University Police

[gringoscott]

Anyone on here work for a University department. I'm looking in to San Jose State PD.

Yes, I did do a search for this, and was planning on just bumping the thread. But alas, it was in AAC... (http://forums.realpolice.net/showthread.php?t=45860&)

So I ask you all (LEO and non-LEO alike), with the hopes of some further information, pros and cons, things like that, what is your take on University police departments?

I'm hoping to ride along some time soon (if they allow it, checking into that in an hour) to see if it's what I am looking for.

So far, the best part is that they would pay my tuition!

Thanks in advance!

[squadcar]

University police? I'm guessing they patrol the university campus?

I'll have to look into it, to see if they have these up here in Canada.

[jamez]

There are campus police at the community/junior college I attend. The only thing I know is they are their own department and file their own reports on campus incidents. TCU has their own college police and both are actual licensed peace officers. I'm not sure about what type of training, or perks, they get though.

[Kimble]

So I ask you all (LEO and non-LEO alike), with the hopes of some further information, pros and cons, things like that, what is your take on University police departments?

Not a campus cop, but have a fraternity brother who is at the college I attended. From what he's told me...

Cons: you report to command staff AND school administration, a lot of parking enforcement on campus, a lot of dealing with drunk students, etc.

Pros: same state POST certification for other state/local departments, good opportunities for tuition assistance, work security gigs for fraternity/sorority parties ;) , etc.

[kels]

Cons
Depending on who is running the dept, the politics can suck.
Get ready to do a lot of alcohol violations.
Get ready to do a lot of theft reports.
Any day with a major sport event SUCKS.
Your agency will be the last in line for funding.

Pros
Nice work enviroment.
Somewhat better class of criminal. Drunk college kids are not the smartest
rocks in the box. When I did this, most of the serious crime came in from off
campus.
Summers off, most of the students and some of the staff will be gone.
A month vacation around Christmas. (see summers)

Lots of funny stuff
9 people in a VW Rabbit. (someone has to walk)
People having sex in the presidents yard. (even brought their own fireworks
celebrate afterwards)
Lots of naked people. Good drugs do that to ya:D
People dancing on the roofs of houses at parties.
Hedge balls dipped in gas and lit on fire look cool when thrown off the roof of dorms.
(it is great fun until the PISSED fire marshal gets there.)
ETC

Be prepared to be a public service organization who arrests people on a part time basis.:D

[Robb]

I know at one of the Universities in the town over from here, the kids of any Campus Police Officer gets to attend the school free of charge. So that right there is a nice perk. :D

[gringoscott]

So I did some digging on the PD's website and figured out their exact jurisdiction.

All of the campus (duh!)
All but two of the off campus buildings
All Frats/Sororities
The off campus sports fields
Most off campus housing

And here's the one I like the best...
"streets adjacent to the campus and within the one mile concurrent jurisdiction should the violation warrant enforcement action"

SWEET! SJSU is located right in the middle of downtown San Jose. All of the bar and nightclubs are within that mile. Not to mention alot of the slummy student housing and just plain gross housing around that area too.

A good buddy lives in an apartment complex overlooking a 24 hour Jack in the Box (a stones throw from the campus entrance). All the clubs close up at 2am and the hordes with drunken munchies flood to this place. It seems that every cop in the beat is parked sitting in front of this place yelling at all the drunks. It's fun to watch. I talked to one (he was a city copper) and he said it's a pretty fun assignment, never a dull moment apparently. And according to my friend who lives there, it's always a mix of UPD and SJPD downtown. So hey!

Also, as far as the equipment goes, they seem to get alot of top of the line stuff. Not to mention some really good training.

They also have cadets that work 24 hours. The cadets mostly walk people to cars, write parking tickets, do lockouts, jumpstarts, change tires. That kind of thing, so it frees up the officers a bit more. However, I'm told that being a UPD officer still has alot in common with being a security guard. Lots of patrol checks, having to work for people that don't have the first idea how to run a department, alot of downtime when the kiddies are on breaks.

But hey, I have no problem with being an overpaid security guard with arrest powers as long as they're payign my full tuition. Maybe I'll go for that Masters after all....

All in all I'm pretty excited about this place. Hopefully I'll start testing either next week or the week after. Need to get my health insurance figured out first.:rolleyes:

Thanks again for the information. Kels, sounds like you have some good stories, ya? I mean really though, what's better than a houseful of intoxicated college girls, right?

Just playing.;)

[Redman]

I've got a buddy who is a campus cop and he likes it pretty well. When I asked him if he likes it he gave it to me like this- You work your *** off for 9 months then you get 3 months of smooth sailing and shear boredom.

I'd check and see if you can go to the college for free if you work for their PD. Most of the colleges in my area do that, and that's a definite plus.

good luck

[Mike Romeo]

If you want to be a police officer with all the arrest powers of a city street officer, but don't care to be involved in the dangers of working up close and personal with criminals, a university police gig is probably going to work for you.

[Norm357]

Pros: Coeds.

Cons: Coeds

;)

[Mike Romeo]

Pros: Coeds.

Cons: Coeds

;)

But you like that vicious circle concept! :D

[Norm357]

But you like that vicious circle concept! :D

Indeed.;)

[gringoscott]

I've got a buddy who is a campus cop and he likes it pretty well. When I asked him if he likes it he gave it to me like this- You work your *** off for 9 months then you get 3 months of smooth sailing and shear boredom.

I'd check and see if you can go to the college for free if you work for their PD. Most of the colleges in my area do that, and that's a definite plus.

good luck

According to their website all Officers and their immediate family attend SJSU free. This is what initially caught my attention about the department.

If you want to be a police officer with all the arrest powers of a city street officer, but don't care to be involved in the dangers of working up close and personal with criminals, a university police gig is probably going to work for you.

Hopefully I'll be able to get a first person look at how much face time they get with some more criminal elements in contrast to just breaking up frat parties all night before I put in the application.

Pros: Coeds.

Cons: Coeds

So what your saying is that the pros outweigh the cons? ;)

[Hockey9019]

So what your saying is that the pros outweigh the cons? ;

Sure does. Just remember, not all college girls are good lookin


It could litterly outweigh the others

:D

[gringoscott]

Sure does. Just remember, not all college girls are good lookin


It could litterly outweigh the others

:D

Oh snap! LOL!

+1! When I get a chance to.