What is USC DPS's authority?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Southern California
1

<p>I got pulled over by USC DPS (those white SUV's) last week around midnight for minor speeding in a residential area, which in my defense, wasn't as bad as they kept pressuring me to say it was. They called up all their DPS buddies in the area so within 3 minutes there were 4 of those SUVs and 8 DPS patrol officers along with the original 2, and they just kept being rather aggressive with their authority. They asked me for my standard car information as well as for my USC ID and phone number and so I complied. I got away without any repercussions because they realized the triviality of their claim and I didn't turn out to be a hard to deal with jerk. But did I really get away with this? Or are they going to own me in the coming weeks now that they have literally all my information? What is the system here?</p>

<p>Anyone know from experience or intuition?</p>

2

<p>From my understanding, DPS are sworn police officers and have the same authority as LAPD. My guess is the DPS is working surrounding areas and looking for traffic violators or suspicious activities. It is not uncommon for at least one other DPS vehicle to respond to a traffic stop.</p>

<p>With the level and amount of response that DPS responded to your traffic stop, there could have been another incident in the area and they were looking for a certain type of car. Based on your statement that 8 DPS officers responded, (I’m just guessing here) your car might have matched a description of car involved in a some other incident or you had a car load of guys. </p>

<p>Any police officer who stops a car will always take the driver’s license and insurance card information. If you were pulled over and they let you go, it should be over.</p>

3

<p>Thank you.</p>

<p>The two original female DPS officers presumably called for backup after they had pulled me over - for pretty much no apparent reason considering the scale of the situation. The other 8 officers just pulled up one after another in a rather “oh-something-is-going-on-finally-tonight-let’s-go-check-it-out-i’m-so-bored” attitude, and really only 1 or 2 of those 8 actually spoke with me. But yeah, I could imagine why they would do that.</p>

<p>What happens to my information though? Am I permanently in some record?</p>

4

<p>No, you should be OK.</p>

<p>At least they’re doing their job? I mean, DPS can be a bit jerky sometimes, but I’d rather them be jerks than lazy do-nothings.</p>

5

<p>There is no permanent record. The have created an electronic contact card that just reflects that you were stopped on a certain time and day. They ran your name and DOB and found that you had no wants and warrants so they sent you on your way. Don’t sweat it. They don’t report the stop to your insurance company and there is nothing considered punitive for speaking with someone and asking for your DL and insurance card.</p>

<p>Don’t worry they have moved on and you will never hear anything more about this traffic stop from DPS.</p>

6

<p>i didnt know dps was allowed to pull you over
thats stupid</p>

7

<p>They’re police officers. Police officers can pull you over. There’s nothing stupid about that. Unless you’re one of those people who just hates the police on principle.</p>

8

<p>Thanks again for clarifying.</p>

<p>kmzizzle - To be honest, I actually didn’t know that they could pull you over either. I knew they worked with/are the LAPD, but I’ve actually never seen it in person.</p>

<p>But yeah, almost every cop who pulls you over initially assumes you’re some kind of serial killer until proven otherwise haha.</p>

9

<p>Almost all public and several private universities, the “security officers” are sworn police officers. Many college students have made the mistake thinking the campus police were similar to mall security until they get arrested. If campus security are sworn police officers, they can make arrests, perform traffic stops and pretty much do what ever LAPD officers are allowed to do. </p>

<p>One thing to keep in mind is that one of the more riskier duties a police officer has to do is to make traffic stops. There are many police officers killed in the US during traffic stops. When the police pull people over, they have no idea who is in the car and if anyone has a weapon. </p>

<p>It is not uncommon for police units with two officers when doing traffic stops, will have one of the officers standing to the right and of the rear of the vehicle with his/her hand on his service weapon. The other officer is will be doing the talking while the other officer is watching movement of the driver and passengers.</p>

<p>My advice to you would be when ever dealing with a cops from a large metropolitan city is to follow the officers instructions, make sure they can see your hands and the hands of all your passengers. Old time cops always say that when dealing with an individual who may be suspect to make sure you are more than an arms length away and to always watch their hands. If you keep your distance and are watching their hands, they can’t hurt you.</p>

<p>Just my 2 cents.</p>

10

<p>I was a cop in the military for 4 years. In all seriousness, when lots of cops show up for something minor, it probably means they were bored and had nothing better to do. That’s good news, since it means there’s not much in the way of crime happening on campus.</p>

