CPSO Tips in the Wake of Virginia Tech Shootings
By Mike Soto, Director, PSU Public Safety
The Portland State University Campus Public Safety Office (CPSO)
provides most of the police services for the University District.
This community approach means that we depend heavily on PSU students
and employees to be eyes and ears for us. From individuals gaining
unlawful access to rooms and buildings to individuals causing a
disturbance to individuals seen committing crimes, we rely on the
PSU community to report these incidents. Many times these reports
could be more timely and provide more information to help us take
effective action.
This article will outline a few tips to help us work together
to do our best at properly reporting suspicious people who may
be on our campus grounds or in our buildings.
Most
importantly, anytime someone witnesses a crime or needs to report
an incident that needs CPSO attention, an immediate call
to the emergency line at 503-725-4404 is warranted. The details
of the crime or incident will be fresh in the reporter’s
mind and CPSO has the best chance to contact the subject(s) when
reports are timely.
Many times, incidents and crimes happen in a public area. Programming
the CPSO emergency number into your cell phone can help to make
an immediate call. Also, look for the CPSO campus phones and emergency
phones located throughout campus, in and outside buildings. These
phones provide direct access to CPSO. Having the CPSO emergency
number handy will allow information to swiftly reach Public Safety
Officers, which could mean the difference between an arrest and
an escape.
Have your facts ready for the CPSO Dispatcher who answers the
telephone. Callers will be asked the following questions in this
order: What is taking or took place? Where is the incident happening
or has it happened? Where is the subject(s) or where was the subject(s)
last seen? Any other pertinent details?
When it comes to a suspicious person, additional details will
include a complete description of the subject, including race,
age, height, weight, hair color, eye color, facial features, clothing
type and color and any distinctive features like tattoos. When
witnessing an incident, be sure to be making mental notes of these
descriptors, especially unusual features that will stand out when
Public Safety Officers look for the subject(s).
If possible and safe, try to follow the subject(s) or keep them
in sight until CPSO arrives on the scene. The dispatcher will
ask for a name and callback number prior to hanging up in case
the subject(s) are unfound, hoping to gain new details on their
location.
In summary, call CPSO immediately, make mental notes of the incident
and the people involved, have some facts ready to share, be safe
and when possible keep the subject(s) in sight.
By following these simple steps, CPSO can provide a safer campus
community that can meet the University’s goal to “enable
all members of the campus community to have a positive and successful
experience . . . in their intellectual and personal lives throughout
their contact with PSU.”
Campus Public Safety Office
1939 SW Broadway
Portland, OR 97201
Located at the intersection of SW Broadway and SW College.
Open 24/7 365 days a year
Phone Numbers:
Emergency 503-725-4404
Non-emergency 503-725-4407
Fax 503-725-5593
Department Email:
cpso@pdx.edu
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