Campus Policing Research Articles

The University Must Be Defended!: Safe Spaces, Campus Policing, and University-Driven Gentrification

The University Must Be Defended!: Safe Spaces, Campus Policing, and University-Driven Gentrification

Stop and question campus policing

Purpose Stopping and questioning citizens is an important policing tactic. Prior research explores citizens’ perceptions of stop and question policing, or “SQP”, by municipal police, yet campus police also use this tactic. The purpose of this paper is to understand whether and why college students believe campus police should have the right to engage in SQP. Design/methodology/approach Data come from 73 in-depth interviews with students attending a university in metropolitan Atlanta, GA. The sample was obtained through convenience and purposive sampling methods. Data were analyzed using the ethnographic perspective. Findings Most participants said campus police should practice SQP for three reasons: it is their job; SQP is an effective crime fighting tactic; and SQP is useful given the features and functions of college campuses. Among participants who said campus police should not practice SQP, they were concerned that officers would use it in unwarranted situations. Practical implications Findings suggest that the police might be able to reduce resistance to SQP by clearly explaining to suspects why they are being stopped and also clarifying to the public the legal thresholds for stopping and questioning citizens. Originality/value This is the first study to consider perceptions of SQP by campus police. The findings also shed light on how campus and municipal police are (dis)similar in perceptions of their SQP practices.

Campus Policing

Campus Policing

A Study on the Influence Factors of the Campus Policing Awareness of University Students

A Study on the Influence Factors of the Campus Policing Awareness of University Students

Evaluating legitimacy and marginalization: Campus policing in the State of Rhode Island

AbstractThe identity and legitimacy of campus police officers is often difficult to define, largely due to their obvious connection to the educational environment. With the lack of research on campus police in general, and their legitimacy as a law enforcement entity in specific, how these officers perceive themselves and, just as importantly, how they believe others perceive them, becomes questionable and may have a distinct impact on their performance of duties and their interactions with the campus community and other law enforcement personnel. This study considers self-perceived levels of legitimacy of campus police officers employed at four statutorily defined campus police departments in the State of Rhode Island from a review of various issues of perceptual self-worth, their effects on officer morale, and their impact on levels of service to the campus community. Findings indicate that while they are, indeed, granted legislative police authority that is comparable to their more public counterparts,...

Campus policing in America: a twenty-year perspective

Campus policing in America: a twenty-year perspective

Campus Policing in America

This article compares the findings of a 2006 national survey of campus police agencies with one of 1986. Respondents were queried about agency titles; reporting lines; administrators' experience, education, tenure, and diversity; agency powers, jurisdiction, rank, training, activities/responsibilities, and relations with local police agencies; and involvement in disaster planning and terrorism readiness. It is concluded that considerable evolution has occurred over the past two decades; whereas constituencies, mission, and duties may differ, campus law enforcement agencies are part of and connected to the broader local law enforcement community and represent an essential component of postsecondary educational institutions.

A content review of campus police vehicle pursuit policies at large institutions of higher education

Campus crime and related issues have received considerable attention from the various legislative bodies, the media and social science researchers over the last two decades. Much of the attention has been focused on campus police with regard to their ability to protect the campus community. Civil liability lawsuits against campus police departments and their host institutions are not uncommon today. As campus policing has evolved from a watchman/security orientation to more of a full‐service model, it is incumbent that policies used to guide officers in high liability areas be comprehensive. Having comprehensive policies in the high liability areas may also aid in the defense of civil liability lawsuits. One such high liability area is vehicle pursuits. While the general policing literature has focused considerable attention on this topic, campus police guidelines have not been collected or systematically reviewed. The present study examines the content of the vehicle pursuit policies from 67 of the largest 100 campus police departments, serving communities with high student enrollments and often a substantial number of roadways throughout their boundaries. It is certainly foreseeable that from time to time campus police will become engaged in vehicle pursuits. While pursuits by campus police may be relatively infrequent events, policies governing officer decision making are none the less critical. A profile of these policies is developed for review by practitioners and researchers alike. It is believed to be the first such examination of this important policy area within the context of campus policing.

Comparing campus and municipal police: the human resource dimension

At present there is little comparative information available regarding campus and municipal police agencies and their personnel. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to examine the similarities and differences between municipal and campus police agencies with respect to various human resource characteristics and policies. The following research question guided the analysis: how do municipal and campus police agencies compare regarding the following human resource characteristics and policies: the proportion of sworn personnel, gender and race of sworn officers, salaries and benefits, educational requirements, levels of training required, drug testing policies and the extent of collective bargaining/unionization. The database is nationwide in scope. The findings of this study support the general notion that city and campus police departments are similar at least with respect to the human resource characteristics identified. Many campus departments have advanced well beyond the watchman era of campus policing. In a number of human resource areas such as use of civilians, education and training requirements, the campus police have progressed very well based on the comparisons made.

Loose Connections: Crime and Policing on the University Campus

This paper reviews literature on campus crime and security. It reports the findings of a case study of an in-house security force servicing a large postsecondary institution located in central Canada. Limited data on campus crime in Canada and the U.S. indicate that it is neither as frequent nor as serious as media and other reports suggest. Primary data on the demographic characteristics of security officers combined with information on recruitment, training, mobility, and job content point to the existence of occupational segmentation within this sector. The findings also underscore the prevalence of a professional crime control-oriented form of security provision and are consistent with those of recent Canadian and American studies of campus crime and policing. The need for future research on issues concerning illegality and security on university campuses is highlighted and policy recommendations addressing the transition to a more community-oriented approach are outlined.

Campus Policing: The Nature of University Police Work

Does campus policing predominantly involve the enforcement of law or does it involve more traditional security functions such as plant protection, preventive maintenance, and the regulation of student conduct? In what ways is university policing, a form of private policing, similar to and different from the model of municipal policing? This fine study addresses these and other questions.