Ohio State announces new safety measures in response to major crimes on and around campus
Ohio State University announced a new slate of safety resources Thursday afternoon in response to several high-profile crimes on and around campus in the last two months.
The university plans to "significantly expand" crime prevention programs and work with Columbus police to increase evening and overnight off-campus patrols during the academic year, according to a news release. Expanded police patrols will be adjusted based on needs in the University District and other real-time information.
Ohio State news: Most Ohio State crime numbers stayed consistent in 2021, according to new report
“The health and safety of our university community is our top priority,” Ohio State Acting President Peter Mohler said in a prepared statement. “We will continue to evaluate ways to improve our approach to safety on campus and in the surrounding neighborhoods. These new measures reflect that commitment.”
In addition to expanding off-campus police patrols, the university authorized:
Ohio State University Police Division to hire five additional police officers, increasing the total force to 75 officers. Two of the positions will support its joint patrols with the Columbus Division of Police in the University District. (Since January, OSUPD has hired nine additional officers.)
Purchase of additional mobile surveillance cameras to be placed at various locations.
Continued support for the license plate reader program and video storage.
Renewal of Buckeye Block Watch foot patrols in targeted University District areas. Buckeye Block Watch is a safety team comprised of volunteer citizens taught how to deal with difficult situations and learn skills like dealing with mental health crises, first aid and CPR.
Campus Area Bus Service (CABS) On-Demand, which provides free transportation between campus buildings after 9 p.m., to add two stops on the east side of High Street, at University Square and South Campus Gateway.
These changes will increase Ohio State's current annual campus safety budget, which currently sits at $35 million. A figure on exactly how much these measures will add to the budget was not immediately available from Ohio State.
“We are committed to working with our city partners, and we talk daily about crime and crime trends,” said Monica Moll, Ohio State’s director of public safety. “We are confident these increased resources will help Ohio State and our community partners make an impact in our effort to improve safety and security in the campus area.”
Campus safety has been a consistent issue for students and their families over the last few years.
In October 2020, Chase Meola, a fifth-year Ohio State business student, was killed in an early morning shooting outside the off-campus Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity house. Meola's death sparked a massive response from students and parents calling for more safety measures.
In September 2021, former Ohio State President Kristina M. Johnson announced the university would invest an additional $2 million a year in funding over the next decade to enhance safety and security measures on and off campus. Moll said that investment hs led to a decrease in crime.
Those measures included:
Installation of additional lighting and cameras.
Extra police and security patrol.
Added surveillance cameras at all campus parking garages, increasing the university's surveillance camera count to more than 4,000.
Additional fixed cameras installed and mobile cameras in off-campus neighborhoods.
Acquisition of 63 license plate-reader cameras with coverage both on and off campus.
Days before the beginning of this school year, Ohio State University wrestler Sammy Sasso was shot and seriously injured during a carjacking near the Short North Kroger.
An Ohio State student walking near the Residence on 10th residence hall was robbed at gunpoint around 12:20 a.m. on Sept. 9. Last week, 77-year-old Emily Foster, a University District writer and resident, was found stabbed to death in her home on Iuka Avenue after a neighbor went to check on her.
Moll said the reality of living in an urban center means that, despite the university's best efforts, crime will happen. Living in a digital age, she said, can sometimes seem worse than it is.
"When you hear about a significant tragic incident, it can definitely put you on edge," Moll said.
Moll said the university is open to hearing student feedback about what they need to feel safe.
"A couple of incidents is a couple of incidents too many," she said. "We will keep doing everything we can to make students feel safe and comfortable."
Sheridan Hendrix is a higher education reporter for The Columbus Dispatch. Sign up for Extra Credit, her education newsletter, here.
shendrix@dispatch.com
@sheridan120
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State announces new safety measures in response to campus crimes
