Durham Ranked Sixth in the Country for Safest College Towns

The Town of Durham has made the list of Safest College Towns in America.  This year, according to the research firm, Safewise the Town has climbed four spots to be ranked sixth in the nation.  Safewise uses FBI crime statistics on property and violent crimes.  Durham is also ranked as the ninth safest community in New Hampshire.  Town Manager, Todd Selig, is one of several community leaders to attribute part of the success to strong partnerships. According to Selig, “Durham and UNH police work in close partnership, with strong support and high expectations from the collective community, we’ve had tremendous success in making the Town as safe as we can.  There is always room for improvement, but it’s nice to be recognized for our good work to date.”

Uncertainty and fear have become a part of our daily life.  Sending a family member off to college during normal times can be a source of anxiety.  Adding a pandemic to the mix can be a heavy load for students and their families to bear.  Chris Clement, Chief Operating Officer at UNH, understands how critical the role of safety is to everyone involved. “Ensuring the safety of our community is a top priority at the University of New Hampshire, we know it’s important to not only every member of our community, but incoming students and their families as well. To be recognized as one of the safest universities in the country is a great honor and a testament to the commitment and hard work of every one of us.”

Safe communities don’t just happen.  Keeping the community safe requires strong leadership and collaboration between the University and the Town.  The “Town and Gown” relationship in Durham is a significant part of why the community is so highly ranked for safety.  The University Chief of Police, Paul Dean, agreed.  “This accomplishment reflects the collaboration between the Town and the University of New Hampshire. Public Safety is a community effort, this recognition reflects the work of the Durham and UNH Police Departments efforts to build strong community relationships.”

Durham police Chief Rene Kelley agrees that the ranking doesn’t happen without solid community partnerships.  “The Durham Police work hard to maintain the safety and security of all community members, be they permanent residents or University of New Hampshire students, faculty or staff.  It’s the partnerships we forge through our guardian philosophy of policing that makes our ranking of the fourth safest college community in the country possible.  We will re-double our efforts next year in hopes of taking the number one spot,” stated Chief Kelley.