With the recent vehicle break-ins, thefts and vandalism happening on Sonoma State’s campus, the University Police Department is introducing new strategic initiatives to keep students safe. 

Sonoma State University has regular small crimes that have stayed consistent over the years. A report pulled by the University Police Department showed that there has been no significant increase in crime on the campus. Some of the strategies implemented by Sonoma State’s new Chief of Police David Dougherty include educating students and staff about being proactive by locking up their belongings, never leaving personal items unattended, and calling university police if there is ever a problem.

Letters to the Sonoma State STAR complained about the lack of cameras in parking lots after experiencing multiple minor hit and runs. Crime logs show that a large percentage of campus crime happens in the parking lots.

“Installing security cameras throughout the campus and hiring people to watch, maintain and archive all of the film would cost millions of dollars,” Associate Vice President of Strategic Communications Paul Gullixson said.

“We believe the best system for our campus is the one we have now,” Gullixson said, “Which includes having emergency phone stations strategically located throughout the University, with blue lights and panic buttons, having safety escorts who are available 24/7 and, most of all, having live police officers on patrol throughout the campus.”

The strategic initiatives introduced by University Police Department come at a time when the crime rates are not high, but could be lowered by educating students and staff about potential threats. “Anytime we can get five minutes to speak with the campus community it is a way for not only us to learn about the students, but also so that the students can learn more about us,” Dougherty said.

Dougherty, who has worked on Sonoma State’s campus since 2005, says he has been contacting various departments to have officers meet with student groups to inform them on how to prevent crime. “We care about our community, and if we work together with them, we will create a much safer campus,” Dougherty said. 

“This is my fourth year on campus and have seen a drastic change in university police presence in the past year. I feel as if the cops are getting more involved with the students and it makes me feel much safer,” said Jason Roeder, a senior statistics major student at Sonoma State.

The University Police Department recently updated their police vehicle graphics to “Police” instead of the old graphic that displayed “Police Services.” Chief Dougherty said that the graphics update is a small change that will make a statement to the community that the university police are fully trained and equipped police officers.

Another initiative that UPD is bringing back, is the bicycle program. “The bicycle program will allow officers to efficiently patrol areas where a vehicle cannot,” said Dougherty. The program existed a few years ago, but was removed due to budget cuts. 

“We are very well supported by the university, they always ensure that they give us what we need,” Dougherty said.

Danny Pollard, a business major at Sonoma State said, “I think it is unnecessary for a campus of our size to have a police department. They are probably doing a good job, but I think it is a waste of money and resources.”

The University Police Department is working to create a safer campus by introducing new ideas and strategic initiatives. Students have mixed reactions regarding the work of the University Police Department. “We can ensure the campus community that we are doing our best to get involved in the student’s lives by educating them on crime prevention techniques and being visible so that they feel safe,” Dougherty said.