UMKC’s crime rates are low compared to other universities, but how safe do students actually feel?

  UMKC students weigh campus safety in light of KCPD’s report of a decrease in citywide crime, comparing statistics with personal experience and facility concerns.

  For the first time since 2018, crime rates in Kansas City have been steadily declining. This is a trend that UMKC seems to be following, with one of the lowest serious crime rates among universities, according to UMKC’s Division of Student Affairs. 

 “For the most part, it feels pretty safe. Especially around the library, because this is where, I think, the most people tend to congregate,” said Claudia Perez, a student assistant at Miller Nichols Library where she regularly works late into the evening.

“I usually try to study with a big group of friends, so we all leave at the same time. Especially if we stay until the library is closing,” said Perez.

 After hours on campus also means opting for routes she wouldn’t typically take. “I cut through the Linda Hall Library, just ’cause I knew there was some light. It was kind of a little bit more gated, so I would see where I was going,” Perez said.

  Construction of a new lighting project on Roo Plaza is expected to be completed later this month, but students remain skeptical of how much the additional lights will improve safety. 

  “I don’t know if lights are enough,” said Perez. “At least you’ll be able to see, but I feel like there should be a little bit more security around.”

  “[Roo Plaza lights] might help with the atmosphere. I don’t know how much it’s gonna help with actually preventing stuff,” said Rem Hyde, a sophomore majoring in criminal justice and criminology. “I do know that crimes tend to happen less in well-lit areas. That doesn’t mean it’s gonna stop altogether, but I think it’s a step in the right direction.”

  For sophomore Lizbeth Kara Garcia, a biology major on the pre-med track, indoor paths between buildings provide the light and security main walking routes sometimes lack.

  “If I’m in the engineering building and I’m parked in Rockhill, I would for sure rather go through the walkway than going downstairs,” said Garcia. 

  UMKCPD offers 24-hour safety escorts to students on campus, though many are unaware of this service.

  “I guess they could make that more widely known,” said Katelyn Koenig, a freshman majoring in creative writing and screenwriting. Koenig also noted that some of the emergency phones around campus are sometimes out of order. 

  Assistant Director of Strategic Communications, Alyssa Lally, elaborated on UMKC police’s routine checks, including a student safety survey, a review of their Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and an annual campus walk with stakeholders to evaluate lighting and spot areas for improvement. 

  The Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety (Jeanne Clery) Report lists six instances of aggravated assault and four instances of domestic violence reported to UMKCPD in 2024. 

  For comparison, the University of Missouri lists nine instances of aggravated assault and 15 instances of domestic violence for the same year. 

  Students can request UMKC police services or report a crime by calling 816-235-1515 or make a confidential report through the Silent Witness program. 

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