About Public Safety
What is public safety?
Authority – California Campus
The Office of Public Safety and University Police is here to help all members of the California University community. The University Police Department, located in the Pollock Maintenance Building, serves as the administrative office responsible for security on the California Campus. University Police Officers are on duty twenty-four hours a day each day of the year.
The administrative staff and the police officers are among the best in their field. Our director, assistant director, and thirteen commissioned police officers are ready, willing and able to help make California a safe, secure learning environment. One noncommissioned communication officer and a secretary support them. All of our courteous, helpful, and well-trained police officers have completed more than 520 hours of classroom and practical field training. Their extensive training includes courses on criminal justice, investigation, accident reporting, first aid, and criminal law and procedure. All officers have extensive, on going, police training. Many of these officers have earned themselves bachelor degrees.
University Police Officers have full police authority on the campus and conduct foot and vehicle patrols on a twenty four-hour basis. California University Police Officers do not carry firearms; however, they are equipped with mace. Although rare, should a situation arise in which University Police determines that armed police are needed, California Borough Police or Pennsylvania State Police are called for assistance.
If it is necessary to summon assistance from other law enforcement agencies, the decision to do so is made promptly by the Director of Public Safety & University Police in consultation with other university administrators. The University Police Department maintains excellent relationships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. When necessary, physical evidence is processed by the Pennsylvania State Police Crime Laboratory or the FBI Laboratory Division. University Police regularly use the National Crime Information Center to assist in the investigation of criminal offenses, giving them access to more than 20 million files.
California University is a safe and secure place, but if and when the need arises, all of the techniques and practices of modern law enforcement are available to help our University Police Officers.
Where To Get Information
All reports of allegations involving criminal activity or violations of university rules and regulations are documented when they are received. Criminal complaints, citations and other public records are available to any interested person or agency. Incidents, prosecutions or programs of interest to the campus community and the general public are made available to the campus newspaper, regional and local media through press releases, inquiries or daily logs.
Crime statistics as well as security policies and procedures reports are available at the Admissions Office and at the Administration and Finance Office. Both are located in the Dixon Hall. The Student Growth and Development Office in the Natali Student Center and the Office of Public Safety and University Police, located in the Pollock Building. Special criminal alert notifications are posted on university bulletin boards across the campus when the need arises.
University Police make a weekly check with the local police and receives all information concerning student criminal activity. This information, in addition to being retained by the University Police Department is also provided to the dean of student life, who may subject the violator to university discipline procedures.