CSU Police and How to Report a Crime


CSU police officers work closely with university offices to identify safety needs and concerns.

CSU Police Qualifications and Authority

About CSUPD

  • Colorado State University Police Department operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
  • The department includes an investigations unit, patrol unit, records office and a 911 dispatch center.
  • CSUPD officers are also commissioned officers in Larimer County and the City of Fort Collins.
  • CSUPD collaborates with Fort Collins Police Services, Poudre Fire Authority, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, the Office of the District Attorney, and other state and federal law‐enforcement agencies and investigation bureaus. As part of a regional first responder network, CSU police hold mutual aid agreements with the county and city to address contingencies such as natural disasters, civil disturbances, major crimes, and pursuits of serious offenders who travel across jurisdictional lines. These mutual aid agreements include provisions for joint investigations. Copies of these agreements are available from the CSU Police Department.

About CSUPD officers

  • CSU police officers are armed and have full law enforcement authority on all property owned or controlled by the university, and the authority to make arrests on or off university property.
  • Officers possess peace‐officer commissions from the State of Colorado, Larimer County, and the City of Fort Collins.
  • Colorado State University police officers complete at least 860 hours of training in a state‐certified police academy and field‐training program in preparation for their jobs.

About CSUPD’s jurisdiction

  • Colorado State University Police Department’s jurisdiction and primary focus is all property owned, leased or controlled by Colorado State University. While possessing commissions from Larimer County and the City of Fort Collins, CSUPD does not routinely patrol the county’s or city’s jurisdiction. However, CSUPD will assist on in-progress calls and specific interdiction initiatives at the request of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office and Fort Collins Police Services.

About the CSU Police Department’s work on campuses

  • Colorado State University police officers routinely patrol all buildings on campuses.
  • Officers patrol campuses grounds on foot, by bicycle and in vehicles.
  • Campus Safety Officers are student employees who assist at university events and provide safe escorts across campus via SafeWalk. These employees receive more than 50 hours of training. These employees do not have arrest authority. More information at police.colostate.edu/safe‐walk/.

How to Report an Emergency or Crime

CSU encourages all community members to make accurate and prompt reports of crimes and other emergencies on campus and other CSU‐owned or controlled property. Reports about incidents on campuses should be made to CSU police immediately; incidents off campuses should be reported to the agency with jurisdiction (such as Fort Collins Police Services). Promptly reporting crimes provides law enforcement agencies with the best opportunity to effectively address safety issues. If the victim of a crime elects to or is unable to make such a report, others are encouraged to promptly do so.

If you witness or experience a crime or emergency, report it as soon as possible to CSU police by calling 911. The CSU Police Department is located in Green Hall at the corner of Laurel Street and Meridian Avenue. CSUPD operates 24 hours a day. The non‐emergency number is 970‐491‐6425.

It is important to report what you observe even if others have already made a report.

  • To report a crime in progress or immediate threat to campus safety call or text 911 from any phone. If you are on campus, tell the dispatcher so immediately.
  • To report a crime that is no longer in progress and is not an immediate threat, call (970) 491‐6425 or visit police.colostate.edu/. Crimes may be reported anonymously online at police.colostate.edu/anonymous-crime-report/.
  • To report a fire, call or text 911 from any phone. If you are on campus, identify your location as Colorado State University first, and the campus location of the fire.
  • To report any other emergency in progress, call or text 911.
  • Students at the Sturm Collaboration Campus are encouraged to promptly report unusual activity or incidents to the Arapahoe Community College Police Department by calling 303-797-5800. If there is no answer, call 911. 911 calls from cellular phones are free. An Arapahoe Community College officer will meet with them to gather the information.

Tips for Reporting an Emergency when Contacting 911

  • Call 911 from any phone or call or text from a cell phone.
  • CSUPD dispatchers have an enhanced system that allows the dispatcher to see where the call is from. This does not work for cell phones without location services turned on.
  • The dispatcher will need to know the address of the emergency, which is not necessarily where the call is coming from.
  • 911 calls made from cell phones from within the city may be routed first to Fort Collins Police Services, so if you are calling from a CSU campus, be sure to tell the dispatcher that right away.
  • When you are reporting a crime, it is important to report it immediately from a safe location.
  • When speaking to a dispatcher, stay on the line and, as accurately as possible, tell the dispatcher everything you can remember about the incident. If reporting about a suspect, try to recall details such as the suspect’s clothing, if they were driving a vehicle, what it looked like, and direction of travel either on foot or in a vehicle.
  • If you are in a position to give first aid to someone or to relay information to another rescuer, CSU and other local dispatchers are prepared to tell you what to do until emergency responders arrive.
  • If reporting a fire or someone in need of an ambulance, CSU police will immediately notify fire or emergency medical personnel, then help with emergency measures such as evacuation and managing traffic so that fire trucks and ambulances can access the scene. Report all campus fires to CSU police immediately by calling 911.