<p>Any university the size of USC will have its own fully-authorized police force. Even the 3000 student college where I was an undergraduate had its own police and fire department.</p>

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<p>It never occurred to me that they had that much power. Some of them used to come drink/hang out with us at one of our houses during their night work when they had nothing to do lol so I had a low impression of them</p>

<p>and no I don’t hate cops but I do think there are huge flaws in the system</p>

12

<p>Just as a point of clarification here, USC DPS officers ARE NOT sworn police officers like LAPD. No private (USC, Stanford, etc) educational institution in Calif by law, can not have a private police force. USC DPS operates under Calif Penal Code 837 which says that security officers in private educational institutions have Police Powers of Arrest (just like LAPD) where a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) exists between USC & LAPD that grants DPS officers the same authority as LAPD, but only on campus or in the defined area surrounding USC as outlined in the MOU. That why USC DPS vehicles do not have red and blue lights and sirens and can not officially pull you over for any infraction like speeding.</p>

<p>I know because I was a USC DPS officer for several years before moving out of state to secure a better paying job.</p>

13

in 2017 USC DPS officers moved to sworn peace officer status as Level I Reserve LAPD Police Officers under a new state law passed in 2016 that added Penal Code 830.75. The law now explicitly allows a person regularly employed as a security officer for a private university/college to be deputized or appointed as a reserve deputy or officer by a sheriff or chief of police if they have completed the basic training course (over 664 hours) for deputy sheriffs and police officers prescribed by California's Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. The authority of a person designated as a peace officer under this law extends to any place in the state and is applicable only while on duty. Stanford and University of the Pacific had been doing this for several years, however, there was some question if this practice was really allowed under state law. So the new law actually clarifies that this is legal. The language is below...

PC 830.75
(a) Notwithstanding subdivision (b) of Section 830.7, a person regularly employed as a security officer for an independent institution of higher education recognized under subdivision (b) of Section 66010 of the Education Code may be deputized or appointed by the sheriff or the chief of police of the jurisdiction in which the institution is located as a reserve deputy or officer pursuant to Section 830.6, notwithstanding that he or she is compensated by the institution of higher education or that the assigned specific law enforcement functions and duties may be of a recurring or continuous nature, if both of the following requirements are met:

(1) The person meets the requirements specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 832.6.

(2) The institution of higher education and the appropriate local law enforcement agency have entered into a memorandum of understanding.

(b) The authority of a person designated as a peace officer pursuant to this section extends to any place in the state and applies only while he or she is engaged in the performance of his or her assigned duties for his or her institution of higher education pursuant to the memorandum entered into pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a). The primary duty of a person designated as a peace officer pursuant to this section shall be the enforcement of the law upon the campuses of his or her institution of higher education and within one mile of the exterior of those campuses, and in or about other grounds and properties owned, operated, controlled, or administered by that institution of higher education.

© Vehicles owned by an independent institution of higher education that are specifically designated for use by persons designated as peace officers pursuant to this section shall be deemed authorized emergency vehicles for all purposes of the law within the institution’s jurisdiction.

14

That’s interesting, but my guess is not many (if any) of the USC DPS personnel have complete the 664+ hours of deputy sheriffs training to give them that status. That’s more that 16 full time weeks/4 months of training…

15

Actually all armed USC officers (about 120) are required to graduate from a California POST certified police academy and to have completed the full Regular Basic Course. For several years now USC has funded LAPD to have newly hired USC officer “trainees” go through the LAPD Police Academy. In fact three officers just graduated the 24 week course last month, here’s the announcement http://lapdonline.org/newsroom/news_view/61691

“Los Angeles Police Department Recruit Officer Graduation Ceremony for Class 8-16…The Los Angeles Police Department will graduate 25 Police Officers…Graduating officers will have completed 920 hours of training over the course of 24 weeks. In addition to LAPD, 3 USC Police Officers, 3 Port Police Officers, 2 LAWA Officers, and 1 lateraling from the California City Police Department will be graduating.”

