The mission of the Rice University Police Department is to provide a safe and secure environment so as to further the education process. This will be done through the protection of life and property. To achieve this, the departmental services will be organized and implemented in a way that maintains the dignity of those served. The department is charged with the responsibility of (1) protecting the constitutional rights of members of the community, which includes strict prohibition against biased based policing in all encounters between officers and any person (2) the enforcement of institutional regulations, local, state, and federal laws, (3) the creation or maintenance of a feeling of security in the community, (4) the identification and elimination of hazards and of opportunities for crime, (5) the establishment of effective crime prevention programs, in which the institutional community is educated to protect life and property, and (6) the maintenance of protective patrol to deter and detect fire and safety hazards and to prevent traffic accidents and congestion. In all functions members of the department have a public relations role in rendering information and assistance to faculty, staff, students, and visitors.