The campus’s new practice of alerting stakeholders to off-campus incidents can raise questions about the nature, reasoning and terminology of notifications, as evidenced this week. Here is a list ofÌýcommon emergency definitions and a Q&A with ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ Police Department (CUPD) Chief Doreen Jokerst on alert notification levels, as well as how the university responds to off-campus incidents.Ìý
How does CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ keep campus stakeholders informed of off-campus incidents?
When a life-threatening incident occurs off campus in heavily student-populated areas, and university police can confirm details with ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ police, those registered to receive the will get updates from campus as part of CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ’s newly expanded alert zones. Typically, the lead agency will alert the community first through its own notification systems.
The expansion encompasses areas near campus that are outside the geography for which the university is required to send emergency notifications as defined by the Clery Act but dense with student populations.Ìý
The expanded alert area, currently in a trial phase, includes the University Hill neighborhood, the Goss Grove neighborhood near Folsom Street and Canyon Boulevard, the Lower Chautauqua neighborhood and the residential area north of Williams Village called Baseline Sub.ÌýÌý
During an event, the decision to send alerts within the expanded notification boundaries will be made depending on the severity of the incident, as well as the location, distance from campus and student population density. University police will work in partnership with ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ police to confirm and share details of off-campus incidents, including more comprehensive updates as details become available.
Learn more and view a map of the pilot expansion.Ìý
How does CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ Police work with other local public safety agencies?Ìý
CUPD is a full-service public safety agency providing community-based policing 24/7, 365. We have police officers, community safety officials and residential service officers who patrol campus and support safety in our community.Ìý
We also work with ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ Police and state and federal agencies. We have strong relationships with these public safety partners to ensure the most coordinated response and notification possible when emergencies occur. The university has opted-in all current students and employees with ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ, Colorado, residential addresses into , the emergency alert messaging system used by ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ Police, ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ Fire-Rescue, ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ County Sheriff’s Department and Longmont Department of Public Safety.
Everbridge is used to send advisories, warnings and orders to take action during life-threatening situations such as police activity, fires, floods and other natural disasters in the city of ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ and unincorporated ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ county. The system also shares critical weather alerts and alerts subscribers of missing and endangered persons.
Learn more about CUPD on our website, and review CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ’s alert levels and resources on the .
What types of emergency alerts does CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ send?Ìý
There are that can be sent out, depending on the nature of the emergency or situation.
The highest notification level is a CU Emergency Alert. These alerts are sent out during emergencies such as an active harmer incident or other confirmed, immediate threats posing a risk to life and safety on our campus. CU Emergency Alerts are also shared if there is a change to the university’s operating status due to weather, etc.Ìý
The next notification level is a CU Safety Alert, an email notification to the community of a crime committed on or near campus (per Clery Act guidelines) that provides increased community awareness of ongoing or dangerous situations.
The third notification level is a CU Advisory. CU advisories are for non-emergency events/incidents on campus or both emergency and non-emergency events off campus that could potentially impact campus, such as extended power failures, building evacuations, sudden road closures or other traffic/construction impacts on or near campus, as well as police activity near campus. These are shared via social media and on our alerts site. TheÌý, including those sent this week, can be viewed on the CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ Alerts site.Ìý
What if I’m not receiving CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ’s text alerts?
Please ensure your contact information, including cell phone number, is up to date in the appropriate portal and confirm that you have not opted-out of receiving alerts. The CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ Alerts site has to help ensure receipt of text alerts for students and employees. If you need help,Ìý.
Image showing the flow of information during incidents occurring off campus. When an incident is reported near campus, ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ Police respond and CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ Police assist. ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ Police may alert the community via Twitter or Everbridge, while CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ Police confirm information then send an advisory or emergency alert.
