About the UC Irvine CSO Program
The UC-Irvine CSO Program was reinstated in the summer 2000 after a break since 1996 and has quickly become one of the best CSO programs in the state. The CSO Program is dedicated to being the "eyes and ears" of the UCI Police Department. The program currently consists of approximately 30 student officers who work closely with the full-time police officers in deterring crime on campus and contract sites.
In April of 2002, the CSO Program was nominated and received the AWARD OF DISTINCTION from the California College and University Police Chiefs Association. This award was presented to the UCI Community Service Officer Program for outstanding accomplishments and achievements that have performed a great service to educational law enforcement.
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What is a CSO?
The UCI Police Department's Community Service Officers (CSOs) are student employees that provide a communication link between the campus and community with the UCI Police Department, safety, fire, and medical services. We help with existing departmental services by promoting and maintaining safety awareness and community outreach programs in addition to developing and coordinating a variety of activities designed to meet the safety needs of the entire campus community. Serving as the eyes and ears to the UCI Police Department, the CSO program acts as an extension in assistance to the UCI Police Department in crime prevention and safety awareness.
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Team Building
The CSO Program has always strived to build camaraderie amongst its staff. Therefore, CSOs participate in numerous activities that are designed to help individuals work as a team. One of the most beneficial activities is the team building challenge course located at the Anteater Recreation Center. Participants endure mentally and physically demanding activities, including a high ropes course, which they can not complete unless they work as a complete unit. These types of activities build trust, confidence, and cooperation. By learning to collaborate with one another and work as a team, CSOs are better able to serve both the police department and the community as a whole.
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What We Do
"Helping to Build a Safer Community "
A Community Service Officer at UCI is trained by the Police Department to perform various tasks. These tasks include the following:
- Answering the public's questions at our mobile substation
- Patrolling and closing down library facilities
- Campus patrol
- Assisting with the R.A.D. Program
- Maintaining the campus Blue Lights
- Assisting with many community functions and special events.
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The Mobile Substation Kiosk
The mobile substation kiosk is provided as a service to the campus community. At the kiosk, CSOs are able to direct individuals to the police department if they have been the victim of a crime. They also provide information on bike registration, lost or stolen property, and general safety information and presentations. CSO's also use the mobile substation to recruit potential applicants for employment with the police department.
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Libraries
CSOs are on continuous patrol of the Langson and the Science Libraries. They assist library staff and patrons with any problems that might arise, such as thefts or noise complaints. While at the library, the CSO is to act as a deterrent to crime as well as to create a relationship between the police department and the student community. During tenth week and finals week, CSOs are stationed at the study centers nearly 24 hours per day to ensure the safety of the students and staff.
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Campus Patrol
During the school year there is generally one CSO who is on a continuous patrol of the campus, acting as the "eyes and ears" of the police dept. If he or she sees any acts of crime they let dispatch know immediately and a Police officer is sent out to investigate.
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Blue Light Project
The University of California, Irvine has emergency call boxes (Blue Light Phones) located throughout the main campus. These phones can be used to report emergencies, crime, suspicious behavior, accidents, and hazards.
The Blue Light Phones are located around Ring Road, throughout the housing facilities, each level of the parking structures, and in other parking areas. They are easily identified by the blue light on the yellow box, and the boxes detect all sounds within a 10-foot radius. To use the phone, simply push the button located on the front of the call box. You are then automatically connected to the UCI Police Department.
The CSO Program inspects the 150+ Blue Light Phones on a monthly basis. These call boxes are regularly maintained to provide emergency and essential non-emergency services to the campus. The CSO Program works closely with residential housing and student organizations to help educate the community on uses of these phones to contact the UCI Police Department.
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Advertising
Advertising helps enhance the UCI Police Department's visibility to the students and staff. By placing weekly ads in the New University campus newspaper, it creates awareness for people to know where the CSO substation will be, hiring information, contact information, and most importantly a crime log to serve and inform the community. Many times, when a crime occurs, people do not know what to do or where to go, but the ad welcomes concerned individuals to stop by the CSO substation to seek proper assistance. The Police Department also places ads in various housing gazettes/newsletters that includes a "Tip of the Month" regarding a variety of safety issues which may be of concern.
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