Safety in the Short North Arts District

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The Short North Arts District is a nationally-recognized hub of creativity known for being vibrant, inclusive, and welcoming. Safety in the Short North is a state where everyone is free of harm, thrives, has their well-being protected and their diversity celebrated.

SAFETY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

The Short North Alliance — in partnership with the City of Columbus, the Columbus Division of Police, businesses of the Short North Arts District, and many community partners — maintains a proactive and comprehensive approach to safety.

Proactive Safety Interventions

  • Short North Ambassadors
  • Short North Crime Interdiction Program
  • Street Outreach with Southeast RREACT
  • Training Opportunities

Community-wide Programs

  • Seasonal Policing Initiatives
  • Short North Violence and Injury Prevention Work Group

Your Role in Community Safety

  • Keeping Safe
  • When to Call 911
  • Alternatives to Calling 911

THE SHORT NORTH AMBASSADOR PROGRAM

Short North Ambassadors are a trained team provided by the Short North Alliance to support community members. Ambassadors are available to address any matter that does not involve an immediate threat to human life safety, including:

  • Providing a walking safety escort within several blocks of High St.
  • Non-emergency crisis response and de-escalation
  • Wayfinding and hospitality support
  • Business and citizen wellness checks
  • Graffiti and litter removal
  • Biohazard and environmental clean up
  • Infrastructure maintenance

Hours of operation are 7am – 9pm Sunday through Wednesday, and 7am – 11pm Thursday through Saturday. Call or text 614.636.5100 for help from the Short North Ambassadors or to request a Safety Escort. Response times may vary based on demand.

By using the SMS service, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms and Conditions.

SHORT NORTH CRIME INTERDICTION PROGRAM

The Short North Alliance provides a team of Special Duty Police Officers during seasonally to support the management of a safe late-night environment in the Short North. The program provides 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. A report outlining the impact of the pilot program in 2021 is available here and in 2022 is available here.

The program continues in 2025 and is focused on evening and late night hours during the majority of each weekend from approximately March through November, and at any other key times based on crime trends.

STREET OUTREACH WITH SOUTHEAST RREACT

The Southeast RREACT Team conducts peer-led outreach to individuals facing addiction and mental health challenges and experiencing homelessness. They serve the Short North Monday through Friday and are on call on Saturdays. This team works to build relationships, break down barriers, build bridges to services and supports including shelter, housing, documentation, medical and mental health care, transportation, and more. In partnership with Anthem Healthcare, RREACT operates a Drop-In Center once per week, providing meals, hygiene items, naloxone kits, and opportunities for connection with housing services, addiction care, and other services, including the Mt. Carmel Street Medicine Team twice per month.

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

Safety in the Short North is a state where everyone is free of harm, thrives, has their well-being protected and their diversity celebrated. One way the Short North Alliance contributes to making this vision a reality is through our annual employee training series: Fostering Belonging in Business and De-Escalation in Customer Service.

Each topic will be offered twice in 2025 — in May and September. These trainings are available to employees of Short North area businesses and residents of the greater Short North. Click below to learn more and sign up.

Fostering Belonging in Business

Where: Stonewall Columbus
When: Monday, May 19 from 1:30 – 3:30pm or Monday, September 15 from 1:30 – 3:30pm
Who: Facilitated by the Justice, Equity, and Belonging team at YWCA

De-Escalation in Customer Service

Where: Stonewall Columbus
When: Thursday, May 22 from 1 – 4pm or Thursday, September 18 from 1 – 4pm
Who: Facilitated by licensed social work professionals from Maryhaven and Volunteers of America

COMMUNITY-WIDE PROGRAMS

Seasonal Policing Initiatives

Annually, a number of strategies are used by the City of Columbus and Columbus Division of Police to enhance safety in the Short North at times when visitorship is anticipated to increase over the warm weather months and continuing into the fall, including:

  • Enhanced enforcement of key areas of concern,
  • Seasonal increases to the number of on-duty officers present in the Short North, including bike and motorcycle patrols,
  • Strategic placement of temporary police cameras and lights, and more.

Short North Violence and Injury Prevention Working Group

The Short North Alliance continuously works alongside the Columbus Police Department, elected leaders, businesses, residents, and other community stakeholders to identify and execute long-term security solutions that will decrease and aim to eliminate gun violence throughout Columbus. The work group is tasked with identifying additional solutions to support violence and injury prevention in the Short North Arts District and surrounding residential communities.

YOUR ROLE IN COMMUNITY SAFETY

KEEPING SAFE

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

  • Travel together; there is safety in numbers
  • Be vigilant of your surroundings and stay alert at all times
  • Make a plan in advance of traveling to various destinations within or when leaving the Short North
  • Do not leave valuables out in plain sight
  • Leave your firearms at home — they are not welcome in most businesses in the Short North and are the leading cause of vehicle break-ins
  • Walk in well lit areas and avoid dark locations
  • Don’t linger after businesses close for the night
  • When using rideshare services, be vigilant, be aware, and follow their safety recommendations, including double checking the license plates of vehicles you enter
  • Be respectful of the neighborhood and surrounding communities; avoid excessive noise, littering, or damaging property on High Street or on adjacent residential streets

CALLING 911 EMERGENCY SERVICES

This image is a decision tree that provides a guideline for determining when to call 911 in case someone seems suspicious. Here's a description of the flow: Does someone seem suspicious? Yes: Move to the next question. No: Not shown, presumably end of this branch. Do you have a "bad feeling"? Yes: Move to the next question. No: Not shown, presumably end of this branch. Is it based on their appearance, assumed housing or health status, or color of their skin? Yes: Do not call 911 emergency services. No: Move to the next question. Is it based on how they are behaving or operating a vehicle? Yes: Move to the next question. No: Not shown, presumably end of this branch. If a family member were doing that, would you call the police? Yes: Call 911 emergency services. No: Do not call 911 emergency services. Do you or the individual still need help? Yes: Contact a different resource for support. No: All clear, appreciate your vigilance. This decision tree encourages reflection on the reasons behind perceiving someone as suspicious and promotes non-discriminatory actions in emergency reporting.

