As school starts back up, the San Diego State University Police Department wants to make sure students are safe on campus during this academic year. According to the university's website, the campus police are investigating a series of incidents that took place recently and will continue to make the campus as safe as possible, but the police are also urging students to be cautious.

Upon the student's return, security officials released a statement welcoming them.

"The San Diego State University Police Department would like to welcome everyone to the Fall 2012 Semester," the statement reads. "We depend on each and every member of the university community to take an active role in their safety and security by following a few simple precautions."

If a students witnesses or is the victim of a crime, the security officers encourage them to contact 911 or activate any of the the emergency phones located throughout the campus. In addition, the police recommend observing safety measures such as keeping doors, cars and windows locked at all times and being careful not to be too distracted while on cellphones.

In the interest of transparency, the university's police department undertook a safety initiative that includes a report with crime statistics as well as descriptions of incidents that have taken place. The online portal for students to access the reports states that the university's police department releases information about incidents as quickly as possible.

"SDSU is committed to providing official emergency information as quickly as the situation allows," the site states. "SDSU utilizes a 'multi-layered' emergency communication effort to ensure effective dissemination of information to as many affected individuals as possible."

Those interested in staying up to date with the security initiatives can follow the San Diego police and the university police on social network websites such as Facebook or Twitter.