Whether you call them rent-a-cops or campus security, there’s no denying their ability to intimidate students on campus. No matter what you call them, they may have more power than you think.
It may seem like the only function of campus security is to issue parking tickets when you are in a hurry and can’t find a parking spot. In reality, they can have a lot more power than enforcing the ticket on your windshield.
Here’s what you should keep in mind about campus security.
They might be real officers
It’s different on every campus. Some schools have officers who have the same authority as state and local troopers; others do not. It all depends on the area of the university and the budget of the school. Public schools are more likely to have sworn officers for their campus security.
Often larger universities will have sworn officers with a full police department on campus to meet the needs of the university. These officers have all the same powers and abilities as the officers you would encounter off campus.
Private security doesn’t mean no power
Smaller schools may not need a full police department on campus, but there will still be the need to have people helping out with security. Often, they will employ a private group to handle the security on campus.
Just because your campus doesn’t have sworn officers doesn’t mean that the security personnel has no power. Typically, these individuals can hold students until a sworn officer arrives at the scene.
In addition to being able to call in reinforcements, campus police also have the authority to take their concerns to the dean of the university. This could mean that you would face criminal charges in addition to getting kicked out of school.