Drake University - Public Safety

🚨 Community Safety Update 🚨

The Des Moines Police Department has shared information regarding an increase in overdose deaths in our community. This is an important reminder to continue watching out for one another and to seek help when needed.

Please know that Drake Public Safety officers carry Narcan and are trained to respond to overdose emergencies. If you ever see someone experiencing a medical emergency, call Public Safety at 515-271-2222 or 911 immediately.

If you or someone you care about is struggling with substance use, help is available. Resources are offered through Broadlawns Medical Center and at additional locations throughout the City of Des Moines for those seeking treatment, support, or guidance.
You are not alone, and support is available. 💙

Let’s continue to look out for our community and prioritize safety and wellbeing.

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The Des Moines Police Department is cautioning the community as overdose deaths surge in April.

Since the beginning of the year, detectives with our Vice & Narcotics Control Section have responded to nine overdose deaths; seven occurring since the beginning of April.

In all of 2025, detectives investigated 15 overdose deaths.

As detectives continue to investigate the source(s), and they await complete toxicology reports, the preliminary investigations indicate that these are opioid-related overdoses.

If you are aware of an overdose happening, CALL 911.
Immediate action is essential to survival.

Iowa's Good Samaritan law protects people from prosecution for certain charges if they call 911 to report an overdose.

Resources are available today! The Polk County Health Department Harm Reduction strategy includes access to free Narcan, a nasal spray that can reverse an opioid overdose, and Des Moines Fire Department, Polk County and Full Circle Recovery are partnering to provide the Rapid Engagement and Community Health (REACH) Program to treat, serve, and support people with opioid use disorder throughout Polk county. For more info on the REACH program, contact the DMFD team at 515-850-9737 or [email protected].

If you have any information regarding the illegal distribution of these deadly drugs, please call 515-237-1594. You may also submit tips using the “Submit A Tip” function on the DMPD mobile app, or online at www.crimestoppersofcentraliowa.com. You may remain anonymous.

⚠️🌩️ Weather Update 🌪️⚠️
Both today and Friday continue to carry the highest level of uncertainty for severe weather. Compared to this time yesterday, today now shows an increased potential for tornado activity. Everyone is encouraged to remain weather aware and be prepared to take action if a Tornado Warning is issued or if hail becomes damaging.
We’ll share updates as conditions change. Please stay safe.
🌧️🌪️

The new law is in effect.

As a reminder -

"Due to the new Iowa hands-free driving law, please be patient with us as we continue working to get everyone where they need to go safely. Because our drivers cannot answer calls while driving, there may be times when your call is not answered right away, but we will respond as soon as we are safely stopped.

To help us keep rides running smoothly, please only call if you need pickup from locations outside the two main pickup areas around campus. If you need a pickup from the dorms, Greek Street, or nearby apartments or houses close to campus, please give us a call".

SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL LATE THURSDAY/FRIDAY AM & AFTERNOON/EVENING
Th weather services are still tracking the potential for severe weather early Friday morning (2-3am til 8-9am) and Friday afternoon/evening. Though severe weather look possible, what type and how it evolves is much more uncertain.
LATE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY
Our first round of storms will fire around 2-3am Friday in western portions of the state. Storms will largely be elevated carrying mainly a large hail threat, though occasional strong winds cannot be ruled out. Storms will push eastward through the morning moving into the metro between 4-6am and to Cedar Rapids/Iowa City around 7am. Rain and clouds will linger behind this initial line into the morning and possibly into the afternoon. How long these rain and clouds linger and what breaks we see in the clouds will have a large impact on what we see Friday afternoon and evening.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING
There is much uncertainty with how these storms will evolve. We'll have a decent cap in place, and with rain and clouds possibly lingering it puts into question how much we'll be able to warm. If we do see breaks in the clouds and can get some sunshine by early afternoon that could be enough to push our temperatures into the low 70s and give us a higher potential for strong to severe storms, with higher potential for storms to fire ahead of the front. If clouds and rain linger and keep us in the mid to upper 60s, that would greatly lessen the instability and the strength of the storms we do see fire. With that said we may still see strong storms, but the intensity may be less.
Our main threats at this point look like large hail and damaging winds and possibly a spin-up tornado within the line of storms as it moves through Friday evening (7-10pm). Forecast hodographs which track the change in wind speed and direction with height don't necessarily look ideal for tornadic formation, but these are based off of models (they can also be produced from observed conditions from balloon launches) and slight variations within these models can have significant changes in what we see for threats. Again, there is quite a bit of uncertainty at this point but these are some of the things our team is keeping an eye on as we get closer.

Flags have been lowered to half staff until sunset on the final day of interment in honor and remembrance of Iowa Army Reserve Soldiers Jeffery O’Brien and Declan Coady, who were killed in action in Kuwait.

📢 Saferide Phone Update
Good news! Drake Public Safety was able to get a replacement phone rushed to campus, and the Saferide phone is now back up and running.
We apologize for any confusion this may have caused. You may continue to use the Saferide number, or you can always call Drake Public Safety directly.
Have a safe evening, Bulldogs! 💙🐶

Attention - This evening, Monday, February 23rd. Please call 515-271-2222 for the Saferide Bus. The Saferide phone is broken and a new one will not arrive until Tuesday, February 24th. Thank you for your attention. Please let other students know. The Saferide bus will follow its normal rotation around campus.

...OUTDATED POST...

Accumulating snowfall will spread across much of Iowa from this afternoon and evening into tonight. A narrow band of heavier snow is expected, but the exact location of the band is still not certain. Stay tuned to the latest forecast updates today, as snowfall amounts will vary near the band!