Published: Sept. 13, 2018

Person in meeting checking smartphoneSeveral times already this semester, you have received an email from CU Boulder to notify you of crimes that have occurred on or very near to campus.

The Clery Act is a federal law that requires universities to make “timely warnings” to all campus community members when specific types of criminal activity have occurred and there may be an ongoing threat to the community. Because it is a federal requirement, you cannot unsubscribe from these emails.

Timely Warnings by Email

At CU Boulder, we will send you an email providing as many details as we can. Sometimes, these details are limited and may even change as the investigation continues. But the law says we must send you the information as soon as we have the initial facts.

CU Alerts by Text

The Clery Act also includes notifications during active emergencies. When an active emergency is occurring, you will receive a text message notifying you of the incident.

The CU Police Department (CUPD) policy is to issue an alert once a threat has been confirmed, or if officers are entering a building with their longer weapons deployed. For CUPD, these could be shotguns or rifles.

These emergencies could be human-caused, such as an active harmer attack or a chemical spill, or naturally occurring, such as a severe weather event. The text message will direct you to our emergency website, alerts.colorado.edu, for more information.

Before the next incident occurs, make sure your information is up to date by going to alerts.colorado.edu; scroll down to the “User Sign-Up” section for directions.

If you live off campus, each city has its own emergency notification system to reach cellular devices. To register in Boulder, or any city in Boulder County, go to the county's registration site. If you live outside of Boulder County, do an online search for your city and “emergency notification.”