Nebraska ranked among nation’s safest universities

Troy Fedderson | University Communication

K-9 handler Greg Byelick (left) discusses his new partner, Justice, with Mike Heller (right) and his son Robbie prior to the start of the Huskers' spring football game on April 15. The university was recently ranked among the 100 safest campuses in the nation.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has been named one of the 100 safest college communities in the United States.

The rankings, announced by the National Council for Home Safety and Security, a national trade association for licensed alarm installers, contractors and other public safety-minded groups, are based on the most recent data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting and the National Center for Education Statistics. The list also takes into account population of the community and crimes on and off campus. Areas of focus include crimes that meet Violence Against Women Act regulations (domestic and dating violence, and stalking) and arrests.

Overall, the university ranked 85th and is one of 11 Big Ten-affiliated universities included in the list. More than 2,000 four-year colleges and universities were assessed for the rankings.

Programs that have helped increase public safety at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln include:

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design — A multi-disciplinary approach that is rethinking outdoor spaces on campus, designing them to be more open to passersby and reducing the odds of unwanted and illegal activities. Read more here.

Capt. John Backer of the University Police Department (fourth from left) discusses lighting and landscaping improvements made to increase visibility on the plaza north of Love Library. The discussion was part of the university annual campus safety walk, w — Capt. John Backer of the University Police Department discusses lighting and landscaping improvements during a campus safety walk on April 27.

K-9 Police Units — In May, the University Police Department launched the university’s first K-9 patrol teams. The dogs and handlers are tasked with sniffing out explosives, finding evidence at crime scenes and tracking individuals. They are not trained or used for drug detection, suspect apprehension and crowd control. Read more here.
International Accreditation — The University Police Department is accredited with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. The commission is an independent accrediting authority created in 1979 by four top law enforcement membership associations. Only about 2.5 percent of campus law enforcement agencies and 4 percent of public safety agencies have gained accredited status through the commission. Read more here.
UNL Alert — The UNL Alert system allows the University Police Department to send text messages and email alerts about emergency situations to cell phones or an email account. The system is a connection to real-time updates, instructions on where to go, what not to do, who to contact and other information. Alerts also appear in real-time on university websites and social media platforms. Registration for the alerts is free and encouraged. Read more here.
Emergency Planning and Preparedness — The university maintains a website dedicated to providing information on being prepared in the event of severe weather, hazardous events and other emergency situations. Read more here.
TIPS Reporting System — The TIPS system is an outlet for individuals to report campus incidents or positive acts of kindness that they feel need to be shared. The system allows for anonymous reporting. It is a mechanism for the campus community to work together to ensure that the university maintains a welcoming environment. Read more here.