One big thing: The third annual Campus Safety Summit brought together leaders from Utah’s education institutions and law enforcement agencies to enhance collaboration and develop innovative solutions for campus safety.
Why it matters: The summit represents a significant step forward in creating a unified approach to campus safety across Utah’s educational landscape.
By the numbers:
- Representatives from nearly all Utah higher education institutions and technical colleges
- Two days of intensive training and collaboration
- Multiple law enforcement agencies at federal, state, and local levels
“This summit demonstrates our commitment to creating safer campus communities through collaboration and shared expertise,” says Keith Squires, chief safety officer, University of Utah. “By bringing together diverse perspectives from education and law enforcement, we’re building a more resilient safety network across Utah.”
Key focus areas:
- School violence research and prevention
- Cybercrime protection strategies
- Hate crime response
- Law enforcement-administrator coordination
Details: The summit featured specialized training for first responders on day two, fostering deeper understanding between educational institutions and emergency response teams.
“The engagement and solutions that emerged from this summit will help shape the future of campus safety in Utah,” Squires notes. “We’re seeing unprecedented levels of cooperation between institutions.”
The bottom line: The summit establishes a framework for ongoing collaboration between Utah’s educational institutions and law enforcement agencies, strengthening campus safety protocols across the state.
What’s next: The University of Utah Department of Public Safety will continue building on these partnerships to implement best practices and innovative safety solutions across educational communities.