Protocol for Responding to Requests from Law Enforcement Agencies
Fordham University is committed to maintaining safe and secure campuses for every member of our community. As part of this promise, University procedures are grounded in the Jesuit tradition of being people for others. We hold to the Ignatian principle of care for the whole person and respect the dignity of every individual, including their right to feel safe wherever they may be on campus.
On occasion, law enforcement investigations may require officers to come to one of our campuses. This page outlines the Fordham University Department of Public Safety procedures when law enforcement officials are present on campus. These procedures are designed to protect the rights and privacy of our students, faculty, and staff, while accommodating the lawful requests of law enforcement agencies.
As students, faculty, or staff, if you are on a Fordham campus and approached by a law enforcement officer who requests access to University facilities, inquires about members of the campus community, or requests access to student records, immediately follow these steps:
Step 1: Ask the law enforcement officer for their name, identification number, and agency affiliation.
Step 2: Inform the officer that you are not obstructing their process but do not have the authority to release information without consulting the University administration. Contact the Department of Public Safety and request a Duty Supervisor, and they and others will help determine the appropriate next steps.
Step 3: Fordham Public Safety will obtain whatever warrants/subpoenas the law enforcement officers present and work immediately with Fordham’s Office of Legal Counsel to evaluate the warrants/subpoenas, including coordinating with law enforcement to serve them, if necessary.
Unless law enforcement officers are responding to a lawful request, Fordham Public Safety will not allow them on campus, nor share any student or employee information with law enforcement. Law enforcement officers must provide a court order, which will be verified by Fordham’s Office of Legal Counsel, before access to campus property will be granted.
FAQs
This FAQ is not legal advice; it explains guiding principles designed to ensure Fordham students, faculty, and staff understand their rights and responsibilities when interacting with law enforcement officers while protecting the privacy and safety of our campus community. Please contact the Department of Public Safety if you have any more questions or concerns.
Access to Campus
Q: If I work in a public access building (such as the McShane Campus Center at Rose Hill or the plaza at Lincoln Center), can I prohibit access to law enforcement officers?
A: No. Fordham cannot prohibit law enforcement officers from coming on campus to enforce federal law. However, you must alert the Department of Public Safety that a law enforcement officer is on campus.
Q: If I teach in a classroom, am I obligated to allow law enforcement officers to enter?
A: Generally, law enforcement can only require you to allow entry to these spaces with a specific type of warrant. If you are presented with a warrant or other court order by law enforcement, you should follow the instructions above.
Q: I am a resident assistant working in the residence halls. Am I obligated by law enforcement officers to provide access to the residence hall’s floors or rooms?
A: It depends. The answer is yes if the law enforcement officer has a certain kind of warrant. If the officer does not have a warrant, the answer is no. If approached, contact the Resident Director on duty and Public Safety.
Q: Can a student residing in a Fordham University residence hall refuse to allow a federal law enforcement officer to enter their residence hall?
A: Generally, yes. A residence hall room is considered a limited-access area. Students should follow the above protocol if approached by law enforcement requesting access to a residence hall.
Records Requests
Q: If a law enforcement officer requests personal or personally identifiable information about a student, including class rosters, etc., am I obligated to provide it?
A: No. As a Fordham employee, per federal privacy laws and Fordham policy, you must maintain the confidentiality of personal and personally identifiable information, including student records. Fordham University generally requires law enforcement officers to produce a valid subpoena authorizing the disclosure of such records.
If you are asked for student personal information by an individual who has identified themself as a law enforcement officer, regardless of whether they present a subpoena, inform the officer that you need to speak with a University administrator and immediately contact the Department of Public and request a Duty Supervisor for further guidance. The Department of Public Safety will address the request with Fordham’s Office of Legal Counsel.
Q: I am a staff member (financial aid officer, residence hall director, or human resources officer). If a law enforcement officer requests personal and personally identifiable information about a student or employee, am I obligated to provide the requested information?
A: Personally identifiable educational and University health records are protected by various privacy laws, including the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA). As a University employee, you must maintain the confidentiality of these records. If you receive a request for personally identifiable information or documents, or if a law enforcement officer gives you a warrant or subpoena seeking such records, you should ask the officer for their name and agency affiliation; ask for a copy of any warrant or subpoena presented; inform the officer that you are not obstructing their process but need to contact the Department of Public Safety to assist appropriately.