In alignment with a recent independent report by Security Risk Management Consultants, and feedback from students, The Ohio State University evaluated the method through which the university shares off-campus crime information for the Columbus campus. Beginning on Friday, March 11, the university will replace Neighborhood Safety Notice emails with a Community Crime Map.
Ohio State Director of Public Safety Monica Moll introduced the program in a campus-wide message Thursday.
The Community Crime Map consists of statistics from the Columbus Division of Police (CPD) and shows off-campus crime reports. Ohio State has pre-programmed the map to a one-mile radius, to include the three major crime categories of aggravated assault, residential burglary and robbery of an individual from the most recent 30-day period. Additional features available include the ability to:
- Turn on additional crime categories
- Access months or years of data
- See heat maps and trends including time of day
- Sign up for crime alerts (daily, weekly or monthly)
- Enter your own, personal home address to set up tailored alerts
Watch the video above or visit the Department of Public Safety website, to learn more about the Community Crime Map and how to use it.
The university created Neighborhood Safety Notices in partnership with CPD in 2016. Both technology and how students desire to receive information have evolved since that time and better information is now available through readily accessible technology. Public safety officials met with students, faculty, staff and parents to gather feedback and share concepts for a more customized and comprehensive approach for sharing information and educating students about crimes that occur in the University District.
This new crime map tool will replace individual Neighborhood Safety Notice emails and offer users access to more crime information, presented in a visual map-based format that students have requested. It will be regularly promoted through the Department of Public Safety website, social media channels and other weekly newsletters. On-campus crime alerts such as Buckeye Alerts and Public Safety Notices will continue to be issued in accordance with federal law (learn more).
On-campus crimes will not be shown on the Community Crime Map and can continue to be accessed via the Ohio State University Police Division’s daily crime log.
“Your safety is our top priority. We will continue to engage with students, faculty and staff to enhance the university’s safety resources, including the ways in which we share information with our Buckeye community,” Moll said.