Safety

5 things everyone should know about sexual assault

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 06:00:00 +0000

5 things everyone should know about sexual assault Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 04/01/2025 - 00:00

Health and Wellness Services

Sexual assault is all too common and can have lasting impacts on individuals and communities. As we recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month this April, here are five things everyone should know about sexual assault.

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Free overdose prevention supplies available

Megan Maneval — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 16:43:54 +0000

Free overdose prevention supplies available Megan Maneval Thu, 03/20/2025 - 10:43

Free naloxone and fentanyl test strips are available around campus. Learn more from Health & Wellness Services.

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Register your party, avoid potential drama and tickets

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 19:36:33 +0000

Want to host a party without worrying about noise complaints or expensive tickets? Register your party with Off-Campus Housing and Neighborhood Relations and the Boulder Police Department.

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4 ways to look out for your friends this weekend

Anonymous — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 14:46:15 +0000

4 ways to look out for your friends this weekend Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 03/04/2025 - 07:46

De-stressing and letting loose with friends can be fun. However, it’s also important to keep your group together and ensure everyone makes it home safely. Here are some ways you can look out for your friends.

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Commitment to campus safety, comprehensive safety resources

Megan Maneval — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 13:07:16 +0000

Commitment to campus safety, comprehensive safety resources Megan Maneval Wed, 02/26/2025 - 06:07

With recent incidents occurring on and near campus, safety is at the forefront of many conversations, and we want to ensure our campus community has the resources it needs.

��ý�Ļ��Ʒ and the city of Boulder are committed to the safety of all community members, on campus and off. The university functions as a “city within a city,” supporting a population of approximately 38,000 students and 12,000 faculty and staff members in the heart of Boulder.

Our CU Police Department serves campus 24/7 by foot, bike, motorcycle and vehicle, and works diligently with the university community and surrounding agencies to ensure a prompt and coordinated law enforcement response. Campus community members are also encouraged to continue to follow preventative safety practices, which may include using the free mobile safety app, utilizing services such as CU NightRide, walking in groups and, as always, being aware of your surroundings and reporting any concerns immediately by calling or texting 911 or calling CUPD’s non-emergency line at 303-492-6666.

Comprehensive safety resources

As part of the Division of Public Safety, CUPD is one component of our holistic approach to safety. The division’s Department of Threat Assessment also works to safeguard our students, faculty and staff through continuous monitoring and mitigation. All DPS services play an important role, integrating public safety tools and resources to meet the evolving needs of the campus community.

��ý�Ļ��Ʒ has several robust processes for individuals to share concerns and request support, including several reporting options through CUPD, the Don't Ignore It website and anonymously through ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ Safe2Tell. When concerns are reported, they are evaluated and addressed through tailored processes depending on the involved populations.

Anyone with a colorado.edu email address is automatically registered to receive emergency and safety alert (timely warning) emails. Additionally, we highly encourage you to add your mobile phone number to receive text alerts by going to the Buff Portal or your MyCUInfo portal.

Community members also have options for receiving information about emergencies. Review the three levels of CU alerts and notifications, bookmark the ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ Alerts website and follow @CUBoulderPolice on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram.

When emergencies occur off campus in areas of high student populations, and information can be confirmed with the lead agency, such as the Boulder Police Department, those registered to receive the university’s emergency notifications will receive updates.

If you're in the Boulder area on a regular basis, read about emergency preparedness and sign up for city of Boulder alerts. You can also opt in to countywide alerts to ensure you’re receiving the latest emergency updates on off-campus incidents.

��ý�Ļ��Ʒ is committed to the safety of our community; we are not immune to some criminal or concerning situations.

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Coroner identifies body of CU student

Elizabeth Lock — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:54:48 +0000

Coroner identifies body of CU student Elizabeth Lock Tue, 02/18/2025 - 16:54

��ý�Ļ��Ʒ is saddened to learn that the county coroner has identified the individual who was recently recovered in Boulder Canyon as Megan Trussell. The sheriff’s office released an additional update stating it does not believe there is or was a threat to the community.

