Campus safety is often discussed in response to a crisis. At the University of Utah, however, much of the most important work happens well before an incident occurs, through planning, training and coordination across campus.

That proactive approach is a hallmark of Keith Squires, the university’s chief safety officer. Recently appointed as co-chair of the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) Campus Safety Task Force, Squires is helping shape statewide conversations around safety while continuing to advance significant initiatives at the U.

Rather than viewing these roles as separate, Squires sees them as deeply connected.

“Safety is not a static goal,” he said. “It’s a responsibility that requires us to learn, adapt and work together.”

A statewide perspective, grounded in collaboration

The USHE task force brings together campus safety leaders, emergency management professionals, threat assessment experts, and crisis communications specialists from across Utah. Its focus is clear: strengthening preparedness across the full lifecycle of critical incidents, from early identification and prevention to coordinated response.

Advancing prevention and preparedness at the U

At the University of Utah, that foresight is reflected in practical, behind-the-scenes work. Under Squires’ leadership, the university continues to refine its Public Safety Framework to ensure clarity, consistency, and alignment across departments. The goal is not to create new systems, but to ensure existing ones function smoothly together when they matter most.

Prevention plays a critical role in this approach. By identifying potential safety concerns early, the university can work across departments to reduce risk before issues escalate. This includes proactively assessing security risks in university facilities and at special events, conducting threat assessments and connecting individuals with behavioral supports when there are concerns about potential harm.

“As a university, we serve far more than just students. We provide patient care, host major events and employ more than 45,000 faculty and staff,” said Squires. “That scale and complexity require a coordinated, university-wide approach to understanding security risks and addressing them early, before they become problems.”

Expanding training to meet real-world needs

Training is another area where this forward-looking mindset is evident. The university has expanded active aggressor preparedness for all students, faculty and staff, with an emphasis on prevention and individual skill building. Specialized training for health and clinical environments is also underway, along with crisis response scenarios for law enforcement, security and emergency teams. By tailoring training to how people actually work and learn, the focus remains on empowerment, not alarm.

Building trust through transparency and partnership

At the core of Squires’ approach is collaboration. Campus safety is built through partnerships with academic units, health leaders, emergency management, law enforcement and student-facing offices, grounded in transparency and shared responsibility.

These efforts reflect a simple but intentional philosophy: effective campus safety doesn’t start with reaction. It starts with anticipation, preparation, and collective commitment.

“Campus safety isn’t owned by one department,” Squires often notes. “It’s something we build together.”