By Ben Carlson
Staff Writer
Everyone owes it to themselves to ride along with a police officer at least once in their lives, preferably not after an arrest, of course. Though I knew the chance of witnessing some action on the safest campus in California would be minuscule, riding with the University Police Department (UPD) had its moments.
I started the day at the UPD headquarters where Sergeant Troy Holmes performed a quick background check on me, making sure, as he put it, “I wasn’t a terrorist.” I then took a tour through the building with the sergeant, viewing the UPD holding cells, interrogation room and the police armory which stores most of their weapons. The most eye-opening room in the building, though, was the surveillance room. Dozens of screens fill the dark room, all of them displaying multiple camera angles on campus. This room runs 24 hours a day and there is constant focus on all of the buildings, hallways, and walkways on CSUSM.
According to Chief McManus, there has been over 100 cameras installed on CSUSM since a few years ago. The rise in surveillance is not just an effort to keep the campus safe, but was a response to the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007.
“Virginia Tech changed everything,” the chief said in between drags of his cigarette. “Security measures were installed that is now common on most universities in California.”
As for the ride itself, I cannot seem to convey the experience of striking fear into fellow students as they walked by without some sort of glee. The joy of wearing aviators and staring down students with a stern expression is something every person should experience before they die. I also found the banter between myself and the officers enjoyable, though my stories were pathetic compared to their own tales of close calls and heroism.
Despite the quiet day, I enjoyed my time with the officers of the UPD. CSUSM should be grateful to have such an outstanding group of men and women patrolling the campus. Though we may not always be thrilled when a cop rolls by, it doesn’t matter. They can see you anyway, and at least if they can see you, you’ll be safe.