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Missing student updates

Megan Maneval — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 12:34:32 +0000

Missing student updates Megan Maneval Fri, 02/14/2025 - 05:34

The ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ Police Department is working with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to locate a missing student, Megan Trussell—last seen wearing a blue/gray jacket, dark colored yoga-style pants and white platform sneakers. Those with any information: call 303-492-6666 and reference CUPD case No. 2025-0291.

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CU police, researchers combine efforts to identify, intervene before violence occurs

Megan Maneval — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 20:55:46 +0000

CU police, researchers combine efforts to identify, intervene before violence occurs Megan Maneval Wed, 02/12/2025 - 13:55

From right: Sgt. Brian Brown, Deputy Chief Mark Heyart and Sarah Goodrum conducted a TV-LAP training with co-responders from multiple police agencies in Colorado on Jan. 21, 2025.

Research shows that acts of targeted violence are not random or impulsive; instead, they are carefully planned over weeks, months and sometimes years. This planning and preparation means there are opportunities to notice the warning signs and intervene to address them. The key to violence prevention is early intervention, according to experts.

“We’ve learned from research on mass shootings that many attackers engaged in observable planning behavior and communicated their plan to cause harm to others, prior to their violence,” said Sarah Goodrum, research professor in the Prevention Science Program at ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ’s Institute of Behavioral Science.

“In addition, a recent study by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s National Threat Assessment Center found that these attackers often had contact with police, prior to their violence, such as fights with parents or posting pictures of guns on social media. But, in many cases, the attacker had not yet broken the law, limiting the steps police could take to address the concern,” Goodrum added.

That’s why the ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ Police Department, which is part of the Division of Public Safety, and violence prevention researchers are working together to strengthen partnerships and integrate resources in a holistic approach to campus and community safety.

Goodrum recently joined CUPD’s Deputy Chief Mark Heyart and Sgt. Brian Brown in efforts to ensure regional law enforcement agencies are aware of valuable tools to help with early identification, assessment and intervention; training co-responders from Northglenn, Lakewood, Aurora and Thornton Police Departments on the Targeted Violence Lethality Assessment Protocol, or TV-LAP. CUPD officers and embedded mental health clinicians have already received this training.

The protocol provides first responders with a list of 12 questions to guide an inquiry with a person engaging in concerning behavior or making threatening statements. The idea is to identify and evaluate the concerning behaviors and communications and provide individuals with help and resources before violence occurs.

“As one of the first people called to support analysis of threats within the ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ community, our co-responder has the benefit of many years of training and experience, and the TV-LAP gives her a way to quickly reference the key points of threat assessment and violence prevention, as well as next steps to support individuals experiencing a crisis, when she is out in the field,” said Katy Barnes, assistant director of crisis services at Counseling and Psychiatric Services.

Additionally, Goodrum and CUPD Commander Eric Edford recently presented the TV-LAP to police agencies at the Boulder County Threat Assessment Group, to encourage wider use of this valuable tool to assess and prevent targeted violence in the community.

The TV-LAP regional trainings are part of broader efforts funded by a 2023 U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant.

Later this year, there will be related emphasis on threat identification processes across campus. Campus safety leaders from the Division of Public Safety will engage in the National Threat Evaluation and Reporting Master Trainer Program, in continued efforts to share information on early identification and intervention.

Training on campus and in communities will help first responders evaluate concerning behaviors and take appropriate action.

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When emergencies occur off campus: What to know

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 19:15:37 +0000

When emergencies occur off campus: What to know Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 02/11/2025 - 12:15

When a life-threatening incident occurs off campus in heavily student-populated areas, and university police can confirm details with Boulder police, those registered to receive the university’s emergency notifications will receive updates from campus as part of ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ’s expanded alert zones.

The expansion started as a pilot program in fall semester 2022 and was adopted a year later. It will be assessed annually to ensure it is meeting the needs of the campus community.

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.

This area 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.

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 Boulder police to confirm and share details of off-campus incidents in the identified neighborhoods, sharing updates when they are available.

Once ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ police are aware of any life-threatening emergencies in the expanded zone and have confirmed details with the lead investigating agency, anyone with a ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ email address will receive CU Emergency Alerts via email. Additionally, mobile phone subscribers will receive texts. Students, faculty and staff can manage their contact information and choose to receive alerts in languages other than English.

