Campus advisories

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Recent safety advisories

Message to students from UA police chief Paul Callahan:

Dear students:

[Distributed Oct. 24, 2011] — Periodically, we like to remind you and other members of the University community about the safety services that we employ at The University of Akron. Further, I want to make you aware of the additional measures we take to enhance safety in neighborhoods near campus.

Police officers at The University of Akron are fully commissioned by the state of Ohio and have full law-enforcement authority identical to municipal police officers and sheriff's deputies. Our officers patrol campus 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Because we are committed to safety, we have expanded our patrol area to include the neighborhoods near campus with higher student density. We also benefit from having close ties to city of Akron police and other law enforcement agencies.

We also are pleased to report that within the next month, we expect to add seven officers to our police force, bringing the total to 44. Because the University is an employer of choice in the city of Akron, most of our new officers will bring with them years of experience and specialized skills in such areas as community policing and detective work.

We also offer additional services to our off-campus students:

• The University’s new Office of Off-campus Student Services now provides enhanced programming and services, so that students may live more securely and smartly in their non-campus environment. Visit the office's website.
• We also have extended the weekend routes and hours (now until 4 a.m., Thursday through Saturday) of our free Roo Express Shuttle service, so that students can travel the campus and near campus areas more safely and conveniently. Learn more about the late-night shuttle.
• Finally, our Campus Patrol employees still are available to escort students to and from campus locations between 5 p.m. and 2 a.m. daily during the fall and spring semesters. Arrange for a free campus patrol by calling 330-972-7263.

To discourage people from walking in the neighborhoods late at night after partying, a team of university personnel — police officers and others — will be out reminding pedestrians about the late-night Roo shuttle service, as well as encouraging them to take precautions to better assure their safety. So if you are approached, be cool and courteous — they’re simply trying to make our community safer.

As part of our commitment to safety, during the course of the year, you will occasionally receive a Safety Alert e-mail from the University. These messages are intended to provide essential information when the University believes there is a situation of which the campus community should be aware or, perhaps, to elicit tips to further the success of ongoing police investigations. University police report that several investigations have been successfully resolved through tips received from these notices.

You may learn more about these programs and more on our safety website. The website offers a wide variety of safety information, including: fire safety information, how to register for cell phone alerts and the University’s annual safety report.

In addition to the safety measures employed by the University, the nonprofit University Park Alliance expects to have an agreement in place within weeks that will result in the addition of private security officers to the University Park area near campus. Wearing highly visible uniforms, the security officers will be on bicycle and foot patrol, assisting students and serving as additional eyes and ears for police. Other metropolitan-sited universities have taken this extra step to favorable effect.

The alliance is working on other long-term solutions to improve the physical appearance and economic vitality of the 50-block neighborhood that circles campus. I hope you were able to read the recent Beacon Journal article about the new agreement between the alliance and KUD International that should accelerate this important work.

Please know that we are fully committed to maintaining a safe environment for learning and research, as I hope this letter indicates.

As always, I encourage you to call or write with your questions and comments.

Cordially,

Paul Callahan
Assistant Vice President for Campus Safety and Chief of Police
330-972-6166 or pcallah@uakron.edu
http://www.uakron.edu/safety/police/

Roo Express shuttle expands weekend service and hours

The Roo Express shuttle is expanding the hours of its downtown route until 4 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and it is adding 12 stops in the neighborhood south of campus.

The "Zip Home" downtown weekend shuttle also stops near Canal Park downtown and at various points on campus.

See a map of the expanded route.

Visit the shuttle's website.