Safety & Security

The safety and security of our community is paramount. Yale Law School has a Crisis Management Team prepared to assemble in the event of any emergency and coordinates closely with the University, which provides resources and expertise on campus safety. Police should be called in the event of an emergency immediately by dialing 911. Yale Police non-emergency dispatch can be reached at 203-432-4400.

Joseph Bleehash oversees security at Yale Law School.

Building Access and Hours

Sterling Law Building (SLB) hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday for members of the Yale Community. Sterling Law Building is open only to Law School students on weekends. Baker Hall hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the Yale Community. Students and faculty can access the first and fourth floors of Baker Hall, SLB, and Law Library from 7 a.m. to midnight. All classrooms and conference rooms, seminar rooms, and lounges in SLB are closed to all students between midnight and 7 a.m. except for rooms 129 and 109, which are available to students 24/7. Baker Hall residents have access to the second and third floors 24/7.

Members of the Yale Law School community must carry their Yale photo ID card at all times to scan into the Sterling Law Building (SLB) and Baker Hall. The main SLB entrance at 127 Wall Street will require entrants to scan Yale ID cards at the outdoor and the indoor card readers. Other SLB and Baker Hall entryways will remain accessible to community members via outdoor Yale ID card readers, including during evenings and weekends. Individuals who do not have a Yale ID card and have an appointment at the Law School will be required to sign in and present government-issued photo identification at the 127 Wall Street entrance, with limited exceptions.

Safety & Health Contacts

Important Contacts
Police & Fire Emergency	911
Campus Police (non-emergency)	203-432-4400
New Haven Police Department (non-emergency)	203-946-6316
Yale-New Haven Hospital	119
Yale Law School Security Guard	203-432-8284
Yale University Campus Security	203-785-5555
University Security Nighttime Safe Rides	203-432-6330
University Security Walking Escort Service	203-432-9255
Yale Health - Acute Care	203-432-0123
Yale Mental Health & Counseling (on-call clinician available 24/7)	203-432-0290
Yale Facilities (emergency repairs)	203-432-6888
International Travel Emergencies (International SOS, Yale's travel assistance provider)	1-215-942-8478
Yale Environmental Health & Safety	203-785-3555

Staying Safe and Preparing for Emergencies

Yale University provides a list of procedures for various emergency situations. Please take time to review the procedures around each scenario. The Law School works closely with YPD and the University on emergency preparedness throughout the year and convenes a YLS Emergency Management Group.

Yale Police Department

The Yale Police Department has a presence on campus day and night. The department periodically issues public safety messages and sends emails about incidents on and near the Yale campus.

Yale Law School Security Guard

A security guard is stationed at the 127 Wall Street entrance of Sterling Law Building. Security is present 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can be reached directly by calling 203-432-8284.

LiveSafe App

It is recommended that all members of the YLS community download the LiveSafe app to report tips to Yale police, request a campus escort, or contact the police in an emergency from your mobile device. Use the SafeWalk function to invite friends or family to temporarily follow your location on a campus map in real time. View safe walking routes on the safety map. Your location and information is ONLY shared with YPD when you use the Emergency Options button or the Report Tips button within the app.

Campus Transportation

Yale Shuttle: Yale University operates a free shuttle service throughout the campus and surrounding areas. A nighttime shuttle and walking escorts are available.
DoubleMap: Track the Yale Shuttle in real time online and by app.
Transportation Options: to.yale.edu covers travel in and around New Haven.
Nighttime Shuttle: Yale has a Nighttime Shuttle Service that runs on a scheduled route around the campus and does off-route drop-offs. Track the shuttle through the DoubleMap GPS locator app or online.
Walking Escort: Request a Yale Security Officer as a walking escort, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by calling 203-432-WALK.

Additional Resources

Blue Phones

The Yale campus has more than 500 strategically located Blue Phones — outdoor phones identifiable by blue lights. Red buttons connect to emergency dispatchers. Keypads can be used to dial any campus number. The Blue Phone at the 127 Wall Street entrance to the Law School has a speaker that can broadcast emergency messages over a three-block radius.

Fire Alarms

If you hear a fire alarm in any Law School building, leave the building through the nearest exit. Do not take elevators. Follow instructions from emergency personnel. Do not reenter the building until you have been instructed that it is safe to do so. View Sterling Law Building and Baker Hall evacuation protocols. You must use CAS login to access them.

Public Messaging System

In case of an evacuation, prerecorded messages will be broadcast in large areas such as the Levinson Auditorium, the Ruttenberg Dining Hall, and the Lillian Goldman Law Library.

New Haven Emergency Information Alerts

The City of New Haven has an opt-in emergency notification system (voice, email, or text) for residents and businesses. Notifications include weather-related alerts, evacuation instructions, and parking bans for street sweeping or snowplowing.