North Columbus News

The Community Crime Map at Ohio State is now operational as the spring semester begins. This tool, which compiles statistics from the Columbus Division of Police (CPD), was previously offline due to a ransomware attack on the City of Columbus and its data systems.

With its restoration, the map utilizes a third-party service, Lexis Nexis, to extract data from the CPD crime log. It displays off-campus crime reports within a one-mile radius for the most recent seven-day period. The map's default crime categories are set by Lexis Nexis and provide an additional resource for students to stay informed about local crime and trends.

Users have access to several features such as:

- Adding more crime categories

- Viewing extended periods of data

- Analyzing heat maps and time-of-day trends

- Subscribing to daily, weekly, or monthly alerts

- Setting up personalized alerts using their home address

While the Community Crime Map focuses on off-campus incidents outside The Ohio State University Police Division (OSUPD) jurisdiction, on-campus crimes remain accessible through the OSUPD daily crime log.

For crimes that occur on campus or directly affect it, Ohio State’s Department of Public Safety employs various communication methods. These include "the Buckeye Alert System and Public Safety Notices," supplemented by information shared via their website, social media platforms, traditional media outlets, and other channels.