Depending on the nature and severity of the emergency, public safety agencies off campus may send their own alerts. If you're in Boulder regularly, sign up for city of Boulder alerts to ensure you’re receiving the latest emergency updates as they happen.

The Boulder Office of Disaster Management distributes emergency alerts for significant countywide incidents, including natural disasters, via a system called BOCO Alert. Campus community members with Boulder addresses are automatically opted in to BOCO Alerts. Those who live outside of Boulder but want to be aware of emergency notifications in the area must sign up for BoCo Alerts.

All students, faculty, staff, community members, parents and other family members are encouraged to follow ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ alerts and ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ police on social media and enable push notifications to receive emergency messages for all three levels of alerts. Boulder residents are also encouraged to follow the Boulder Police Department on social media.

Campus officials will continue to send emergency alerts for off-campus incidents that pose a threat to life and safety in areas of dense student population, partnering with Boulder police to confirm and share information quickly.

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Learn best practices for active harmer response

Anonymous — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 14:20:59 +0000

Learn best practices for active harmer response Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 02/04/2025 - 07:20

The ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ Division of Public Safety provides opportunities for CU students, faculty and staff members to access its CU: Run, Hide, Fight active harmer response class. The SkillSoft online course launched last spring.

How to access the course

Log in to your portal (MyCUInfo or BuffPortal).
Click on the SkillSoft tile, or search for it in Buff Portal if it is not saved to your homepage.
In the Search Content text box in the upper right, type: “CU: Run, Hide, Fight” and click the spyglass search button.
Then click on the launch button in the results list.

The course, which covers topics such as how to recognize and quickly respond to an active harmer situation, includes scenarios that help participants put their knowledge into practice. The virtual, text-based course takes about 15 minutes to complete.

Law enforcement agencies, including the ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ Police Department, are trained to respond to active harmer incidents. Be mindful that police response will occur as expediently as possible, but in the first few minutes of such an incident you may have to rely on your own actions to ensure your safety.

“Campus community members can access this virtual course at any time,” said Garry DeJong, director of events and emergency management at ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ. “We recommend that all CU affiliates watch the course at least once per academic year, to learn best practices and refresh their knowledge of this valuable content.”

The virtual course can serve as an introduction to more comprehensive active harmer response training offered by the university, including a longer video-based course.

��ý�Ļ��Ʒ uses the Department of Homeland Security’s Run, Hide, Fight response philosophy.

Community resources

The Department of Threat Assessment ensures continuous monitoring and mitigation; provides consultation and intervention methods; and maintains a comprehensive documentation repository for any instances of threatening or concerning behavior exhibited by faculty, staff or nonaffiliates to safeguard the well-being of our entire campus community and ensure a secure and supportive environment for all.
Student Support and Case Management takes a holistic, non-clinical case management approach to help students address a myriad of needs or personal life events that may impact their educational career. SSCM assists students’ mental health, emotional wellbeing and safety by providing outreach, resources and referrals.
The Office of Victim Assistance offers confidential support, including free trauma-specific counseling services as well as victim advocacy (helping people know their options and get assistance navigating systems), to ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ students, staff and faculty who have experienced or witnessed traumatic events, including but not limited to crime, abuse, violence, harassment, stalking, discrimination and more.
Counseling and Psychiatric Services offers confidential, on-campus mental health and psychiatric services for a variety of concerns such as academics, anxiety, body image, depression, relationships, substance use and more. This office serves ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ students.
The Faculty and Staff Assistance Program offers confidential counseling to serve the emotional and psychological needs of ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ employees. All FSAP staff are trained as generalist counselors and are equipped to deal with a wide range of mental health, personal and work-related issues. You must be a ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ employee to use FSAP services.
��ý�Ļ��Ʒ has several robust processes for individuals to share concerns and request support, including several reporting options through CUPD, the Don't Ignore It website and anonymously through ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ Safe2Tell. When concerns are shared, they are evaluated and addressed through tailored processes depending on the involved populations.

A short, virtual course, offered by the ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ Division of Public Safety, teaches valuable skills and can be viewed anytime. Join and learn best practices for active harmer response.

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Safety

5 things everyone should know about sexual assault

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Free overdose prevention supplies available

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