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What to expect when a crime happens on campus

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At CU Boulder, serious criminal activity is unusual. Theft and other property crimes make up the bulk of our cases (here are some tips on keeping your bike and other property safe). But when a major crime occurs and a suspect has not been identified, we are going to tell you about it so that you can take proactive measures for your personal safety.

The Clery Act is a federal law requiring that we inform you when certain types of crimes are committed on or adjacent to our campus. These warnings fall under two categories: emergency notification or a timely warning.

Emergency notification

An emergency notification is used for any type of significant emergency anywhere on campus. These messages will come to your colorado.edu email account and as a text message to your registered cell phone under the subject line: CU Boulder Alert. Make sure we have your correct phone number by following instructions at alerts.colorado.edu. (Last week you should have received a text message during our campus alert system test on Aug. 27).

An emergency notification can be issued for anything from severe weather closing the campus to an active harmer situation on campus.

Run, Hide, Fight

Look for Run, Hide, Fight posters in your classrooms, residence halls and study rooms across campus. These posters are informative and will help us all be intentional about our safety in an active harmer situation. They highlight each step and explain what the phrase means. Learn more about important Run, Hide, Fights steps.

Timely warning

A timely warning is issued when a specific crime has occurred on campus property (or adjacent to campus), and there is a serious or ongoing threat to students and employees. Crime categories that may necessitate a timely warning include:

  • Criminal homicide
  • Sex offenses including rape, fondling, incest and statutory rape
  • Robbery
  • Aggravated assault
  • Burglary
  • Motor vehicle theft
  • Domestic violence
  • Dating violence
  • Stalking
  • Arson
  • Hate crimes

When this warning is issued, you will receive an email to your colorado.edu account with the subject line: Safety Alert. Because timely warning notifications are required by federal law, you are not able to opt out of these emails.

The best way to be informed about crime trends and crime prevention tips is to follow CU Boulder Police Department on social media, found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; just search for @CUBoulderPolice.

The campus also utilizes social media to inform its community. Please be sure to follow these channels on Twitter: @CUBoulder and @CUBoulderAlerts.

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