Did anyone else get this? I was wondering if something happened that prompted them to do this.
Yes we got it too. Seemed a little odd. I do know that A Prof lost his life a few days ago in an accident near campus after he was hit by a car. I’ve also heard that the violent crime rate is higher in Chicago and other large cities like Baltimore this year after all the police controversies. Maybe they sent it to calm fears on the community.
It was sent to all faculty, staff and students. There has been a spike in crime throughout the city, including episodes like this just east of campus at 4:30 on a Wednesday. This is an area that normally receives little crime.
Good grief I lived at 56th and Kimbark in the early 90’s. Even back then the area was safe. This isn’t good.
Great. I’m not one to panic (well, actually I’m on the anxious side but work really hard to not get worked up) but this isn’t good at all.
We’ve been to Chicago and have had no problems but stayed in the tourist areas.
My H actually works (contract) in Chicago and commutes back to Texas- he recently trekked over to the campus, even walking in Washington Park in the evening. No problems.
Still, I’m a little worried now. My D is very cautious but still… She’s tiny and I’m her mom so, yeah, I get worried.
We received this as well, ironically while visiting my son who is staying at school this summer. Because it was a short trip, we stayed in the area rather than downtown. We noticed no difference in the feel of the neighborhood other than increased secret service presence on 51st street when Michelle Obama was in town and in residence. Between media reports of increased viloent crime in Chicago and the racial tension associated with police shootings, I was curious (and maybe a little anxious…) about safety on and around campus. My son said that he has not noticed an increase in issues and I was relieved to perceive no changes in the feel of campus or the nearby areas. The campus police are very visible, as they have been since my son started there 2 years ago. Hopefully this announcement is more preemptive than reactionary in which case I applaud the school’s taking action before we see a spike in incidents like the one reported by @Zinhead
My son is staying in HP this summer so I asked him too. He seemed oblivious to the whole thing. He walks / bikes / runs all around HP and takes buses frequently in to town and back and claims no difference now from the previous 2 plus years. I don’t know. I’m glad though that the University recognizes that we are going through a time where the bad people maybe sense a bigger opening due to the zeitgeist and the University is responding with a bigger police presence. That action will be noticed by the bad people who are ever open to opportunity for easy gains.
This has more to do with shifting traffic patterns in Hyde Park than anything else. UCPD patrols are based on where people went before Harper Court, City Hyde Park, Vue 53, the CIE, etc. were built. There’s lots more traffic near the lake on 53rd and 51st, but the same minimal UCPD presence.
56th and Kimbark, barely off campus, is as safe as it has been. Heck, Chicago police report basically no crime south of 55th street in Hyde Park, the only “problems” (read: something like a robbery a month on average which registers as an “extremely safe neighborhood” on the large city crime scale) are between Hyde Park Boulevard and 55th.
I think the crime ebbs and flows but is pretty consistent. I’m glad when I get these alerts because it’s a good talking point with my son about are you being careful (late at night especially), always carry at least $20 in cash to have something to give a mugger, give them your stuff–your phone is easily replaceable, etc etc etc. I don’t think I worry any more about him and the crime than my friends with kids at other schools worry about things like drunk drivers that aren’t really an issue at UChicago with almost no kids having cars. Having lived in Hyde Park and other cities though I think I’m less phased by some of it than people who have not lived in urban areas though…
^I’m actually glad also to have gotten the alert as well. It’s better to see that UChicago is addressing it. And while we live in a fairly good sized city in the urban core (not in the suburbs) and my job takes me to some really bad neighborhoods, I’m still a mom and get worried for my kiddos. Unfortunately my previous work with the police left me very cautious having worked with crime victims. Yes, it’s good to remind our kids about personal safety.
Here is the latest. These locations are three to six blocks from campus:
When we toured WashU, the limited amount of police/security presence was surprising. More surprising was that their crime rate was somewhat higher than UChicago. Given the high level of security on campus, and the fact that they send these emails out when they did not have to is re-assuring that UChicago takes security seriously.
Sounds like it might be the same two each time? Hope they catch the thugs.
In eleven person-years of living and/or working on or around the University of Chicago campus, the only brush with crime either of my kids had was a lot like that described above. My son was walking home from campus at 1 am the first week of August (i.e., no one around), and a group of teenagers ran up behind him at 55th and Blackstone, knocked him down, took his wallet, and ran away. He wasn’t hurt, but he was jangled.
I think it has often been the case over the years that when there is some kind of mini crime wave like this in Hyde Park it’s the work of one person, or one small group of people. The police take that very seriously, and the perpetrators tend to get caught fairly quickly.