Administration & Finance Division
Spotlight: University Police Department
The University Police Department seeks to provide a safe and accessible environment for the benefit of the campus community. The UPD includes 96 members with a broad range of both sworn peace officer and civilian responsibilities. The department provides emergency response, criminal investigations, community outreach services, and uniformed police patrol as well as a host of other services related to event management, parking, and alternative transportation.
Recently, the University Police Department has been involved in various programs, earning both state- and nation-wide recognition. Targeted efforts in traffic safety and DUI enforcement have earned both awards for the department as well as individual officers. Efforts directed toward promoting green commuting choices and commuter benefits have resulted in awards within the CSU System and also from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Most recently, the department was recognized by the National Weather Service for 50 years of participation in the Weather Observation Program.
Each year police departments throughout the United States compete in a publication challenge on traffic & occupant safety, DUI education and enforcement, and in several other assorted topics. The University Police Department at Cal Poly has won numerous awards over the years, including first place nationally in 2007!
Police & Criminal Investigations
The University Police Department has eighteen professional law enforcement officers. Led by Chief William "Bill" Watton and Commander Lori Hashim, three sergeants, two detectives, and eleven patrol officers provide for the law enforcement needs of the campus. Each year these officers add to their professional repertoire, receiving updated training in criminal law enforcement and investigation as well as in many specialized fields like traffic collision investigation, anti-terrorism, active-shooter incidents, and forensics.
- Over the past year, officers of the UPD presented information on safety and awareness to over 12,000 individuals, including University clubs, staff, faculty, residents, fraternities and sororities.
- On average the University Police Department responds to approximately 2,500 alerts and incidents each month. Most are non-emergency situations, but they are ready and prepared for more serious issues, too.
- A log of notable police calls/responses is published to the MyCalPoly page to keep the campus community aware of incidents impacting us all. You can view the log by clicking the Campus Necessities tab in MyCalPoly. From there, you can leap to the University Police Department web site and view hundreds of log entries maintained throughout the year on the Police Activity Log.
9-1-1 Communications
- The 9-1-1 Communications Center handles on-campus 9-1-1 calls (now including most placed via cellular telephones in the area) and is able to provide Emergency Medical Dispatch services when injury or illness befall individuals on or nearby campus.
- The dispatchers receive State certification in 9-1-1 and emergency radio & telephone communications; and they are continuously training to meet the needs of the campus community.
Parking & Events
Parking and event management staff include a police sergeant, 3 full-time and 5 part-time parking officers, 4 administrative support staff, and nearly 50 student employees. This group within the department provides pre-event planning and event management at more than one hundred events each academic quarter as well as daily parking and traffic organization on campus.
- On a daily basis and especially prior to, during, and following events on campus, the management of vehicle and pedestrian traffic requires numerous officers at various locations on campus. Following a major event at the Performing Arts Center, the parking and traffic management staff is able to clear event attendees from a completely full parking structure in less than 20 minutes!
- At the Visitor Information Center on Grand Avenue you can purchase daily and weekly parking permits, arrange for Sponsored Guest parking for your guest speakers and meeting attendees, and send visitors through to receive accurate information regarding their parking options on campus.
- You can visit the University Police Department to access virtually all the services they provide. In fact, you might just want to visit to ask a question or get some help with a class project. Stop on by!
- The University Police Department is responsible for the coordination of an average of more than 300 university events each year that bring approximately 500,000 visitors to the community.
Event Management and event participation are a cooperative effort by Community Service Officers, Police Officers, Parking Officers and other UPD staff who conduct presentations, direct traffic, answer questions and provide informative publications during various events throughout the year, such as:
- Open House/Poly Royal
- Summer Advising (SOAR)
- Week of Welcome (WOW)
- Cal Poly Sporting Events
- Law Enforcement Night at Farmers Market
- Cops N Kids
- Housing Fairs (on and off campus)
Commuter & Access Services
Through various programs and incentives, the Commuter and Access Services staff are dedicated to promoting and administering alternative transportation options to relieve traffic congestion, reduce parking demand, and maintain clean air quality. It's all about providing the community with options!
In helping to recruit and promote alternative transportation, Commuter and Access Services provide:
- More than 90 secured bicycle storage lockers available for annual rental
- Racks located throughout campus to accommodate more than 2,200 bicycles
- Ten sponsored vanpool vans, accommodating 135 vanpool riders
- Incentives including: guaranteed ride home, daily stipends for using alternative transportation, and monthly prize drawings
Community Outreach
The University Police Department is a contributing member of the Cal Poly education environment. The department's staff and officers continually seek opportunities to share safety tips and crime prevention methods with the campus community and with other groups outside the University. The department hosts classes regularly on Alcohol & the Law, Personal Safety while Studying Abroad, Child Safety Seat Inspections, Bicycle Safety (a diversion program), and many more.
LiveScan
The University Police Department provides certified fingerprint scanning services to the San Luis Obispo community and beyond. This largely student-run service, called LiveScan, provides those seeking professional certification and security clearance a convenient campus option.
Administration & Support
Like any successful business, the University Police Department is lead by a fine group of administrators and is well-supported by professional business and support staff. Cindy Campbell, the department's associate director, oversees all aspects of business administration and support - plus a whole lot more! From managers and budget analysts to equipment technicians and recordkeepers, they provide the foundation upon which the more visible public service providers stand and are able to meet and exceed the demands and expectations set by the Cal Poly campus community. Together, they're an efficient team, and they're here for you!
Did You Know?
- For the 1st year, the UPD was a destination for WOW tours, meeting 3,500 new students and hundreds of WOW leaders?
- Approximately 50 Cal Poly students are employed by the department, making UPD one of the largest student employers on campus?
- There are 6,639 designated parking spaces on campus? Arrive early. Get one!
- More than 2,200 aspiring credential and professional candidates visited our department for LiveScan services in 2007?
- During academic periods there are approximately 2-3 traffic collisions on campus or in the adjacent areas each day? Be careful. Drive safely.
- The UPD monitors weather information and reports it to NOAA, WeatherUnderground, local media, Cal Poly Crops personnel, the campus community, and also the SLO Airport? Cal Poly has technically been collecting weather data for more than 100 years and at least fifty as a certified NOAA weather reporting agency!
The University Police Department and its staff hope you will join with them to provide a quality and safe environment for all. Please contact the University Police Department if you have ideas on how you and others can make Cal Poly an even safer community.