2022 Short North Safety

There are a number of important things you can do to keep yourself and our community safe:

1. Travel together; there is safety in numbers
2. Be vigilant of your surroundings and stay alert at all times
3. Make a plan in advance of traveling to various destinations within or when leaving the District
4. Do not leave valuables out in plain sight
5. Walk in well lit areas and avoid dark locations
6. Don’t linger after businesses close for the night
7. When using rideshare services, be vigilant, be aware, and follow their safety recommendations, including double checking the license plates of vehicles you enter
8. Be respectful of the neighborhood and surrounding communities; avoid excessive noise, littering, or damaging property on High Street or on adjacent residential streets

Community members are advised to call 911 Emergency Services when there is a risk to human life safety due to severe mental or bodily injury and a situation cannot be resolved with the community.

Examples of incidents that may require the need for 911 Emergency Services response may be an act of threat or violence, such as kidnapping; aggravated or sexual assault; other felonious acts; weather emergency; act of terrorism; or other disaster.

Consult the chart below to help determine if a call to police is the needed first safety intervention.h S

Not every incident involving safety in the Short North Arts District may merit a police-based intervention, and many community alternatives exist. Look below to find contact information for alternative incidents.

Non-Emergency CPD:

Call (614) 645.4545

File a Police Report Online:

Visit columbus.gov/police-fileoffense

311:

Call (614) 645.3111 or Email 311@columbus.gov

For instances involving an individual in crisis or in need of other social services:

Maryhaven:

Call (614) 445.8131

New Life Community Outreach:

Call (614) 294.0134

For instances involving harassment, exclusion, or discrimination: 

Columbus Community Relations Commission:

Visit columbus.gov/neighborhoods/community-relations-commission

Ohio Civil Rights Commission:

Call (888) 278.7101

Short North Good Neighbor Pledge Violations

• To report all issues, email the Short North Alliance at info@shortnorth.org.
• To report noise, cleanliness, and safety issues, email the City of Columbus Department of Neighborhoods at 311@columbus.gov.

Violent crime is not the norm in our community. A spike in crime in the summer of 2021 caused many to be concerned and ask for solutions.

In partnership with the Columbus Police Department, the Short North Alliance, through the support of several business and property owners, led the Short North Crime Interdiction Pilot program. The program provided a dedicated unit of police officers to engage in patrols of our community streets to help prevent violent crime and participate in enforcement of safety issues, such as reckless vehicle operations and other violations of City code. The program was focused on evening and late night hours during the majority of each weekend, over several consecutive weeks, and at any other key times based on crime trends.

A report outlining the impact of the program is available here.

Short North Ambassadors are a trained team provided by the Short North Alliance to support community members. Ambassadors are trained in de-escalation and are available to address any matter that does not involve an immediate threat to human life safety. They are regularly available to provide safety escorts to patrons and employees of the District to destinations within several blocks of High Street as requested on demand.

HOURS OF OPERATION:

Hours of operation are 7:00am to 9:00pm Sundays through Wednesdays, and 7:00am to 11:00pm Thursdays through Saturdays.

For help from the Short North Ambassadors or to request a Safety Escort, call or text (614) 636.5100. Response times may vary based on demand.