Here’s the job description from the USC job website for a USC Public Safety Officer Trainee position which makes successful completion of the police academy a requirement:

“JOB SUMMARY
This is non-sworn, probationary position and attends formalized training to learn practices, procedures and techniques of law enforcement, crime prevention, community relations, first aid, physical conditioning and weapons handling. Public Safety Officer Trainees must successfully pass all phases of training to advance to a PSO I position. Participates in and successfully completes prescribed law enforcement officer training program for entry level Police Officer. Works with an assigned field training officer to learn field activities, tactics and strategic planning. Demonstrates familiarity with the University and its adjacent areas and patrols an assigned area. Learns to make arrests and serve warrants and subpoenas. Learns the methods of and assists in securing crime scenes and evidence. Displays a satisfactory level of competence in report writing and the laws of arrest and seizure. Successfully obtains training in defensive driving and California Vehicle and Penal Codes. Maintains acceptable standards of mental and physical fitness throughout the training program. Successfully applies material learned in scenario-based exercises.”

Because of this requirement USC follows the same hiring process used by LAPD for its officers:

“SELECTION PROCESS
Only those applicants who meet the minimum requirements and desired background experience will be contacted to participate in the selection process. If selected, you will be notified, via email, of your results after each step you complete. The following are the steps you will be required to complete successfully during the selection process.
• Application – Complete the online application and submit a resume and cover letter.
• Written Exam – This exam includes both a cognitive (i.e., problem-solving) and an attitude/behavioral-orientation (i.e., criminal justice officer orientation) component.
• Physical Agility Test (PAT) – Designed to measure strength, agility, and endurance and will be administered by the Rio Hondo Police Academy Staff.
• Panel Interview – The panel will assess the candidate’s knowledge, education, experience, and general ability to successfully perform in the position.
• Background Investigation – A background investigator will conduct a thorough background investigation by contacting employers, references, family members and neighbors to assess the applicant’s character.
• Psychological Evaluation – A battery of psychological tests and a clinical interview conducted by a licensed psychologist.
• Medical Exam – A job related pre-placement physical exam which includes a drug test, TB skin test, hearing and vision testing.
• Background Screening – Includes criminal background check, SSN Trace, Motor Vehicle Record, National Sex Offender Registry, employment verification, Education and Military Service.”

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Also USC was a co-sponsor of the new law and university leadership spoke on its behalf in the State Legislature. If interested, look up the June 21, 2016 California Senate - Public Safety Committee hearing on the link below, it will be around the 3:38:42 mark on the video that the bill’s author and USC guest (VP and DPS Chief) speak.

http://senate.ca.gov/media/senate-public-safety-committee-53/video

17

You are saying all the DPS Patrol officers that are standing on the corners are armed and trained?

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My guess is that you copped an attitude when pulled over because you thought they were rent s cop security guards. Given the potential for crime around USC you may one fay need a police officer.

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DPS has several different level of officers - armed and unarmed. As of January 2017 the department is comprised of 120 armed Public Safety Officers (PSOs) [LAPD Level 1 Reserve Officers]; 128 unarmed Community Service Officers (CSOs); 19 Public Safety Communication Operators (PSCOs); 28 Surveillance Operations Monitors (SOM); and 19 civilian employees assigned to various administrative tasks. In addition to DPS officers (PSOs and CSOs) who patrol a 2.5 mile radius around USC’s University Park and Health Science Campuses, USC contracts with a private security firm to provide unarmed “security ambassadors” to patrol street corners in nearby neighborhoods and to observe and report suspicious and or criminal activity to DPS - this security “observer” force wears bright yellow jackets.

20

The bright yellow security ambassadors are the ones I always see, thanks for the update @westernrice. The cycle I have seen over the last decade from USC had been disappointing to be frank. They would respond to a tragedy and beef up security for several months then lets let things slip again as a new class of naive students (and parents) come in, and those familiar with the safety issues move on. Then another tragedy, same cycle, But from what you are saying, it seems like they are being more consistent in growing their security efforts, which I am happy to see. After the beating of Xinran Ji in 2014, I hoped they would stay with it more seriously and consistently than their past efforts. It seems they are (and they have to).

Paying for uber rides has been a huge safety plus too. For those unfamiliar with it, here is their recent blurb on it:

Nightly between 7:00 PM and 2:00 AM, if you call Campus Cruiser and the wait time exceeds 15 minutes, the dispatcher will invite you to request a free Uber ride via the USC button on the Uber app. During these hours, rides that stay entirely within Campus Cruiser boundaries will be paid for automatically by USC, but only if requested via the USC button. Please note, excessive surge fares will not be covered.The program also will be available on football game days beginning four and a half hours after kick off until 2:00 AM.

Frankly, I think the kids just call uber from the get go and it works.