To protect...

Published: Monday, September 28, 1998

Monday, September 28, 1998

To protect...

POLICE: The campus police have jurisdiction beyond UCLA's boundaries

By Ann Hawkey

Daily Bruin Contributor

They protect and serve. And then they take it one step further.

With 50 years of experience patrolling the campus beat, the university police department (UCPD) has learned to take a different approach to crime fighting.

"We differ from (the) LAPD in that we are more responsive and responsible to our student population. We want to see our students get through their four years here unscathed," said Police Chief Clarence Chapman. "To accomplish that, we emphasize education."

With over a dozen educational programs, UCPD tries to fight crime by preventing it.

These community programs cover topics including substance abuse, child safety awareness, crime prevention, gang awareness and personal safety.

UCPD officers also reach the community through the Westwood Village Community Service Center, photo identification and fingerprinting services, a mentorship program that partners young athletes with officers and a community services program.

Another service the UCPD offers to the community is a series of crime prevention presentations, designed to educate the campus population and local businesses on how to prevent crime and protect themselves.

With a campus population that reaches up to 60,000 students, staff, faculty and visitors, however, UCLA still faces crime problems similar to those found in mid-sized cities.

"The truth is, the crime is the same as in other cities," said Detective Terry Brown, who came to UCPD 10 years ago after working on two other police forces. "The only difference is the frequency of the crimes and the number of calls we get."

Though UCPD officers deal with some violent crime, the majority of their crime-related calls consist of thefts and noise complaints.

UCPD dispatchers estimate that they receive up to 4,000 calls each day, most of which do not require any police response. Only 300 to 400 of these calls are related to police business, compared to the nearly 9,700 calls LAPD receives each day.

Despite facing many of the same problems as any other police force, UCPD officers also struggle with issues unique to campus policing.

One major problem UCPD officers find is a misperception of their authority.

Surrounded by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the Los Angeles Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation at the nearby Federal Building in Westwood, the campus population may not always understand where UCPD fits in.

UCPD officers are responsible for all UC properties and interests, and shares jurisdiction with the LAPD in a 1-mile radius around those interests.

Because UCLA's property spans well beyond campus lines, the university requires a police force with authority past school borders, rather than a basic campus security staff, Chapman said.

"The public assumption is that we're not the same as LAPD, but we are." Brown said. "Our authority is the same."

Officers are trained at the Sheriff's Police Academy facilities in Whittier and Fullerton for 26 weeks before coming on the job, where they then spend another six months in training.

Each officer carries a standard .40-caliber handgun, and in the case of an extreme emergency, can access semi-automatic rifles.

Chapman also has the authority to call on the LAPD for assistance in situations requiring more resources than available on campus.

An example of this came during last April's Royce Hall protest, when LAPD officers were brought in to supplement the 20 UCPD officers who were on duty at the time.

The UCPD also hires officers with experience from other law enforcement organizations, including the Sheriff's Department and the California Highway Patrol. These officers often come from other organizations looking for a smaller, more community-oriented department.

With 60 officers and only one station, the department provides more opportunities to work on various special assignments, including bike patrol and the detective unit, as well as the chance to become familiar with the community they protect.

"The difference between a university police officer and a community police officer is that we do exactly what our community wants us to do," said Sgt. Richard Sanchez. "We are a very community minded department."

The UC Regents fund police departments on all nine campuses through California tax revenue. Each department is certified and run independently by police staff.

Though the UCPD does consult with university administrators and report to the chancellor, the police force has a high degree of independence from the university.

By communicating with the administration and the campus community, the UCPD has learned to deal with situations unique to the campus, like student demonstrations and controversial events, in a less traditional police fashion.

"We have been able to learn how to handle demonstrations and other situations like that better than any other department," Sanchez said.

Chapman said he encourages groups to work with the UCPD in organizing demonstrations, and also tries to keep open lines of communication between the department, Murphy Hall, and the various departments and schools on campus.

More common than political demonstrations, though, is alcohol abuse on and around campus.

In dealing with student alcohol use, UCPD officers again may take a less traditional approach, perhaps by simply escorting the person home and ensuring their safety.

"One of the things that we're looking for is protecting students," said Nancy Greenstein, director of the Community Services Division.

"To us, it would be important to stop them, check them and make sure they're alright to take care of themselves, not just because they seem drunk but because someone else could hurt them" she said.

Although the officers' first concern may be safety rather than the violation, UCPD does not tolerate excessive alcohol consumption and will issue citations when appropriate, Chapman said.

These citations, like those from any other police department, will lead to court and possibly even jail time.

The UCPD's approach toward dealing with student alcohol use helps illustrate the department's overall goal in campus law enforcement.

"There is the letter of the law and there is the spirit of the law. The letter of the law means you've got a police officer out there that's going to enforce every violation they see," Chapman said.

"The spirit of the law is to avoid criminal activity, both harm to the community and to the person who is in violation," he said. "We tend to concentrate on the spirit of the law."

CHARLES KUO

Sgt. James Kuehn of the UCPD conducts a briefing before a new shift joins those officers already out on the beat.

Related site:

•UCPD official web site

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