Safety on Campus

Safety Warnings

Knowledge is power, so when there is a serious crime on or near campus, we provide timely Safety Notifications via your NIU e-mail address, the NIU Safe App and our social media channels.

The NIU Safe App: Safety Tools at Your Fingertips. 

You’re encouraged to download the latest version of the NIU Safe app from the Apple Store or Google Play. With it you can:

• Dial police at the touch of a button.
• Allow friends or police to virtually monitor your walks home to ensure you arrive safely.
• Use the “Mobile Blue Light” button to have police dispatched to your location at once, even if you leave to find safety.
• Receive safety- and weather-related alerts.

Safety Services

NIU and NIU Police offer several services that can help you navigate campus safely.  

• Huskie Safe Walk provides students, faculty and staff with a two-person walking escort to areas on and near campus during overnight hours. To arrange a walking escort, call 815-753-1212. 
• Huskie Safe Line This overnight service provides safe, secure transportation to those who travel around town between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. The service follows the Huskie Bus Route 11. It can be tracked using the same ETA Spot mobile application that currently tracks Huskie Buses.  
• The NIU Police Department’s Safe Selling space provides a secure, supervised area for the in-person exchange of cash and goods in Craigslist-type transactions. 

Safety Training

NIU Police offer a variety of self-defense courses and other educational opportunities to help you keep yourself safe, including ALICE Training, which teaches you how to safely respond to active shooter scenarios.

Huskie Tip Line

You can help keep campus safe by reporting crime to our anonymous tip line at 815-753-8477, by using our anonymous online tip form, or by phone via the NIU Safe App.

Use the tipline to report illegal activities and/or violations of the Student Code of Conduct. Individuals providing a tip that leads to an arrest or a finding of guilt through the Office of Student Conduct is eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $250. Those earning a reward will be directed to a local bank where they can pick up the money by providing their code.

Those submitting a tip will never be asked for identifying information and will be issued a code to ensure anonymity.

Tips may also be submitted to DeKalb Police by sending an anonymous text to “67823” and starting the message with “AlertDeKalb,” or to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Crime Stoppers at 815-895-3272 or by emailing crimestoppers@dekalbcounty.org.

General Safety Tips

Huskies, whether at school or away, are encouraged to always be alert of their surroundings and take personal protective safety measures such as:

• Walk with others or ask for an escort from Huskie Patrol. Please do not walk alone at night and/or distracted by talking on a phone or listening to music with headphones. It’s best to take the safest route as opposed to the fastest.
• Do not allow others into secure locations, such as by holding open the door of a residence hall or apartment for others. They should use their own keys or OneCards to gain entry.
• Keep residential and car doors locked at all times, and do not leave valuables out in the open.
• Report unusual activity or persons to police by calling 9-1-1.
• Avoid areas that are dark, poorly lit or overgrown with trees. If you see areas on or near campus like this, please report that to NIU Police at 815-753-1212 or niupd@niu.edu.
• Only share your location with close friends. Do not geotag your location on social media channels where people you do not know can learn your location.
• Make good choices and help friends do the same as they relate to alcohol and drugs, which can impair your judgment and ability to be alert.
• Protect your vehicle by parking in busy, well-lit areas.
• Be aware of any fraudulent and suspicious requests via email. Internet-based crimes are also on the rise. Do not provide any financial or personal identifying information to strangers.