NCJ Number
182919
Journal
Campus Law Enforcement Journal Volume: 30 Issue: 2 Dated: March/April 2000 Pages: 17-21
Date Published
2000
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article describes the efforts in California to improve cooperation between local law enforcement and campus police in responding to any actual or suspected violent crime on college campuses.
Abstract
On August 11, 1998, California Governor Pete Wilson signed into law SB 1729, which is intended to improve law enforcement procedures for investigating crimes that occur on college campuses. SB 1729 requires California colleges to enter into written agreements with local law enforcement agencies regarding the investigation of violent crimes on college campuses. It mandates that procedures, investigative authority, and geographical boundaries be predetermined between campus police and the local law enforcement agencies. The law is intended to facilitate a rapid and coordinated response to any actual or suspected violent crime on college campuses. The change will help ensure that there is no confusion as to which law enforcement agency has the operational responsibility and where geographical boundaries lie with agencies. The law also allows the agencies to have a working document that clearly identifies roles and responsibilities. Other States are enacting similar legislation. In order to implement the intent of such legislation colleges and police agencies have composed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). The MOA provides a definition of the partnership between a local police agency and the police of particular campuses, including the responsibilities of each partner and the role each partner will assume. A copy of the MOA between the City of Los Angeles and the University of Southern California is included in this article.