By Ricardo Martinez
University police are always ensuring safety on campus, from responding to emergency calls to regular patrols, however, help from the community could go a long way for the department and campus wellbeing.
The first way the community can get involved in applying for the department’s Citizen Volunteer Program which will greatly supplement officers. The university police state, “The Citizen Volunteer Program (CVP) personnel will strive to enhance campus safety and security through programs of crime prevention and education with active involvement in these efforts.”
The goal of the program is to allow citizens to interact and aid officers in improving the quality of campus life and education. Some of the areas that the volunteers will aid in will be report writing, fingerprinting, and campus patrol. The program has certain qualifications for volunteers to ensure the safety of the campus. Some of these include having a valid California Driver’s License, not being convicted of a felony or serious misdemeanor, and must be able to volunteer at least eight hours per month to the program. Volunteers will not be sworn peace officers and can not act in an enforcement status but having the community be involved in the program will allow officers to have more time to focus on primary concerns. Applications can be found online or at the front counter of the University Police Department.
The next way the community can get involved is by downloading the LiveSafe app, which is great for communicating your safety needs with UPD. LiveSafe is one of the top mobile safety communications platforms that helps users engage in working with on-campus officers. The app allows you to stay connected with on-campus alerts and report incidents or suspicious activities. Former CSUSB Police chief Nina Janen stated in an interview in 2018, “In using the LiveSafe app, our CSUSB family will be able to communicate quickly and, in some instances, discreetly, while at the same time the police department will be able to monitor and respond as needed in a timely manner. Remember, if you see something, say something.”
The app also provided students and faculty with great resources like campus maps and shuttle services. One unique feature that LiveSafe has is SafeWalk, a GPS that keeps track of where you are before arriving at your destination. In a time where cell phones are more prevalent than ever, LiveSafe is the essential app to notify officers of activities that can be missed. This allows the students to play a role in making a difference on campus with a touch of a button on their phones.
The last way the CSUSB community can get involved in understanding the use of the multiple crime prevention forms. These forms can be found online on the university’s police webpage, the goal of these forms are to educate the community on techniques to combat crime and encourage different approaches that can be taken. There are many different forms ranging from how to prevent identity theft to how to put a stop to hate crimes. It is very difficult to find the best way to react in tough situations since many may be experiencing these difficult circumstances for the first time. By taking time to read through these forms, one can get better informed and use their newfound knowledge to apply it to a situation or pass it on to others.
If these recommendations are taken and are exercised by the community it will help the on-campus police create a safer campus for everyone.
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