Campus News - Spartan Daily

November 04, 2004

Students help UPD watch over campus
By Ruth C. Wamuyu
Daily Staff Writer
November 04, 2004

Students who serve as community service officers are the eyes and ears of the University Police Department.
" They are an extra set of eyes," said Officer Brad Beavers, who is in charge of the Community Service program. "They walk around the campus - we train them on police codes so when they call in they can give us an exact description of what is happening."
However, Beavers said community service officers are nonsworn offi cers. "They are more of a citizen out on the street," he said. "All they have to do is get information and be good witnesses."
Community service officers act as escorts for students needing someone to walk them to their car at night or for students needing assistance during the day.
" The police department cannot provide all the services needed so we have these community officers fill in," he said. Beavers said the department currently has 13 community service officers.
" They work in four-hour shifts but cannot work more than 20 hours a week," he said. "If they want to work more they must get approval from the chief of police and myself. They must also prove they can handle doing their studies and working here."
The community service officers are paid between $9.75 and $13 an hour, said Sgt. John Laws.
" The $13 an hour would be for a student supervisor who has worked here for a long time." Beavers said.
Angelique Lopez, a junior nursing major, said she joined the community service program because she likes to help people.
" I help assist others," she said. "I do lock ups, (of campus buildings) help protect the university and assist emergency personnel to get where they need to be on campus."
Lopez helped a disabled person walk across past the afternoon crowd milling around the Student Union even as she asked a student to stop riding her bike around campus.
" Most people always stop when I ask," she said.
" I explain why they should not ride bikes on campus and most people agree with the rules after that."
Lopez said she has not had any bad experiences while working as a community service officer.
" This is my third year with the program," she said.
However, Lopez said she did not want to be a police offi cer.
" It is a risky job," she said.
The department has a cadet program for students who want to pursue becoming police officers, said officer Manuel Aguayo, who is in charge of the cadet program.
" The program was started in the 1980s when the Olympics were held in California and they needed a lot of people in a short time," he said.
" They trained non-sworn officers without badges and enforcement powers."
Aguayo said the program has evolved over the years and recruits every semester.
Applicants have to be at least 18 years old, have six units of college credit and be physically fit, Aguayo said.
" We have very limited spots," he said.
" This is because it takes time - we actually put up a class every semester similar to the police academy."
Training includes running a mile, climbing a 6-foot wall and dragging weights to simulate rescue situations, Aguayo said.
" It is a 40-hour minimum training academy and I try to run the program as close to the police academy as possible," he said.
In addition, the class teaches criminal law, report writing, police procedures, vehicle stops and community patrol orientation, Aguayo said.
Aguayo also said the cadets take a written examination.
" After that they have to face a panel board interview," he said. "The questions consist of hypothetical situations."
He also said the cadets must go through a complete background investigation because, like police officers, they have access to confi dential information.
There is also a final written exam that tests the cadets' knowledge of what they have been taught, Aguayo said.
" Then they are paired with a senior police cadet and they have to show they are capable of applying what they have learned," he said.
The last hurdle is riding along with the officer-in-charge to prove they are ready, Aguayo said.
" Then they become the eyes and ears of the police department handling low profile crimes and doing police reports of crimes where there are no suspects," he said.
The program requires that cadets volunteer a minimum of 12 hours on patrol.
" It supplements the police officers and community service officers,' he said.
Aguayo said he was a cadet for four years himself.
" You get to meet a lot of important people," he said.
" I met Jesse Jackson, John Kerry, Al Gore and Bill Clinton."
He also said cadets get a lot of career help because of the program.
" Police officers who were once part of the program come back and drop off job and scholarship opportunities," he said.
He said the program also opened other doors.
" I know some who have gone on to homeland security and other agencies," he said.
Unlike the community service offi cers, cadets do not get paid but can earn money assisting in special events, Aguayo said.
Uniforms also distinguish cadets from community service officers.
" The community service officers wear a blue university police department polo shirt or jacket and can be spotted easily by their fluorescent yellow vests as they walk around campus," Beavers said.
Cadets wear police uniforms but like community service officers they are unarmed, Laws said.
Cadets can perform all the functions of the community service officers such as escorting people to cars but in addition they act as runners to the courts, the district attorney's offi ce and the sheriff 's office, Aguayo said.
" I have been in situations where I need to stay on scene and investigate and cadets have helped with doing reports and getting equipment," he said.
Sworn police officers in the department said they appreciate the help given by community service offi cers and cadets.
" Community service officers and cadets really help me to do my job better," said Officer Dorrie Rimple.
" They are a great benefit to the college because things run much smoother with their help. I really appreciate that they are there."