The Ohio State University Police Division

Name

The Ohio State University Police Division

Legal name

The Ohio State University Police Division

Website

https://dps.osu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1870

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Campus Public Safety and Law Enforcement

NAICS

Police Protection (922120), Police Protection (92212)

akta.pro primary industry

Campus Law Enforcement & Investigations (EDALAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

K-9 Security Patrol Services (HSAHAKAK), Student Transportation Safety & Security (On-Board Cameras, Incident Response) (EDAEADAG)

Keywords

• Campus police services
• Law enforcement
• Emergency alert systems
• Campus safety programs
• Security surveillance

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. University Public Safety Budget: Funded through university annual budget allocation for campus public safety. Total campus public safety budget is $35 million annually as of 2021.
2. State Safety Grants: State grant funding for safety enhancements, including $369,900 Ohio Department of Higher Education Campus Safety Grant for security cameras

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Ohio State University Police Division (OSUPD) is the sworn police force of The Ohio State University, delivering 24/7 law enforcement, emergency response, criminal investigations, and community policing for the Columbus campus, regional campuses, and the adjacent University District. Its service portfolio integrates sworn and non-sworn personnel (K9 unit, Student Campus Service Officers, Buckeye Block Watch), advanced surveillance and notification technology (4,000+ cameras, 60+ license plate readers, Buckeye Alert, Rave Guardian, RapidSOS-integrated 911 center), transportation safety (Lyft Ride Smart), and structured safety education (Stay Safe Buckeyes, Active Aggressor Response, self-defense training). All services are provided free to students, faculty, staff, and visitors and are funded through the university's $35 million annual public safety budget and state grants.

Product overview

The Ohio State University Police Division operates as a comprehensive campus public safety department with a multi-layered approach combining sworn police services, non-sworn security personnel, advanced surveillance technology, emergency communications systems, and community education programs. The core OSUPD Police Services provides 24/7 law enforcement supported by specialized units including K9 teams and drone teams. The product portfolio centers around the Buckeye Alert notification system for emergency communications and the Rave Guardian safety app for personal safety tracking. Supporting services include the Lyft Ride Smart discounted rideshare program, the LexisNexis-based Community Crime Map for crime awareness, Campus Service Officers for non-sworn patrols, and various training programs including Active Aggressor Response, Self-Defense Training, and Stay Safe Buckeyes safety education. Technology infrastructure includes 4,000+ surveillance cameras and 60+ license plate readers. All services are integrated through a $35 million annual public safety budget and coordinated with Columbus Division of Police through joint patrol programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OSUPD Police Services Full-service police division providing 24/7 law enforcement, emergency response, criminal investigations, and community policing for Ohio State's Columbus campus and surrounding University District. Service is free to students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
• Buckeye Alert System Multi-channel emergency notification system delivering text messages, app push alerts, social media posts, email, and campus-wide announcements to keep students, faculty, and staff informed of safety emergencies.
• Rave Guardian App Mobile safety application integrated into the Ohio State app that provides GPS tracking with virtual guardians, destination-based safety timers, and accelerated delivery of Buckeye Alerts and safety notices via push notifications.
• Lyft Ride Smart Program Discounted rideshare partnership offering eligible students $4 to $6.50 off rides from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. within the university-designated service area, including the Short North. Up to 10,000 discounted rides available monthly on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Community Crime Map Interactive mapping tool displaying off-campus crime statistics from Columbus Division of Police, pre-programmed to a one-mile radius with customizable email alerts and crime category filters.
• Campus Service Officers (CSO) Non-sworn student security personnel providing high-visibility patrols via vehicles, foot, and mountain bikes, with direct radio communication and first aid capabilities. Students serve 15-25 hours per week at $13/hour.
• Active Aggressor Response Training Educational program teaching Run, Hide, Fight methodology through video modules and classroom lock training for responding to active shooter situations.
• Stay Safe, Buckeyes Class Online video-based safety course covering crime prevention, reporting procedures, street safety, mental health awareness, and self-defense techniques. Reached 15,000+ students in its first year.
• Empowerment and Self-Defense Training Free three-hour course taught by certified R.A.D. instructors covering awareness education, prevention, risk reduction, and hands-on defense training.

