An independent review of operations in the Campus Public Safety Department at Central Oregon Community College (COCC) made a number of key findings and suggestions for improvement. It also determined that there were no violations of Kaylee’s Law, the Oregon state law ensuring that campus officers do not act in a law enforcement capacity. Attorneys Karen Vickers and Beth Plass completed the outside review.
“COCC remains committed to making our campuses as safe as they can be for everyone,” said Dr. Laurie Chesley, COCC’s president. “This review and its findings will help the college continue to make campus safety a clearly defined, student-focused service rooted in education.”
The review’s findings include:
- Patrol cars were used by campus safety staff for personal purposes. The college should develop clear policies and trainings for the department regarding the use of department vehicles and other subjects, including on-call work and sick time.
- There was not a hostile work environment.
- Campus safety supervision is inconsistent with current college needs.
The college does not comment on specific personnel actions taken as a result of the review’s findings.
“I remain personally invested in ensuring that our community members and students both feel safe and are safe on our campuses,” added Dr. Chesley. She has appointed Andrew Davis, the college’s director of student/campus life, to the position of interim campus safety director. Davis will provide daily oversight of the department and report directly to Dr. Chesley.
COCC will hire a consultant to provide guidance on the issues noted above, as well as on campus safety staff job descriptions and further defining the essential boundaries between campus safety staff and law enforcement. Moving forward, the college will be changing the campus safety staff uniforms to a more casual style to further ensure they are easily distinguishable from local law enforcement. COCC campus safety staff will be present during weekday business hours. The college will continue to contract with Bend Patrol Services to perform random evening and weekend patrols on its two largest campuses in Bend and Redmond.
