Police department collaboration doubles as Ohio State students return to University District

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A partnership between the Ohio State and Columbus police departments is expanding, doubling the joint patrol program tasked with keeping the University District safe. 

The off-campus patrol program pairs officers from Ohio State's police division with Columbus police officers to patrol the University District with combined resources. 

Recent adjustments to the program brought four new joining patrol cruisers, which allow them to stand out from other patrol units. The program also now has four officers from each police department, doubling its previous size. 

“OSUPD brings resources CPD might not have, and vice versa” CPD officer Shawn Dye said. “They have cameras all across campus that we don’t have access to, and we have a helicopter, for example.”

Dye is paired with Ohio State police officer Thomas Schneider, and the pair patrol together five nights a week starting at 7 p.m. Schnieder said he and Dye patrol the east side of High Street, respond to calls in the area and check on students who live in off-campus housing.

The announcement came shortly after Ohio State police named an interim police chief, Monica Moll, who was also recently promoted to associate vice president of the university’s Department of Public Safety. Moll will serve as OSUPD embarks on a national search for a permanent chief following the Aug. 26 departure of its first female chief, Kimberly Spears-McNatt.

“With an authorized strength of 75 sworn police officers, we now dedicate four of them to full-time joint patrol duties, bolstering our presence off campus,” Moll said. “It’s a really important partnership with the city and we are grateful to CPD.”

The partnership has a 20-year history, although it was paused a few years ago after its last dedicated officer retired. It was revitalized in 2022, according to OSUPD, and began its expansion in January when OSUPD first had four officers dedicated to the program.

The two divisions first teamed up in 2004, but they did not begin policing together until fall of 2008, according to an Ohio State police timeline. In 2012, they agreed to mutual aid, allowing university officers to enforce the law in off-campus neighborhoods in emergencies or for certain offense categories. 

Ohio State police said the partnership is a “key component” of its approach to off-campus safety, which also includes bettering lighting, adding surveillance cameras, license plate readers and expanded non-sworn security patrols.

“With our increased presence, we can offer more resources to students, including those living off campus,” Schneider said. “If an Ohio State officer responds to a call in CPD’s jurisdiction, they can connect students with university resources and guidance.”