How to Report an Incident of Sexual Harassment or Interpersonal Violence

In addition to the option of making a report to law enforcement, anyone may report an incident of sexual harassment, interpersonal violence, or gender-based discrimination to the Office of Title IX Programs and Gender Equity as follows:

In-person during business hours: 

Office of Title IX Programs and Gender Equity
123 Student Services Building (corner of University Avenue and Libby Coy Way)
Fort Collins, CO, 80523
Telephone: (970) 491-1715
Email: titleix@colostate.edu
Online: The Office of Title IX Programs and Gender Equity website reporting form

Postal Mail:
Office of Title IX Programs and Gender Equity
0160 Campus Delivery
Fort Collins CO 80523-0160

For definitions of interpersonal violence including dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking and more information about reporting, please see the section on Reporting Interpersonal Violence in this report.

Report a Crime Anonymously

To remain anonymous and report a crime to the CSU Police Department, you may fill out the online anonymous crime report form at police.colostate.edu/anonymous-crime-report/.

  • Information you submit will be sent securely to CSU police without your identity being revealed.
  • Include as much detail as possible.
  • If the crime you are reporting is an emergency, please call or text 911.
  • Crimes reported anonymously to CSU police will be included in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report as required by the Clery Act.

Confidentiality of Crime Reports

If you are the victim of a crime or want to report a crime, but do not want to pursue action within the university or criminal justice system, we ask that you still consider filing a report. Depending upon the circumstances of the crime you are reporting, you may be able file a report while maintaining your privacy.

To make a voluntary, confidential report to the CSU Police Department, call 970-491-6425 and ask to make a confidential report. The CSU Police Department will do all it can to comply with your wish to keep your personally identifying information confidential, while also taking steps to ensure your safety and the safety of others. This also allows the university to compile accurate records on the number and types of incidents occurring on campuses. Reports filed in this manner are counted and disclosed in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, without personally identifying information.

In limited circumstances, the police department may not be able to assure complete confidentiality and will inform you in those cases.

The university will not publish the names or other identifying information such as addresses or ID numbers of victims of sexual or gender violence crimes in any public record unless required to do so by law. Confidentiality is maintained in daily crime and fire logs, timely warnings, and emergency notifications. CSU also will not publish any accommodation or supportive measure provided to a victim unless such confidentiality impairs the effectiveness of the measure.

Other Voluntary, Confidential Reporting Options

In addition to the above reporting options, students and employees may seek support and guidance from confidential university or community resources that maintain the confidentiality of the victim or other person reporting. 

While confidential resources may encourage a victim to report the incident to police, these offices will maintain confidentiality and not share identifying information with police. 

  • The Victim Assistance Team, through the Women and Gender Advocacy Center, provides confidential advocacy support to Colorado State University students who have experienced sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, or stalking on or off campus, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. This resource also supports family or friends who are impacted by a student’s experiences of interpersonal violence. Call 970‐492‐4242. During regular university business hours, their offices are open to visit in person at 112 Student Services Building or in the satellite office in Room 234 of the Lory Student Center.
  • Confidential reports may also be made to pastoral and professional counselors, licensed psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, or graduate student staff in the CSU Health Network Counseling Services Office, and these reports are considered confidential. CSU’s pastoral and professional counselors inform clients of the institution’s policy as to maintaining confidentiality. While counselors can assist their clients with reporting to law enforcement when requested, no university policy or procedure exists that encourages counselors to inform their clients of voluntary, confidential reporting procedures at Colorado State University. Counselors assist clients on a case‐by‐case basis and discuss options and resources as may be appropriate for each individual client. Crimes reported to pastoral or professional counselors are not assessed for a timely warning.
  • The CSU Health Network Counseling Services office is in the Health and Medical Center at the corner of College Avenue and Prospect Road. Counseling Services may be reached during regular business hours by calling 970-491-6053. Emergency after-hours counselors are also available at 970-491-7111.
  • The Women’s Clinic at CSU Health Network is in the Health and Medical Center at the corner of College Avenue and Prospect Road. Call 970‐491‐1754 or visit health.colostate.edu/womens‐clinic/.

For employees, confidential resources include:

Non‐university confidential resources include:

  • Sexual Assault Victim Advocate Center Fort Collins Office
  • 24‐hour Rape Crisis Hotline
    • 970‐472‐4200 or
    • 1‐877‐352‐7273
  • Crossroads Safehouse
  • RAINN ‐ Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network
 

Next section: Campus Security Authorities

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