Watch as the Program grows...

Physical Plant
Pollack Library

Program Overview:

Campus Watch is a community based crime prevention program patterned after the successful Neighborhood Watch programs used in many cities. The intent of Campus Watch at California State University Fullerton will be to improve crime prevention through enhanced awareness and prevention education, and application of safety and security techniques. The adoption of the program will serve to ensure that the campus community frequently receives information and instruction on campus crime, safety policies and procedures, and drug and alcohol abuse prevention.

The ultimate objective is to, (1) prevent criminal activity or reduce its frequency and (2) increase protection of individuals and property. These objectives can best be accomplished through education and commitment.

Campus Watch at Cal State Fullerton is organized under the auspices of the University Police Department in partnership with the campus community. Faculty, staff and students will be recruited from the campus community and trained in crime prevention techniques and strategies. Volunteer training will take place at monthly meetings hosted by University Police where they will be briefed on current criminal activity, receive specialized training and lectured by guest speakers.

Program Goals:

To educate members of the Cal State Fullerton community in issues relating to crime prevention.

To provide a forum for the exchange and coordination of ideas, concepts, and strategies to prevent or reduce crime.

To work with the Campus Watch organization and the campus community, to implement a comprehensive plan for the prevention of crime.

To educate the campus community in methods which increase personal and community safety.

To maximize cooperation and communication between the campus community and University Police to enhance crime prevention.

Several approaches will be used to implement Campus Watch at Cal State Fullerton. They include ‘Building Watch’ where individual officers adopt a campus building and personally coordinate crime prevention activities, ‘Campus Crime Network’ where volunteers communicate with each other through an emergency telephone network to report crimes that have just occurred, and ‘Campus Watch Meetings’ where the campus community is invited to meet police and Campus Watch volunteers to learn crime prevention techniques, exchange information and receive crime updates.

The program will be a cooperative effort by University Police, Building Captains and Campus Watch members. The University Police will provide the expertise, Building Captains will provide a direct liaison for specific buildings and the police, and Campus Watch members will provide the eyes, ears and voice to ensure program effectiveness.

Building Captains:

Each member will be required to attend training sessions on crime prevention theory and practical application. The sessions will be augmented with a training manual and police ‘ride-alongs’ that will allow the volunteers to become educated in law enforcement and crime prevention topics. Once they are trained, the volunteers will be invited to assist as crime prevention volunteers and conduct security surveys of their offices and classroom areas.

Community Areas:

The campus will be divided into Community Areas. The University Police will then assign individual officers as crime prevention specialists to one or more campus buildings within each of the Community Areas. This will team building occupants with University Police through an established point of contact to more easily facilitate services that are building specific.

In addition, monthly meetings will be held for each Community Area where Campus Watch members will receive crime prevention information on relevant topics presented by a member of the University Police Department or a guest speaker.

Campus Crime Network:

Campus Crime Network operates by way of a pyramid system that allows information to be distributed throughout the community in a rapid fashion. Building Captains will be notified of crimes that have just occurred and will then relay that information immediately to their Campus Watch counterparts through a telephone tree or network. Campus Watch members will then alert other members of the campus community where they work. Additional networking may also include the use of Fax and/or E-mail notifications. Within a short time frame all available volunteers will have pertinent facts rather than the rumors.

Campus Watch Meetings:

Monthly communities meetings will be held where students, faculty and staff can meet their campus police officers and Campus Watch members to exchange crime prevention information. The meetings will include discussions on topics such as, how to protect yourself while on campus, how to assess the physical risk in your work and home living areas, strategies to keep your unattended vehicle safe, nighttime safety, and how the criminal mind works.

We also envision improved emergency response to campus emergencies and disasters through cooperative efforts between Campus Watch volunteers with Building Marshals, who are trained in emergency preparedness. These combined groups will provide a needed resource as emergency responders for our campus.

How Does Campus Watch Work?

The program involves police coordinating campus members in businesses, offices, classroom buildings and the housing complex with organizing the community into a cohesive group working together toward the goal of building a safe, crime free environment, as well as developing solutions to problems.

The Campus Watch Coordinator is the liaison between the campus Community and police. The Coordinator is a police Crime Prevention Officer who helps the neighborhood organize its Campus Watch Program. The Coordinator recruits Building Captains, plans community meetings, develops the telephone tree and initiates its use.

Buildings Captains canvas their area of responsibility and explain the Campus Watch Program to occupants. Building Captains obtain names, and note locations and telephone numbers of building occupants who wish to be Campus Watch Volunteers. They help the Coordinator develop the Campus Crime Network and help activate the telephone tree, along with the Communication Center, when necessary. The success of the program largely depends their efforts.

At regular monthly meetings, Campus Watch Volunteers discuss issues such as recent crimes, suspicious activity in the area, suspect information, crime prevention techniques, office and home surveys, and emergency response guidelines. There are also guest speakers.

The Campus Crime Network involves the use of a telephone tree, which lists of names, office locations and telephone numbers of Watch Members. The telephone tree is used to alert members about crimes occurring in a building or housing complex. It may be used for any crime prevention purpose the community feels appropriate, including rumor control.