GCU Commits to Safety for Students and the Community

Grand Canyon University empathizes with a parent seeking peace of mind as their child leaves for college. It’s an exciting, yet uneasy experience for parents—which is why at GCU, safety is a top priority.  The university reassures parents by ensuring maximum student and campus safety with extensive 24/7 security measures.

Not only is GCU committed to providing a safe learning environment on campus, but the university also expanded its commitment to safety beyond campus borders and throughout the community with an effective partnership and initiative.

Concerned about campus safety and west Phoenix crime? Here’s why GCU parents should feel comfortable with their child attending GCU:

GCU Partnership with Phoenix Police Department

In 2012, Grand Canyon University and the Phoenix Police Department partnered together to develop the Neighborhood Safety Initiative, an endeavor that continues to have a transformative impact on crime prevention in the area. The mission of this $1 million, five-year partnership is to reduce crime and build a stronger, safer community in the areas surrounding the university. Funding for the initiative enables the precinct to target trouble spots with additional police, clean up dangerous areas and remove high-crime properties. Rather than fighting crime, the initiative focuses on developing programs to extinguish the roots of crime— poverty, homelessness and gangs.

Crime-Suppression Statistics

For the past three years, the initiative has proven to help crime rates plummet. AZ Central reported on the following crime-reduction statistics in Phoenix, according to data provided by Phoenix police to the FBI:

• 23.6 percent decrease in reported violent crimes between the first half of 2014 and the first half of 2015, from 246 to 188
• 19.6 percent decline in property crimes between the first half of 2014 and the first half of 2015, from 859 to 691
• 2.5 percent drop in property crime rates throughout Phoenix between the first half of 2014 and second half of 2015, from 28,318 to 27,616

Public Safety on Campus

As this partnership continues to help rid the community of violent and property criminal activity, GCU continues to protect its student community within campus. Students and their families can feel comfortable knowing GCU’s Public Safety department deploys a policy and the following procedures to provide a safe and protective environment.

• 80 staff member Public Safety Department with a 24/7 operation
• Blue light security stations to report safety concerns, suspicious activity or emergencies
• Security-controlled campus access points for campus
• R.A.V.E. emergency text notification alerts
• ID cards required to access campus facilities
• Officers stationed in residence halls from 9 pm to 5 am
• Policy escorts by request
• Parking privileges and vehicle decals required to park on campus
• Awareness program offering education, tools and steps to take regarding a situation or incident
• Incident reporting system with online TIPS tool
• Wellness check process to report concerns about a specific student
• Monitored visitor access at campus entrance gates staffed by security personnel

Visit Public Safety at GCU for more information or assistance with a problem.