University of Chicago Safety Initiatives

In the 2021-2022 academic year, the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD) began implementing a strategic operations center to allow UCPD to make real-time and proactive adjustments to police and security deployments while improving emergency communications and intelligence sharing with the Chicago Police Department.

The Strategic Operations Center has already helped to solve crimes by analyzing footage from University security and license plate readers to assist the Chicago Police Department in determining robbery patterns.

In some cases the Strategic Operations Center has allowed UCPD to respond within minutes if a vehicle involved in a crime enters the extended patrol area. This technology helped UCPD in apprehending suspects believed to have been involved in robberies that occurred in 2023.

UCPD is also using data from the operations center to strategically place officers in locations to decrease crime.

In 2022, the University donated $3 million to install additional security technology in UCPD’s extended patrol area, which has allowed for the installation of more than 100 new cameras and license plate readers in our surrounding neighborhoods. This technology is crucial in responding to incidents quickly and has resulted in the apprehension of multiple suspects involved in crimes near campus.

There are hundreds of emergency “blue light” phones around campus and in the surrounding communities that anyone with safety concerns can use to connect directly to the UCPD dispatch center. These blue light stations, many of which have been outfitted with security cameras, serve as a visual deterrent to crime and have been used to identify and apprehend suspects in a number of crimes.

The UChicago Safe Mobile App has numerous features including public safety contact information and the ability to send your location in real-time to a friend so they can keep track as you walk to your destination. The app is also a convenient way to request a safety escort, call UCPD, or access real-time shuttle information.

UCPD has increased staffing capacity in recent years to meet the safety needs on campus as well as the extended patrol area. This includes the creation of a new Medical Center Precinct specifically dedicated to the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Campus and Community Safety Ambassadors, who are contracted security officers with Allied University Security, are stationed and/or on patrol throughout campus and in the extended patrol area.

Safety Ambassadors wear high visibility uniforms to easily identify them as members of the campus safety team and will immediately contact UCPD if they witness a crime.

“Green Light” safety ambassador cars patrol on and around campus seven days a week and provide a visible presence as well as additional eyes and ears around campus.

As of September 1, 2024, all enrolled students at the University have access the new RideSmart by Via Program, which provides free rides in shared vans on and around campus. This service increases student access to nighttime point-to-point transportation and is available from 5:00 p.m. - 4:00 a.m. every day. More information can be found on our web page.

In 2023, the University launched a Downtown Connector shuttle that travels between the Hyde Park campus, the Gleacher Center, downtown UChicago Medical Center clinics, and other downtown locations including stops close to Ogilvie and Union stations.

The University’s longstanding UGo Shuttle program runs day and night on and around the greater campus area.

Watch this video for a quick guide to transportation options at UChicago.

The University recently launched a Public Safety Advisory Council that engages campus and community members to provide input on the University’s safety and security efforts.

Members of UCPD’s Community Relations Unit work closely with local community groups, area schools, and local business leaders to solicit feedback and ideas on ways to enhance community resources. 

UCPD runs one of the only campus Police Athletics/Activities League (PAL) programs aimed at improving community relations between police and youth, especially at-risk youth. 

In 2022, the University of Chicago donated 500 Ring video doorbells at no cost to residents of nearby neighborhoods.

The University’s cAlert system provides rapid emergency notifications and instructions via text message, email and push notifications on the UChicago Safe Mobile app in the event of an emergency.

Security alerts are automatically sent to via email to all members of the University community, and anyone else who signs up to receive them, about significant crimes that have happened on or immediately adjacent to campus, in which a community threat is perceived. Security Alerts are archived on the DSS website and on UChicago Safe’s social media accounts.

Crime notices are sent via push notification to users of the UChicago Safe Mobile App for certain violent crimes that occur off-campus but within UCPD’s extended patrol area and are reported to UCPD. These notices are sent for three types of crime: homicides, confirmed shootings of people, and patterns of robbery. Crime notices are archived on the DSS website and UChicago Safe’s social media channels.

This map shows the approximate boundaries of the areas covered by security alerts and crime notifications.

The Daily Crime Bulletin is an opt-in email delivered each weekday (Monday through Friday, excluding University holidays) that provides information about serious crimes within UCPD’s extended patrol area and reported to UCPD.

UCPD works in close collaboration with Deans-on-Call to perform wellness checks on students provide support after a crime and help students in other emergency situations.

The Deans-on-Call can also connect students to after-hours health and counseling resources, such as the therapist-on-call, who is available 24-hours a day.

UCPD launched a dedicated Victims and Witness Services Unit to support victims of crime by connecting them with resources such as counseling and victims’ compensation services. The unit also provides guidance, such as helping individuals walk through the court system process.