Many things go into making Oakland University a very safe campus community, and not the least of these are efforts on the part of students, staff, faculty and visitors to help the Oakland University Police Department in crime prevention measures and campus safety initiatives.

To date, our efforts as a community have been effective. Crime statistics and other relevant data indicate that Oakland University is one of the safest locations in Oakland County. This is reassuring not only to those already here on campus, but to prospective students and parents who are making decisions about where to invest in a college education.  

As a community, we must continue to be vigilant in our efforts to maintain a safe learning environment.  The university administration and the OUPD will certainly continue to do all in their power toward this end.

This year, for example, we will introduce an improved and updated blue light emergency phone system. These on-campus phones, which dial directly to the emergency dispatch center, will also work as loudspeakers to send live audio broadcasts on campus. With them, we will be able to communicate important information more quickly and efficiently during emergency situations.

Other campus safety initiatives we’ve implemented in recent years include boosting OUPD staffing levels; expanding community safety education, training and equipment; and upgrading security technology throughout the campus.

In addition, we have enhanced our emergency evacuation process, safety alert notifications and emergency lockdown procedures. We have and will continue to build on our cooperative working relationships with surrounding law enforcement agencies and other emergency first responders. 

All members of the campus community should know that we are equipped to send text message alerts to cell phones in the event of a major campus emergency. We encourage those who haven’t already subscribed to receive the alerts to sign up at www.oakland.edu/ready, our comprehensive Emergency Preparedness Website. 

Those on campus should also know that our Dispatch Communications Center is now capable of receiving text message tips and reports through a dedicated computer system. Because our ability to reply to text messages is limited, and to enhance our ability to respond appropriately to emergency calls, we always prefer to receive reports or notifications by voice — 911 from campus phones or (248) 370-3333 from cell phones. However, if you ever find yourself in a dangerous situation and you cannot call or would feel more comfortable texting our dispatcher for assistance, you may send a text message to [email protected]. You may also e-mail our dispatcher at this address.

I am certain we’d all agree that these are necessary and important initiatives, and you can rest assured that the OUPD will continue to research developments in the field of emergency preparedness and analyze crisis situations in order to learn how we can improve our own plans. 

Meanwhile, I urge you to spend a few minutes visiting our Emergency Preparedness website, www.oakland.edu/ready. Here you will find all of our emergency procedures, as well as a link to an online course on how to recognize and report warning signs of potentially violent behavior. 

If we work together as a team with each of us remaining vigilant in our efforts, I’m confident we all will enjoy a safe and successful educational experience this year.