In the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
Oregon
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
, enforcement of local, state, and federal law on public university property is delegated to a number of security, public safety, and police agencies.
Public institutions in Oregon may elect to form
campus police
Campus police or university police in the United States and Canada are sworn police or peace officers employed by a college or university to protect that private property of the campus and surrounding areas and the people who live, work, and ...
. The
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc
Nike, Inc. ( or ) is a ...
,
Oregon Health & Science University
Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is a
public research university focusing primarily on health sciences with a main campus, including two hospitals, in Portland, Oregon. The institution was founded in 1887 as the University of Oregon ...
,
Oregon State University
Oregon State University (OSU) is a public land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. It has the 10th largest engineering ...
, and
Portland State University
Portland State University (PSU) is a public research university in Portland, Oregon. It was founded in 1946 as a post-secondary educational institution for World War II veterans. It evolved into a four-year college over the following two dec ...
have police departments. Other universities employ Public Safety Officers (with limited police powers) and security officers, or contract with other police agencies to provide services.
Statutory authority and training
Authority
Senate Bill 405, passed into law on June 23, 2011, states:
"The State Board of Higher Education may, at the request of a public institution under its control, authorize the institution to establish a police department and commission one or more employees as police officers. A police department established under this section has all of the authority and immunity of a municipal police department of this state."
Oregon Revised Statutes
The Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) is the codified body of statutory law governing the U.S. state of Oregon, as enacted by the Oregon Legislative Assembly, and occasionally by citizen initiative. The statutes are subordinate to the Oregon Constit ...
(ORS) 352.385 provides for the commissioning and training of Special Campus Security Officers at Oregon's public universities. These officers are given
probable cause
In United States criminal law, probable cause is the standard by which police authorities have reason to obtain a warrant for the arrest of a suspected criminal or the issuing of a search warrant. There is no universally accepted definition o ...
arrest authority and "Stop and Frisk" authority under Oregon law. However, they are excluded from the definition of "police" or "peace officer" for the purposes of some Oregon statutes.
ORS 353.050 provides for similar commissioning of officers at
Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU). OHSU's officers are statutorily known as University Police Officers, carry firearms, and are considered police for all Oregon statutes. OHSU Police Officer's attend the Basic Police Academy in Salem, Oregon. OHSU Police is the primary law enforcement agency for the jurisdictional boundaries of the
Marquam Hill
Marquam Hill is a populated hill located just south of Downtown Portland, Oregon, United States in the Homestead neighborhood. It is also called Pill Hill because it is home to Oregon Health & Science University, Portland VA Medical Center and ...
and South Waterfront Campuses.
Cooperative agreements and mutual aid
All of Oregon's campus agencies have formal or informal mutual aid agreements with local police agencies.
Several campuses have chosen to formally contract police services to supplement the work of their Public Safety Officers.
Oregon State University
Oregon State University (OSU) is a public land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. It has the 10th largest engineering ...
has a contracted detachment of the
Oregon State Police on campus, while the
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc
Nike, Inc. ( or ) is a ...
,
Oregon Health & Science University
Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is a
public research university focusing primarily on health sciences with a main campus, including two hospitals, in Portland, Oregon. The institution was founded in 1887 as the University of Oregon ...
and the
Portland State University
Portland State University (PSU) is a public research university in Portland, Oregon. It was founded in 1946 as a post-secondary educational institution for World War II veterans. It evolved into a four-year college over the following two dec ...
have established independent campus police departments.
University of Oregon Police Department
The University of Oregon Police Department is the law enforcement agency for the
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc
Nike, Inc. ( or ) is a ...
in
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.
As of the 2020 United States Census, ...
, United States. The department has
state police
State police, provincial police or regional police are a type of sub-national territorial police force found in nations organized as federations, typically in North America, South Asia, and Oceania. These forces typically have jurisdiction o ...
powers to enforce all state laws and university rules, with primary jurisdiction involving the University of Oregon campus. UOPD has more than 90 staff and is increasing in size along with the rapidly growing university, which currently has over 23,000 students.
[
]
Statutory authority and training
Authority
Effective June 23, 2011, the State of Oregon legislature approved a bill allowing public universities within the state to create their own police forces. Prior to this legislation, limited authority "public safety departments" were the only option for universities in Oregon. With the new legislation public universities may govern over full powered police agencies to protect university property and surrounding areas. On June 21, 2013, the Oregon State Board of Higher Education voted to allow UOPD officer to carry firearms on duty. The officers had previously been required to be trained and certified to use firearms, but were not permitted to carry on the job. The ability to carry firearms allows the department to respond to all calls, and require less assistance from other area police agencies.
About the Department
UOPD operates from two different stations located on the University of Oregon campus. The department works with Eugene Police Department officers, making a partnership between the two agencies. Officers are on-duty 365 days a year and provide immediate response to all types of calls for service to include emergency situations and critical incidents.
Department Structure
*Office of the Chief and Executive Director
*Patrol Team
*Safe Campus Team
*Office of Administration
*Office of Parking and Transportation
*Office of Security
Ranks & Personnel
Campuses
*Main Campus
* Oregon Institute of Marine Biology
*University of Oregon Portland Campus.
* Pine Mountain Observatory
Campus Patrol
The university and surrounding neighborhood is patrolled by UOPD Officers regularly throughout both day and night.
Bicycle Patrols
Bicycles provide a quick response to emergencies while patrolling campus because of their ability to maneuver through pedestrian traffic and areas that vehicles can't easily reach.
Foot Patrols
UOPD Officers and Community Service Officers conduct regular foot patrols in buildings and around campus, daily. The focus of these patrols is building security, personal safety of students and staff, and to maintain an active presence throughout the campus to deter crime.
Vehicle Patrols
Officers in vehicles patrol campus parking lots and streets throughout the day and night. UOPD utilizes marked and unmarked cars, as well as trucks and ATVs.
Special Event Patrols
University of Oregon Police focuses its efforts on providing a safe and secure environment to all patrons at University of Oregon Duck football games and other Pac-12 athletic events. During the November 6, 2010, UO vs. University of Washington football game 117 patrons were ejected from the venue, the majority for alcohol violations and or disorderly conduct.
Training
University Police officers attend the standard 16-week police academy in Salem. All police officers receive equivalent training to their city, county and state police counterparts.
Interaction with students
Generally, campus police officers have greater flexibility than their municipal counterparts when dealing with university students. Student judicial and conduct codes allow for dealing with minor drug, alcohol, and vandalism charges outside the legal system. This gives the university the option of seeing that minor infractions do not become a criminal record for the student.
Vehicles
See also
* List of law enforcement agencies in Oregon
* Oregon University System
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Campus Law Enforcement In Oregon
Specialist police departments of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
2011 establishments in Oregon