Authorities and Reporting

Campus Law-Enforcement Authority

Ohio University’s main campus in Athens is served by OUPD, a full-service law enforcement agency operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and headquartered at 118 Ridges Circle Drive. The department is staffed with 28 sworn police officers, commissioned by the State of Ohio, with full authority to make arrests. The department also employs eight civilian personnel.

Investigations of criminal conduct are conducted promptly and professionally, and referrals are made to the criminal justice system or other appropriate entities when applicable. The department is also responsible for issuing timely warnings of crimes that threaten the campus community.

The department works with federal, state, and local agencies as needed and collaborates with appropriate University departments to provide those who may be victims of criminal actions or emergency situations with information about University options available to them. OUPD holds mutual aid agreements with the City of Athens Police Department and the Athens County Sheriff’s Office for the purpose of supporting each other’s police operations as needed.

Safety services and enforcement of criminal laws at Ohio University’s regional campuses are provided by local law-enforcement entities. Contact information for these entities is provided for each campus on its Campus Resources page found in the left navigation of this website.

Ohio University believes that eliminating or minimizing criminal opportunities helps prevent crime. Partnerships have been established with students and employees to identify potential areas of victimization and options for appropriate response. Police officers engage in visible patrol and present programs along with Housing and Residence Life staff and other campus groups to help campus community members reduce their chances of becoming victims of crime.

Reporting Crimes and Other Emergencies

Facilities to Report Crimes or Other Emergencies

Students, employees, visitors, and community members at any Ohio University campus are strongly encouraged to report criminal conduct, suspicious behavior, and emergencies to their local law enforcement agency. (Contact information for these entities is provided for each campus on its Campus Resources page found in the left navigation of this website.) Emergency telephones are located at the main entrance of all residence halls and in select locations throughout the Athens campus. The phones are recognizable by the blue lights located above each phone. Emergency phones provide direct access to the OUPD at 740.593.1911 and can be used to access emergency services.

Ohio University encourages anyone to report suspicious activity to OUPD. Anyone who is the victim of, witness to, or is made aware of any crime should promptly and accurately report the incident to OUPD, their local law enforcement agency, or another campus authority. With this information, the university can help ensure the future safety of the campus by determining whether there is a pattern of crime concerning a particular location, method, or assailant and alerting the campus community to potential danger via emergency notification and/or timely warnings.

Suspicious Activity

The following are some examples of behavior that may be suspicious:

  • Anyone forcibly entering a locked vehicle or building.
  • Anyone going door to door in an academic building or residence hall.
  • Anyone carrying property at an unusual hour, especially if the property is computers, electronic equipment, locked bicycles or anything out of the ordinary for that time.
  • Anyone attempting to enter a building without a proper access card/key.
  • Anyone being forced into a vehicle or room/office.
  • Anyone showing unusual mental or physical symptoms
  • Unusual noises, including gunshots, screaming, sounds of fighting, or anything suggesting foul play, danger, or illegal activity.
  • Anyone sitting in a parked car closely scanning the surroundings
  • Anyone attempting to open doors to multiple vehicles in a parking lot.

These are just a few examples of suspicious activity. Remember, people are not suspicious, behavior is. When in doubt, call the police. If you witness any suspicious activity on the Ohio University campus, call OUPD, or the police department with jurisdiction.

Campus Security Authorities

In addition to the primary reporting option of OUPD and local law enforcement agencies, community members can report crimes to certain officials designated as Campus Security Authorities (CSAs). Some examples of Ohio University’s identified CSAs include housing and residence life staff, human resources staff, athletic coaches, athletic trainers, the director of athletics, program advisors/directors, the deans of students, the Title IX Coordinator, and staff in student affairs. CSAs are members of the Ohio University community with significant responsibility for student and campus activities. They have the authority and the duty to take action or respond to particular issues on behalf of the institution. Professional counselors employed by Ohio University, whose official responsibilities include providing psychological counseling to the community are not considered CSAs while functioning within the scope of their license or certification.

CSAs are required to report crimes occurring in the Clery Act geography of Ohio University described in this report. CSAs are not confidential resources for reporting. CSAs can submit the Ohio University CSA Crime Reporting Form to report a crime.

Confidential Reporting

Crime reports made to Ohio University healthcare and mental health professionals can generally be kept confidential, although de-identified reports may be included in the annual disclosure of crime statistics. Please note: Police reports are public records under state law, law enforcement agencies cannot maintain crime reports as confidential. However, crime victims in Ohio may elect to have their personal information redacted from public records. An individual may also choose to report a crime to OUPD or local law enforcement for inclusion in this annual report without pursuing criminal charges.

Anonymous Reporting

The Ohio University community can report crimes anonymously via Athens County Crime Solvers Anonymous by contacting 740.594.3331. The phone is monitored by individuals Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. An answering machine is in use at all other times. Crime Solvers does not use caller identification technology and is not to be used for emergencies.

Callers can report domestic violence, sexual assaults, drug usage and dealing, or any criminal activity. The information provided should be as detailed as possible, to include location, identities of suspect(s) and/or victim(s), and any other relevant information. The information will be provided to the appropriate law enforcement agency with jurisdiction.

Expressing Concerns About a Student

Ohio University seeks to provide a safe and secure environment in which students can pursue their academic and personal goals. The creation of the CARE Team is to ensure a timely and coordinated university response to students whose behavior is disruptive to others or reflects a credible potential for harm to self or others.

The CARE Team is overseen by the Dean of Students. The makeup of the team includes university professionals specializing in mental health, law enforcement, community standards, residence life, and academic affairs. This team supplements, but does not replace, these existing Ohio University processes:

Allegations of criminal activity are forwarded to OUPD or appropriate law enforcement agency.

Allegations of sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct are addressed by Equity and Civil Rights Compliance in the manner described in Ohio University Policy Procedure 03.004 and its related Grievance Process.

Grievances and appeals are handled according to the policies described in the Faculty Handbook, the Undergraduate Catalog, and/or the Graduate Catalog.

Students, faculty or staff with interpersonal conflicts or other disputes can seek assistance, guidance, and support through the Office of the Ombuds.

The following are examples of concerning student behavior:

  • Struggling with feelings of helplessness.
  • Expressing challenges with depression and/or anxiety that impact their daily living.
  • Not attending class.
  • Struggling with basic hygiene.
  • Making threats of harm to self and/or others.

Anyone exhibiting these types of behavior or other questionable behaviors should be reported to the CARE Team using the Express a Concern Form located on the CARE Team website.

Unfounded Criminal Reports

In rare cases, crime statistics that have been reported to Ohio University for inclusion in the annual security report may be removed from this report. These reports may only be listed as “unfounded” following a law enforcement investigation, and only sworn or commissioned law enforcement personnel may determine that a crime report is “unfounded.” Crime reports will be properly determined to be false only if the evidence from the complete and thorough investigation establishes that the crime reported was not, in fact, completed or attempted in any manner. Ohio University discloses the number of “unfounded” crime reports in this annual security report and retains all records for these cases.

Monitoring and Reporting Criminal Activity at Off-Campus Locations Recognized by the Institution

Ohio University monitors criminal activity at off-campus locations of student organizations officially recognized by Ohio University, including student organizations with off-campus housing facilities. The Clery Act Coordinator records statistical data received from local law enforcement that serve all university campuses and off-campus locations.