Community members are advised to call 911 Emergency Services when there is a risk to human life safety such as life-threatening medical situations, fires, motor vehicle accidents, and crimes in progress.

Consult the accompanying Incident Response Decision Guide to determine if a call to police is the needed first safety intervention.

If you’ve determined you do not need to call 911 Emergency Services, but that you still need support, there are a wealth of alternatives available to you. Please find your specific issue below and reach out to the corresponding entity.

COMMUNITY ALTERNATIVES TO CALLING 911 EMERGENCY SERVICES

Not every incident involving safety in the Short North Arts District may merit a police-based intervention, and many community alternatives exist:

City of Columbus Resources + Alternatives

Non-Emergency Police
Call 614.645.4545

  • Excessive noise
  • Solicitation or use of illegal drugs
  • To report a crime where the suspect is gone (i.e., breaking and entering, vandalism, property damage)
  • Public urination or defecation
  • Disorderly conduct
  • Illegal camping or trespassing

File a Police Report Online:
File at Columbus.gov

  • Theft
  • Property damage
  • Vandalism
  • Identify theft
  • Breaking and entering

311
Call 614.645.3111 or submit a request or report online

  • Excessive trash/illegal dumping
  • Excessive noise
  • Damage to city infrastructure
  • Illegal parking/abandoned cars
  • Environmental maintenance (i.e. street tree damaged or missing, obstruction to the right of way)
  • Homelessness issues

Department of Neighborhoods Liaison
Call 614.724.1900 or contact via email

Neighborhood liaisons serve as your direct link to city services and provide support for area commissions. They are located in Neighborhood Pride Centers in each region of Columbus. Liaisons work with residents, city officials, and civic organizations to empower residents to improve their neighborhoods.

Non-Profit Organizations Resources and Alternatives

Emergency Response Service + Crisis Lifeline
Call 988 or 614.276.CARE (2273)

Emergency Response Service is the dedicated Netcare Access team that answers the 24/7 Crisis Phone Line (614-276-CARE) and 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for anyone in need of assistance or in a mental health or substance abuse crisis.

If you or someone you care about are in crisis, please share the following information with the ERS clinicians when you call:

  • Client’s name
  • Client date of birth
  • Your name
  • Your contact phone number
  • Presenting issue and symptoms the client is experiencing
  • Current MH/SUD treatment providers with whom the client is connected
  • Substance usage (and if client is currently under the influence)
  • Risk of harm to self/others
  • Client’s transportation needs

Homeless Hotline
Call 614.274.7000

The Homeless Hotline is a community guide for individuals and families facing homelessness. Netcare Access and the Community Shelter Board have partnered to provide information to those in Franklin County that need emergency shelter information and housing options.

  • A member of the community is sleeping on the street
  • A member of the community is looking for meal assistance
  • A member of the community is looking for employment assistance
  • A member of the community is looking for clothing and household needs

Short North Alliance Resources

Short North Ambassador Hotline
Call or text 614.636.5100

  • If you are unsure of what to do
  • Illegal camping, panhandling, trespassing
  • Open container
  • Disorderly conduct
  • Safety escorts needed
  • Hospitality services (wayfinding, parking support, etc.)
  • Loitering or blocking an business access
  • Suspicious persons (based on behavior not appearance)
  • Environmental maintenance (graffiti, weeds, litter, etc.)

Please note that Ambassadors are not able to enforce laws, but can encourage a change in behavior in a non-emergency situation.

Southeast RREACT
Call or text 614.636.5100

The Short North Alliance partners with RREACT (Rapid Response Emergency Addiction and Crisis Team) to offer dedicated outreach services in our community to support individuals in crisis.

  • An individual is in need of shelter
  • An individual is intoxicated or appears as though they have abused substances
  • An individual is in crisis, struggling with addiction or mental health issues
  • An individual is in need of basic supplies (meals, toiletries, etc.)

Short North Alliance Office
Call 614.299.8050 or contact via email

  • Excessive noise from a business
  • Business services
  • Construction issues
  • Events and promotions
  • If you are unsure of what to do
  • Witnessing a business discriminating against employees or customers
  • Any posting in a business or in the district that signals discrimination

Civil Rights & Discrimination Resources

Columbus Community Relations Commission
Call 614.645.1993 or file online

The Department of Neighborhoods’ Community Relations Commission protects the rights of Columbus residents by offering investigations into discrimination, providing voluntary mediations, and by hosting programming to eliminate discrimination and remove the effects of past discrimination within the City of Columbus.

Ohio Civil Rights Commission
Call 1.888.278.7101

  • Witnessing a business discriminating against employees or customers or otherwise engaging in exclusionary behavior
  • Any posting in a business or in the district that signals discrimination or exclusionary behavior
  • Harassment or exclusionary behavior toward anyone in the community

GIVE US FEEDBACK

Email info@shortnorth.org to share thoughts on safety resources, solutions, or other community alternatives that could help keep the Short North Arts District a safe space for all.