For the most frequently asked questions about Public Safety and Policing at the University, please see below. If you cannot find what you are looking for, please contact us directly.
Call 911. 911 will connect you with the closest dispatch center who will dispatch our Police Officers and/or Fire/EMS.
Texting 911 is slowly coming to Maine. To learn more about it click HERE.
I got a parking ticket, what do I do
I would like to appeal a parking ticket
You can also contact parking at 207-780-4718 or through their contact us page.
USM Public Safety has both sworn and unsworn officers. Most often, the officers you see around campus are full-time sworn officers that are certified by the State of Maine. The training and authority of our officers are the same given to County, State, and Municipal officers.
However, we also have Campus Safety Officers; our CSOs can be seen around campus as well and are identified as such. CSOs are able to assist in many of the same things around campus as our Police Officers. If you happen to stop a CSO with a need for assistance that is not within the scope of their abilities they will gladly contact dispatch for a sworn officer to assist.
If you call Public Safety, you are not required to provide your information when reporting an incident; however, please note that the phone number may be available to dispatch through standard caller ID.
A more anonymous way to contact Public Safety to report an incident is through Campus Eye, our anonymous reporting system. Some questions are required to have answers, but it does not require the reporting party’s information.
Whether you call dispatch to report an incident or contact Public Safety through Campus Eye, the more information that can be provided, the more assistance/resources we can provide.
By properly disposing of used sharps on campus, we can limit the risk to the campus community. If you find a sharp (needle, syringe, or lancet) on campus you should:
- Do not touch the sharp. Only individuals who are properly trained and tasked to safely pick up sharps should attempt removal.
- Keep a safe distance and prevent others from accidentally coming in contact with the sharps.
- Contact Public Safety to alert them of the issue and follow their instructions.
If you accidentally experience a needle stick you must:
- Provide immediate care to the needle stick exposure site.
- For punctures or small wounds, wash the affected area with soap and water for 15 minutes.
- For lacerations, apply direct pressure and seek medical attention.
- Obtain medical care as quickly as possible to determine the risk associated with the exposure and potentially enable testing from the source of exposure. Your healthcare provider can counsel you on your risk and provide post-exposure prophylaxis, if necessary, to help prevent infection. They will also be able to help schedule follow-up testing/counseling for your injury.
- Report the injury to your supervisor as soon as safely possible so an incident report can be completed with Risk Management.
We’re pleased to announce that the University of Maine System (UMS) Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Administrative Practice Letter (APL) II-J is live!
This policy supports the safe, compliant, and innovative use of drones across the UMS community, whether in teaching, research, outreach, or operations. In tandem with the policy launch, we have developed a UAS Resource Guidance Document, now available on the Risk & Safety Management website, to help departments, pilots, and collaborators navigate pilot approval, insurance requirements, flight registration, and more.
What’s New
- Steps to register your drone and comply with FAA regulations
- Insurance coverage expectations and request process
- Flight tracking via a centralized Flight Registration Form
- Committee support and contact info
A special thank you to all who participated in the UAS Committee. Your time and insight were invaluable in helping shape a policy and process that reflects our commitment to safety, compliance, and innovation.
For regular updates and guidance, be sure you’re subscribed to the UMS UAS User Group: ums-uas-group@maine.edu.
Questions or feedback? Reach out anytime to the UAS Committee at ums-uas-committee-group@maine.edu.
Thank you for your continued support in building a culture of safe and effective UAS operations across our campuses.
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Public Safety also posts flyers on the bulletin boards around campus so keep an eye out for our logo to see what is new from Public Safety.
Maine legislature will be considering a new bill that aims to increase the fines for distracted driving. Currently, a first offense carries a $50 fine and a second offense carries a $250 fine. If the new bill is passed, fines will increase to $500 and $1000 respectively. Along with the fine, a driver ticketed for distracted driving also gets points on their license for the violation.
According to Maine’s Department of Transportation website, in 2022 there were 3157 caused by distracted driving of which 12 were fatal.
Maine’s driving laws are covered under Title 29-A, to read the law as it is written please visit the Maine Legislature website.
Information from Attorneys
Maine Texting and Driving Law & Maine Distracted Driving Law from Mann Law
Maine’s Cellphone-Use & Texting-While-Driving Laws by John McCurly, Attorney
News Articles
The dangers of distracted driving
New bill aims to sharply increase fines for distracted driving in Maine
Easy to Reference Guides