City of Edwardsville Among Nation’s Safest College Towns

EDWARDSVILLE – The City of Edwardsville, home to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, is ranked among the nation’s top 15 safest college towns by Safewise in its fifth annual 2020 Safest College Towns list.

Ranked 13th nationally, Edwardsville was No. 3 in Illinois and ranked ahead of all Missouri college towns. Lisle, home to Benedictine University, was tops in Illinois and No. 7 nationally. Charleston, which houses Eastern Illinois University, came in at No. 12 overall.

Edwardsville Police Chief Jay Keeven said he couldn't be more proud to receive the honor of being among the safest college towns in America.

"The men and women of the Edwardsville Police Department are proud to be on the list of safest college towns in America," he said. "Our staff works diligently to provide for the safety of our residents, including our student residents. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the excellent staff at the SIUE Police Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Department, and the Illinois State Police. The individuals within these organizations, along with all Madison County police agencies, work cooperatively to ensure our citizens enjoy safe communities."

SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook echoed Keevan's sentiments.

“Safety is a key element when individuals make a choice of where they will study, work, and live, and we are grateful to all who work diligently to protect and serve,” said Pembrook. “We commend the SIUE Police Department, as well as law enforcement agencies in and around Edwardsville for creating a safe environment where students can focus on learning.”

SIUE Police Chief Kevin Schmoll's officers also work tirelessly to keep the area safe and he said this "demonstrates our effectiveness as a team."

“The SIUE Police Department and the City of Edwardsville Police Department are dedicated to working together to deter crime and to provide the highest quality police service to keep our students, staff, faculty, guests and the Edwardsville Community safe,” said Chief Schmoll. “Being one of the safest college campuses, and one of the safest college towns in the country clearly demonstrates our effectiveness as a team.”

Since the Daily Beast ranked SIUE among the safest college campuses in the country in 2010, SIUE has consistently been rated highly for its safe campus environment by a variety of organizations, including the National Council for Home Safety and Security. SIUE’s commitment is demonstrated by the investment in safety technology, such as the Rave Guardian app, to maintain a secure campus.

SIUE police officers are academy trained and engaged in a Community Policing program. Under the SIUE Campus Violence Prevention Plan, there are more than 80 emergency phones on campus.

SafeWise extensively researches security solutions. It tests and compares home security companies, home safety products, and home automation products to help families find the right protection.Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.

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