Report: Campbell safest university in North Carolina

Campbell University is North Carolina’s safest college or university campus, according to a report released this week by Your Local Security, an ADT affiliate.

The rankings were based on low crime rates and programs designed to provide on-campus protection and relied on data and statistics provided by the U.S. Department of Education and the FBI. Crimes reported to universities were broken down into three sections — violent crime, property crime and violence against women.

Campbell’s Department of Campus Safety includes law enforcement and security divisions — the law enforcement division consists of Harnett County Sheriff’s deputies assigned specifically to Campbell as part of a contract between the University and the county. A bicycle patrol — cited in ADT’s report — was launched on campus in 2015 and is made up of deputies on bikes who are able to more easily navigate areas of campus inaccessible to cars. Response times to calls and alarms have been reduced since the patrol began.

Deputies also patrol the campus and Buies Creek community 24 hours a day responding to calls for assistance, conducting traffic enforcement, arresting violators and investigating criminal incidents. Campbell’s security officers patrol campus by golf cart and on foot and help secure campus buildings, enforce parking and provide limited motorist assistance.