Department of Campus Safety

Campus Safety officers patrol the campus 24 hours a day, seven days a week and perform many security and safety functions on property owned and operated by the College. Campus Safety is responsible for variety of safety and security programs including emergency management, Environmental Health & Safety Committee, Emergency Response Team, physical security, and security technology. The Department also conducts threat assessments and special event management.

The authority of the Department of Campus Safety to enforce Whittier College Policy is established by the Board of Trustees.  When and if the need arises, Campus Safety officers are authorized to make a citizen’s arrest of any and all persons creating disturbances against the general peace, interfering with the security of campus facilities or grounds, or interfering with or disturbing the safety and general welfare of the College community. When such a citizen’s arrest is necessary, the Department of Campus Safety shall, as promptly as possible, notify the Whittier Police Department to render assistance as needed.

The Whittier College Department of Campus Safety consists of full-time and on-call staff members comprising the patrol division, communications, and administrative staff. Campus Safety uses a variety of crime suppression and prevention methods including foot patrol, bike patrol, and vehicular patrol to monitor college activities 24 hours a day. 

Training for department personnel covers a variety of topics, ranging from emergency response to criminal law and patrol techniques to report writing. All officers receive a minimum reserve police academy training certification by the California Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training. This requirement may be waived if the officer possesses a minimum of 300 hours of training/education in the field. After training, each officer must complete a 10-week training program. Specialty officers receive an additional 100-200 hours of in-service training each year.

Whittier College Campus Safety officers are required to obtain the following certifications:

• P.O.S.T. Training, as required by all local municipal police officers
• B.S.I.S. Training and license
• First Aid, CPR/AED 
• Authority and Jurisdiction

All complaints received, including anonymous complaints, will be internally investigated by the Department of Campus Safety. Anyone filing a complaint can request that their identity remain confidential to the official named in the complaint. If you request that your identity remain confidential, Campus Safety administration will contact you to determine what level of involvement you would like in the investigation.

Filing a complaint does not initiate a criminal investigation. If during the investigation it is discovered that criminal action took place, the Department of Campus Safety may, at its discretion, disclose this information to the Whittier Police Department. If you wish to file a criminal complaint, you must contact the Whittier Police Department separately.

Any complaint that is governed by Whittier College’s Grievance Policy related to discrimination, Title IX, equal opportunity, or retaliation maintains the procedures for resolution of conflicts and grievances pertaining to each overseeing department and College official.

If the complaint is in regards to a Sexual Misconduct Policy matter, the Title IX Coordinator will oversee the investigation. These cases are not considered internal affair matters. If you are unsure whether your complaint falls into this category, please contact the Title IX Coordinator at 562.907.4233. The Dean of Students will assist and advise any student who feels that he or she has been treated inappropriately by any member of the community.

Informal complaints can be filed by notifying the Director of Campus Safety at 562.907.4211. Informal complaints are generally minor in nature. The Director of Campus Safety may determine, based on the information provided, that the submitted complaint is of a nature that requires a formal complaint. In that situation, the Director will initiate an investigation on the complainant's behalf.

Formal/Informal complaints can be filed by scheduling an in-person meeting with the Director of Campus Safety.
Formal complaints can also be filed by filling out the online complaint form. Formal complaints are generally used for serious misconduct on the part of a Campus Safety employee.

When a Complaint is Filed

• Complainants will receive an email confirmation stating that the complaint has been received. Once a complaint is received, Campus Safety will make every possible effort to present an outcome to the complaint within thirty (30) calendar days. In some extenuating circumstances, the investigation may take more than thirty (30) days to complete. Complainants will be notified if this occurs. 
• A member of Campus Safety administration will contact the complainant to determine how much involvement they would like to have in the investigative process. The administrator may also ask questions to help clarify the exact nature of the complaint.
• An investigation will begin. The Director of Campus Safety will assign an investigator who has no involvement in the situation which is the subject of your complaint. Depending on the complainant's wishes for involvement, they may be contacted by the investigator if any clarification is needed. Witnesses will be contacted by the investigator. If necessary, practical and available, video surveillance footage, photographs, e-mails, telephone records/recordings, and any other physical evidence may be reviewed.
• The investigation will be completed and a determination regarding culpability will be made. Disciplinary action will be taken as appropriate if the Campus Safety official is found to be responsible.
• The results of the investigation will be shared with the appropriate College officials, depending on the nature of the incident.
• When appropriate, Complainants are only made aware of the results of the investigation and not the specific disciplinary action that was taken as a result of the complaint. 

Annual Security & Fire Safety Report
Register for Emergency Notifications
Safety Notices and Alerts
Title IX Resources
Campus Safety Report Summar