Campus Policing in an Urban Environment
Publication Date: 2018
Abstract: According to 2016 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, most Americans live in urban areas, with approximately one in five people living in rural areas. Urban areas are also home to 68% of the nation's 7,000+ institutions of higher education (IHEs). Denser populations, space constraints, infrastructure issues, and other characteristics common in urban areas are all factors affecting safety and policing efforts on urban college and university campuses. On August 1, 2017, a group of 36 campus safety leaders from 17 IHEs, federal officials, and several campus safety-related professional associations, gathered to identify and discuss the challenges specific to campus policing in urban environments. The National Center for Campus Public Safety facilitated this one-day forum where participants provided potential solutions and recommendations for addressing those challenges. Key takeaways and conclusions from the forum discussions constitute the principal findings of this report.