Community Service Officers
About the Position
CSOs are students from all backgrounds and fields of study at San Diego State University. No prior work/law enforcement experience is required. Candidate qualifications include the following: must be an SDSU student taking at least six academic units, must be in good academic standing, possess a driver's license, and have the ability to pass a background investigation. Pay Range: $18 - $20 per hour.
The San Diego State University Police Department (UPD) facilitates the academic process by providing a safe and secure environment in which to pursue academic excellence. CSOs are SDSU students who work for the police department as civilian employees. CSOs assist the campus community and provide an extra set of eyes and ears for the police department. By fulfilling these duties we believe we have established one of the most successful and professional student assistant programs in the country.
Assigned Duties
- Conduct regular inspections of all university property, particularly parking areas, grounds and buildings
- Operate SDSU's Red and Black Shuttle
- Enforce parking and permit regulations
- Lock/unlock university buildings/facilities
- Observe and report suspicious activity, hazardous conditions and/or criminal violations
- Provide security services for campus organizations and/or functions
- Give directions and other types of aid to the campus community
- Staff the Parking Information Kiosk
- Perform enforcement, administrative, security and/or investigative functions as directed
- Bike patrol
- Traffic Control
CSO Academy
UPD offers currently employed CSOs the opportunity to volunteer to participate in the CSO Academy. CSOs who wish to take advantage of this opportunity learn about law enforcement first-hand from police officers and professional staff. Students are exposed to a variety of learning opportunities. They attend lectures where they learn about criminal law and procedures from the penal and vehicle codes, case law and court practices, drug violations and addiction, implicit bias, ethics, procedural justice and police legitimacy, prisoner processing and searches, police tactics, radio use, and other law enforcement procedures. The students may tour the San Diego County Jail, crime lab, and partake in scenario exercises and training. CSOs who attend training may ride with patrol officers and are able to use what they learn through the program and assist police officers in the field. The goal of the program is to ready those students interested in careers in law enforcement through practical learning exercises and experiences.
