Community Service Officer Program
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The Community Service Officer Program is the student-run organization within the police department. The program's primary mission is to promote campus safety by maintaining positive contacts with the university community through community service, while providing paraprofessional assistance to the police department. The program's major activity is the operation of the BearWALK Service in conjunction with Owl Van Rides. Service areas include: |
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• Operation of the BearWALK and Owl Service
• Nighttime patrol of the residence halls
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Nighttime patrol of the California Memorial Stadium
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High-visibility crime watch patrol of the central campus
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Operation of a nighttime safety information booth
For all inquires regarding the CSO Program, write: CSO Program, 1 Sproul Hall #1199, Berkeley, Calfornia 94720-1199. You may also contact the Safety Program Administrator at (510) 642-9109 |
Mission Statement
Through its various activities, the Community Service Officer Program achieves its primary mission of promoting campus safety by maintaining positive contacts with the university community through community service, while providing para-professional assistance to the U.C. Berkeley Police Department.
Additionally, the Community Service Officer Program is designed to promote the personal and professional development of each and every Community Service Officer.
Organizational Values
Community Service is the ultimate goal of our organization. Community service is an attitude of caring and desire to help the campus community. We strive for quality, timeliness, and excellence in our services.
Integrity is at the core of our work. Integrity is being honest and ethical with both ourselves and others. We accept responsibility for our actions and are willing to learn from our mistakes, thereby earning respect, credibility, and the public's trust.
Professionalism is the style in which we carry out our duties. Professionalism is a projection of the responsibility and pride we have in our position. We hold ourselves to high standards by continuous evaluation of ourselves and our program.
Sensitivity is the quality we exhibit in our interaction and communication with others. Sensitivity is a display of respect for the desires and rights of other individuals. We want to respond to others in a tactful, understanding, and helpful manner.
Job Description
Community Service Officers can work a number of different shifts, each with specific duties and goals. These duties can range from speaking to a thousand incoming freshman about crime prevention to patrolling the Berkeley hills in search of illegal campers and fire hazards. Regardless of the assignment, however, CSOs are always present as resources for the community and act as "eyes and ears" for the Police Department. Following is a description of many of the various duties you can perform as a CSO.
The Escort Shift
One of the three shifts performed every day, 365 days a year. The escort shift runs from early evening until 2:30 a.m. After a briefing and inspection held by a CSO Supervisor, Escort CSOs hit the street. A CSO Dispatcher receives calls from the campus community, and in turn dispatches CSOs to perform escorts to the caller's destination or nearest shuttle which will take them to their destination. CSOs who have completed additional training may work the escort shift as a Bicycle Patrol CSO.
Housing Patrol
The second of the shifts which are perform every day of the year. The housing patrol shift runs during graveyard hours. CSOs are directed by a CSO-OIC (Officer-In-Charge) and patrol Foothill, Clark Kerr Campus, and the three Units. These shifts are paid for by the Housing Office with the intention of promoting the safety of dormitory residents and their possessions. As with the escort shift, CSOs who have completed additional training may also work the housing patrol shift as a Bicycle Patrol CSO.
Stadium and Crimewatch Patrol
The final two general patrol shifts, the stadium patrol shift and crimewatch patrol shift, are directed by the nightly escort shift CSO Supervisor.
Every night of the year, CSOs provide security for Memorial Stadium. We lock gates, escort unauthorized individuals from the field, and perform rounds in the interest of general security.
The purpose of the crimewatch shift is to passively deter criminal activity through a uniformed presence. Crimewatch CSOs perform high-visibility security checks of campus areas, report suspicious and criminal activity, and assist members of the campus community.
Non-routine shifts
Aside from scheduled shifts, Community Service Officers have the opportunity to work overtime events. These events, such as Cal football games, concerts, and special campus events usually involve traffic direction and general uniformed presence. In the event of a campus or community emergency, CSOs are often requested to work overtime as support for the police department.
Specialties
After a satisfactory six months of employment, Community Service Officers may apply for specialty positions. CSOs in these positions undergo additional training to fulfill duties within other units of the Police Department.
Crime Prevention Unit Specialist
The Crime Prevention Unit of UCPD staffs two CSOs. These specialists dedicate their time to education of the campus community to prevent crime and foster campus safety. Some of their duties include:
1 Coordination of the 3 unit De-Cal course, "Crime and Safety on the Berkeley Campus;"
2 Presenting crime prevention and campus safety information to groups on and off campus.
3 Maintaining campus card-key and theft prevention systems.
Hill Patrol
During the summer months, a team of six CSOs patrol the Berkeley hills East of the U.C. campus. Each day, two Hill Patrol CSOs perform firewatch and conduct security checks on foot and in a UCPD four wheel drive vehicle. This position is widely recognized as one of the most exciting and demanding positions in the program. A day's event may require the Hill Patrol CSOs to move a rattlesnake from a firetrail or be a first responder to a vehicle accident on Grizzly Peak Blvd.
