University Event

Overview of Safety at CSU

Updated April 2009

Colorado State University houses a fully-functional law enforcement agency including a Patrol Division with officers on foot, on bikes, and in squad cars; an Investigations Division with plain clothes detectives; and a K-9 unit.
The main campus comprises about one square mile (not including the Foothills Campus and Veterinary Teaching Hospital). This area is patrolled by multiple armed police officers at any given time, 24-hours a day. The Foothills Campus receives additional security from trained security officers through our federal government partners.
All buildings on campus are routinley patrolled by foot, bicycle, motorcycle and car, and University officers routinely patrol inside resident halls for security.
All 911 calls generated on campus go directly to the CSU Police 911 Center and are responded to by CSUPD. CSUPD has an average 2-4 minute response time anywhere on campus.
CSUPD works cooperatively with Fort Collins Police Services and Larimer County Sheriff's Department.

Three layers of security exist in the residence halls:
- The lobby area is staffed 24 hours a day.
- Lobbies and common areas are open during dining center hours and then accessible only by residents of the building after hours via keycard access.
- Floors and rooms are only accessible by residents with keycard access. All common bathrooms on the floors are also secured.
All residence hall staff are trained on emergency response and have knowledge of evacuation and safety protocol in the event of an emergency.
Housing & Dining Services takes direction from the Public Safety Team in the event of an emergency.
In the event of an emergency all lobby doors and common areas can be locked down to permit access to residents of the building only. The option of locking buildings down entirely to prevent any access into the building is also available.

CSUPD employs a full-time Background Investigator to do background checks on new employees.
While CSUPD can not prevent people from traveling on and off of campus, officers are vigilant and have several programs in place to encourage campus participation in security.
CSUPD officers are trained for attacks such as the ones at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University and have procedures in place for that type of situation.
Plain clothes detectives routinely deal with faculty, staff and students across campus to keep abreast of unusual circumstances and reporting online, including anonymous reporting. CSUPD officers receive specialized training for active shooter situations.
CSU has an advantage over other universities because the CSUPD has officers on motorcycles and bicycles, which allows them to get across campus quickly and into areas where vehicles may not easily reach.
When shootings occur on other college campuses, the CSU Police Department has a policy in place that dictates a security response. However, the CSUPD does not share the policy for security reasons.
CSUPD sponsors an annual Citizens Academy to create a closer partnership with faculty, staff and students in reporting suspicious activity and crimes; encouraging all on campus to take an active role in campus security.
Resident Hall staff is alerted to imminent situations. This allows them to provide counseling and support to students who are upset, but also alerts them to be aware of suspicious behavior.

Colorado State University