Quantifiable outcome

• Crime in off-campus area dropped to lowest level in over 10 years during first five months of 2022 (48 incidents vs. every year since 2009)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Columbus Division of Police (CPD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 August 2022Joint patrol program with OSUPD and CPD officers patrolling University District. Partnership enhances information sharing between agencies and allows OSUPD to respond to calls, connect students to Ohio State resources, and serve as liaison with CPD. Expanded to four full-time OSUPD officers as of July 2024.
• City of ColumbuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for license plate readers, permanent lighting in University District, surveillance cameras, and joint safety investments. Ohio State invested additional $2 million per year over 10 years ($20 million total) for off-campus safety enhancements.
• Security Risk Management Consultants (SRMC)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExternal safety expert engaged in September 2021 to review and evaluate the effectiveness of Ohio State's expanded approach to off-campus safety in partnership with the city of Columbus.
• Lyft (Lyft Ride Smart Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiscounted rideshare program for eligible students from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Ohio State contributes $4-$6.50 per ride. Expanded to include Short North area. 10,000 discounted rides available monthly.
• RapidSOScoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology integration providing real-time location data when 911 calls are placed, enabling officers to quickly access video in surrounding areas and faster response times.
• LexisNexis (Community Crime Map)coreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party service providing off-campus crime data from Columbus Division of Police. Ohio State pre-programmed the map to one-mile radius with customizable alerts and crime categories.
• WOSU Public MediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-produced the 'Surviving an Active Aggressor' video which won a Regional Emmy Award in 2019.
• Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland SecurityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to make Buckeye Alerts available to the general public through the ALERT Franklin County county-wide mass notification system.
• Undergraduate Student Government (USG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on steering wheel lock pilot project prioritizing Kia and Hyundai owners, bike lock donations, and joint safety initiatives. USG helped develop Lyft Ride Smart program.
• Willie J. Young Sr. Off-Campus and Commuter Student EngagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Off-Campus Community Welcome program, neighborhood safety walks, and distribution of free safety devices to students.
• Ohio Bureau of Criminal InvestigationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssisted in investigation and timely identification and apprehension of suspect in kidnapping and rape case.
• Community Crime PatrolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroup of highly trained citizen patrollers working to increase safety in Columbus neighborhoods as additional eyes and ears for community partners.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Columbus Division of Police: Municipal police force for the City of Columbus that partners with OSUPD on joint patrols in the University District. Provides broader jurisdictional coverage where OSUPD's authority ends, and shares crime data feeding the Community Crime Map.

Direct peers

• Penn State University Police and Public Safety: Sworn university police department providing 24/7 law enforcement, emergency management, and Clery Act compliance across multiple Penn State campuses. Operates with a similar mix of sworn officers, K9 units, surveillance infrastructure, and community engagement programs.
• NYU Department of Public Safety: Public safety division for a large urban private university providing patrol, emergency notification, and community policing in a dense urban environment. Comparable in mission (campus safety for a large student population in an urban setting) even though NYU is private.
• University of Texas at Austin Police Department: Large urban-campus sworn police force for a flagship public Big 12 university of similar enrollment scale to Ohio State. Comparable mandate covering patrol, criminal investigations, emergency communications, and special event safety (game days at UT stadium parallel Ohio Stadium operations).
• Michigan State University Police and Public Safety: Sworn university police division operating across a large Big Ten campus with a similar mandate to OSUPD: 24/7 patrol, criminal investigation, emergency management, and student safety programming across multiple campus locations.
• UCLA Police Department: Sworn university police department serving a major West Coast public research university with comparable enrollment, urban location, and a mix of sworn patrol, non-sworn security, emergency notification, and community policing programs.
• University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security: Police and security division serving the University of Michigan — a Big Ten peer institution of comparable scale, urban setting (Ann Arbor), and comprehensive public-safety mandate including sworn officers, emergency notification, and community policing. Highly analogous operating model to OSUPD.

Emerging players

• LiveSafe: Campus and workplace safety mobile platform offering tip reporting, location sharing, and emergency dispatch — overlapping functionally with Rave Guardian, which OSUPD has deployed. A partial-overlap emerging competitor in the campus safety app space.

Others

• RapidSOS: Technology partner integrated into OSUPD's 911 dispatch workflow to deliver real-time caller location data and surrounding video access. Operates as enabling infrastructure provider to public safety agencies broadly, including university police.
• Rave Mobile Safety: Provider of the Rave Guardian personal safety app and emergency notification platform used by OSUPD. Serves hundreds of universities and municipalities with comparable campus safety communication and personal safety mobile app capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OSUPOLICE
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1xZ18YAKTjA0L5_OSjfYKA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-ohio-state-university-police-division
• Instagraminstagram.com/osupolice

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Ohio State University Police Division