Southers said the 10-month effort was the most comprehensive review of campus safety practices in the university’s history. Some students, staff and faculty felt safe with officers, while others felt targeted; some community members felt they were treated unfairly compared with campus members, the report found. The campus safety force operates under a memorandum of understanding with the city of Los Angeles that gives officers the right to arrest people. Thomas said he would welcome redefining the role of campus safety officers — focusing more on crime prevention and pervasive incidents of theft, for instance, and handing off more specialized tasks such as mental health. He said he was eager to get started on the work, especially since a similar attempt at revising campus safety practices four or five years ago fizzled out.

Source: Los Angeles Times July 28, 2021 21:11 UTC