Department of Public Safety announces enhanced resources, holds crime prevention event
The Ohio State University Department of Public Safety (DPS) is increasing its presence on and off campus as part of a pilot safety program called Operation Safeguard, designed to curb crime near the High Street corridor.
The program, which began Thursday, Sept. 11, in conjunction with a crime prevention and student safety event, will add additional patrols to the immediate off-campus student housing zone and High Street corridor through the end of 2014.
“This enhanced presence is part of our overall commitment to promote a safe and secure environment for our campus community,” said Vernon Baisden, director of Ohio State’s DPS. “These additional resources, combined with the joint patrol and joint jurisdiction initiative by The Ohio State University Police Division and the Columbus Division of Police, will enhance safety efforts.”
As part of Operation Safeguard, Ohio State plans to utilize a combination of Student Safety Service officers and other security officers and hire a moderate number of additional part-time security to assist in the effort. Overall, it will increase the number of safety patrollers in the immediate off-campus neighborhood by nearly one dozen uniformed personnel.
These enhanced resources will patrol seven days a week between the hours of 5 p.m. and midnight, with extended late-night hours on Friday and Saturday during the autumn semester.
“We appreciate everyone’s commitment to safety and, in addition to our aggressive efforts to prevent and deter crime, ask students to be aware of their surroundings,” said OSUPD Chief Paul Denton.
To supplement its enhanced safety presence, OSUPD also will park a mobile substation in the High Street corridor each night. This mobile substation will serve as its High Street headquarters during the pilot program.
Thursday’s announcement coincided with a crime prevention and safety awareness event, during which university leaders and community partners walked through the immediate off-campus neighborhood, distributing safety materials and talking one-on-one with students. Participants included Senior Vice President of The Ohio State University Office of Administration and Planning Jay Kasey, Vice President of The Ohio State University Office of Student Life Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston, Columbus City Council Member Zachary M. Klein, Columbus Deputy Chief Thomas Quinlan, Columbus Division of Police and President of Undergraduate Student Government Celia Wright, amongst others.
“The university has a number of resources dedicated to the safety of our campus community,” Kasey said. “We want to share these resources so students know what is available and how we are working to prevent and deter crime on and off campus.”
OSUPD also held a Rolling Roll Call outside the Ohio Student Union and plans to continue these high-visibility initiatives throughout the year.
About The Ohio State University
The Ohio State University is a dynamic community of diverse resources, where opportunity thrives and where individuals transform themselves and the world. Founded in 1870, Ohio State is a world-class public research university and the leading comprehensive teaching and research institution in the state of Ohio. With more than 63,000 students (including 57,000 in Columbus), the Wexner Medical Center, 14 colleges, 80 centers and 175 majors, the university offers its students tremendous breadth and depth of opportunity in the liberal arts, the sciences and the professions.
