The Columbus Division of Police and Ohio State have a long history. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin
The relationship between the Columbus Division of Police and the university has changed throughout the years — and so has support for these programs from students and student leaders.
The Undergraduate Student Government General Assembly unanimously passed a resolution condemning Columbus Police and encouraging the parties to cut ties April 5.
Eleven years ago former USG president Taylor Stepp celebrated a mutual assistance program between the city and the University Police Division, according to a Sept. 18, 2012, Lantern article. Stepp said the joint jurisdiction agreement gave the university resources and equipment to respond to crimes that it otherwise would not have.
Columbus Police could not be reached for multiple requests to comment at the time of publication.
Early ties
Though the two departments formally began a partnership in 2004 — allowing officers from both parties to work with and assist one another in the University District on an “as-needed basis” — a 2012 version of the mutual-aid agreement still in effect today includes expanded jurisdiction and increased authority for University Police off-campus.
“Having OSUPD officers involved in joint-patrol allows OSUPD to provide additional resources to our students if and when they become crime victims,” university spokesperson Dan Hedman said in an email. “There is also an understanding that OSUPD and CPD will share crime related information in an effort to investigate crimes and further inform the campus community of potential threats.”
The mutual-aid agreement works to “address criminal activity and emergencies that occur across jurisdictional lines, to increase collaboration in furtherance of criminal investigations conducted by the City and OSU.”
“The purpose of this Agreement is to establish the relationship and respective rights or duties of the [p]arties to provide mutual assistance and interchange the use of City and OSU police resources,” Ohio State and the City of Columbus stated.
Two programs enacted before this agreement are still in effect and are now included in the contract. The Crime Interdiction Security Initiative from 2004 permits University Police to assist the city with interrupting and intervening with suspects who are attempting or do criminal violations on property that is not owned by Ohio State within the University District.
This section of the agreement stated the university is responsible for paying the City of Columbus at least $150,000 per academic year among other reimbursements for benefits or overtime.
The 2008 joint patrol program allows University Police to assist the city with expanded services and conduct “joint crime prevention initiatives” mostly in the University District. In addition, University Police officers from one department are given Columbus Police counterparts.
“OSUPD has designated joint-patrol officers to be partnered with CPD officers to patrol and respond to the immediate off-campus area where many of our students live,” Hedman said. “That duty is those OSUPD officers’ year-round assignment. Having OSUPD officers involved in joint-patrol allows OSUPD to provide additional resources to our students if and when they become crime victims.”
Evolved jurisdiction of University Police
In 2022, University Police assigned three officers to the joint patrol program full-time to service the University District. This area, as outlined by the City of Columbus, extends north to Glen Echo Ravine, west to the Olentangy River, east to the Conrail Railroad tracks and south to Fifth Avenue.
“Our top priority is the safety of our campus community and we understand a majority of our students live in the immediate off-campus area,” Ohio State’s Department of Public Safety website states.
On top of these older programs, the mutual-aid agreement gives University Police full jurisdiction over University Square, which includes undeveloped green space, the plaza, WOSU and adjacent sidewalks. This is an expansion upon what the division previously patrolled.
In all other areas outside their jurisdiction — not on-campus property or within University Square — university officers are not able to “unilaterally patrol” to detect “crime or the enforcement of traffic laws,” according to the agreement.
This agreement can last up to three years. After it ends in April 2025, it will remain in place for 90 days while the two parties renegotiate the terms. It also stated the agreement can be terminated by the city or the university at any point if they provide written notice 180 days prior to that end, which USG has recommended to the university.
University Police can also conduct investigations outside of its jurisdiction without request or prior notification to the city if the matter originates on campus or in their newly expanded jurisdiction.
With crimes of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking, the Columbus Police notifies University Police when a suspect or victim involved is an Ohio State student, according to the agreement.
Reports of other crimes are similarly a joint effort. Though the university replaced its Neighborhood Safety Notices, which were a product of the parties’ relationship, the Community Crime Map introduced last year also relies on reports and statistics from the city’s division.
USG condemns Columbus Police
The recent resolution passed by USG claims Columbus Police “is marred with racism, discrimination, prejudice and brutality.” Brayon Miller, the sponsor of this bill and a third-year in regional and city planning and public affairs, said he wanted to reignite the conversation around Columbus Police and Black lives.
The legislation calls for Ohio State to diminish the “usage of officers and resources from the Columbus Police Department,” and “strongly consider ceasing all unnecessary contractual agreements” with Columbus Police in place of “viable alternatives.”
Miller said the most important thing he is hoping will come out of this resolution is the university acknowledging the racism he sees in the Columbus Police, especially with the killing of multiple Black people such as Donovan Lewis and Ma’Khia Bryant. This is in hopes to affirm a commitment to Black students on campus, according to the resolution.
Miller said he included a statement to urge Ohio State to consider alternatives to an agreement with Columbus Police.
Miller said he hopes the university will patrol more areas or control different events without use of Columbus officers, but he said it is not within his knowledge to decide what alternatives exist and in what specific situations they can be used.
Miller is not the first student to express discomfort with Columbus Police’s presence in recent years. According to previous Lantern reporting, activists in 2021 said they were unhappy with the increased police presence announced by University President Kristina M. Johnson in response to off-campus safety concerns.
This was a departure from the support USG gave to the original mutual-aid agreement in 2012, which was believed to better help both agencies react to criminal activity by leaders.
In regards to the April 5 resolution, university spokesperson Chris Booker said the university “respects the role of the Undergraduate Student Government General Assembly” and will “carefully study the USG resolution and determine how to proceed.”
Regardless of the agreements between the university and the city’s forces, Columbus Police will continue to have jurisdiction on campus and in the off-campus neighborhoods since the Columbus campus is within city limits. Hedman said the presence of University Police means Columbus Police doesn’t typically respond to incidents on campus.
“[W]e hire individual CPD officers for specific services, largely traffic control on city streets for athletics events,” Hedman said.
