vehicle with Campus Security to be able to park in designated lots, or you can use the free street parking around campus.
There are multiple handicapped parking spaces located in each of the lots around campus.
Important campus numbers
| Off Campus | On Campus | |
| Campus Security | 515-961-1711 | 1711 |
| Campus Information | 515-961-1304 | 1304 |
| Security Cell Phone | 515-240-4434 | 240-4434 |
| Campus Services | 515-961-1622 | 1622 |
| Student Development | 515-961-1592 | 1592 |
| Chaplain's Office | 515-961-1684 | 1684 |
| Counseling Center | 515-961-1556 | 1556 |
| Health Services | 515-961-1604 | 1604 |
Safety reports
2023 Annual Security Report - Indianola Campus
2023 Annual Fire Report - Indianola Campus
2023 Annual Security Report - West Des Moines Campus
2022 Annual Security Report - Indianola Campus
2022 Annual Fire Report - Indianola Campus
2022 Crime Data - West Des Moines Campus
2019 Crime Data - Ankeny Campus (campus closed 2018)
Emergency Notifications
Simpson uses the SAFE (Simpson Alert For Emergencies) system when time-sensitive communication is critical to the safety of those on campus. We strongly encourage all students to sign up for this service which is also open to parents and family members.
Notices are sent out via voice messages, emails and text messages. During an alert, one or all of these may be used to disseminate information. When helpful, a color-coded alert will be issue to help offer an indication about the level of threat to campus.
Incidents that would require the use of the activation of the SAFE notification system may include but are not limited to:
- bomb threats or other imminent violent threats,
- natural gas leaks and hazardous spills affecting the entire campus,
- building evacuations and lock downs affecting the entire campus,
- biological or pandemic emergency notifications,
- natural disasters (i.e. tornadoes, floods),
- campus closure due to declared civil emergency (local, state, federal),
- campus closure due to weather.
Attached is the Security Camera Policy.