Community Safety and Security rolls out new staff uniforms and attire
As you move about campus this semester, you may notice a change to the uniforms and attire worn by members of the Community Safety and Security team.
TMU’s security guard uniforms and attire have been redesigned to make it easier for community members to visually identify members of TMU’s Community Safety and Security team by their roles and functions. The new designs will also help better differentiate them from security guard uniforms used by non-university guards employed by neighbouring businesses and organizations.
If you need emergency assistance, approach any Community Safety and Security staff member
While the new uniforms and attire make it easier for you to identify a staff member’s role, in the event of an emergency or if you have immediate safety or security concerns, please approach any member of the Community Safety and Security team for assistance, regardless of what they’re wearing.
Who’s who in Community Safety and Security
Full-time security guards
The most common uniform on campus are the yellow polo shirts worn by full-time security guards, who provide frontline security coverage and emergency response support to the campus community.
TMU’s full-time security guards work across a number of internal teams like the Emergency Services and Community Response units and fill a variety of roles on campus, serving as certified Emergency Medical Responders (EMRs), dispatchers and auxiliary guards in key buildings like campus residences and parking lots.
How to identify a full-time security guard
A full-time security guard’s uniform consists of:
- A yellow short-sleeved polo with the following patches across the chest or shoulder:
- Toronto Metropolitan University logo
- GardaWorld Security
- Security
- A black protective vest with their security guard license number
Shift supervisors
Donning blue polos, TMU’s security guard shift supervisors manage the day-to-day activities of our frontline security guard team.
Not only do they provide on-the-ground security support coverage, shift supervisors also oversee the daily schedule and shift assignments of security guards, facilitate training and development opportunities for staff, and act as the primary liaisons between frontline staff and community safety and security leadership.
Do you have feedback, concerns or want to acknowledge a member of the Security team? Consider approaching a shift supervisor or emailing security@torontomu.ca.
How to identify a shift supervisor
A Shift Supervisor’s uniform consists of:
- A blue short-sleeved polo with the following patches across the chest or shoulder:
- Toronto Metropolitan University logo
- GardaWorld Security
- Security
- A black protective vest with their security guard license number
Extra coverage security guards
In some instances, TMU temporarily hires additional GardaWorld employees who are not assigned to our campus full-time to provide special coverage for events or during anticipated disruptions on campus, like rallies or protests. While these staff are available to assist you, please be aware that they may be less familiar with the TMU campus than guards wearing yellow or blue polos.
Like full-time guards and shift supervisors, extra coverage security guards have standard first aid and CPR level C certification, knowledge of the Canadian Criminal Code and Trespass to Property Act powers of arrest and Use of Force training.
Note: GardaWorld security guards employed by other local businesses and organizations are issued the same white uniform as extra coverage security guards at TMU.
How to identify extra coverage security guards
An extra coverage security guard’s uniform consists of:
- A white short-sleeved polo with the following patches across the chest or shoulder:
- GardaWorld Security
- Security
- GardaWorld crest
Crime Prevention and Community Engagement staff
Complementing the frontline emergency response services provided by TMU security guards, TMU’s Crime Prevention and Community Engagement team works proactively to reduce and deter criminal activity and provide tailored harm reduction supports and referrals for street-involved individuals on campus.
Identifiable via their blue polos, grey sweaters and windbreakers, the Crime Prevention and Community Engagement team actively develops and maintains relationships with street-involved individuals who frequent our surrounding neighbourhood and experience challenges with addictions, mental health or the effects of being unhoused. With team members embedded in the Strategic Outreach and Support Team (SORT) pilot project, they work with social agencies and the City of Toronto to advocate for tailored services for the broader TMU community, including street outreach and housing-related support services.
The Crime Prevention and Community Engagement team also facilitates immersive, skill-based workshops and training opportunities designed to empower the TMU community to respond more confidently to potential threats to their personal safety.
How to identify Crime Prevention and Community Engagement staff
Members of the Crime Prevention and Community Engagement team may wear any of the following:
- A blue short-sleeved polo with the following patches across the chest or shoulder:
- Community Engagement Team
- The TMU one-colour brand mark
- A grey quarter-zip sweater with the following patches across the chest or shoulder:
- Community Safety Team
- The TMU one-colour brand mark
- A grey windbreaker with the following patches across the chest or shoulder:
- Community Safety Team
- The TMU one-colour brand mark
Learn more about the Community Safety and Security team
We encourage you to visit the Community Safety and Security website to learn more about the team and TMU’s community-centric approach to addressing safety and security on campus.