The University of Southern California advertises its $49,000,000 a year department of public safety (DPS) as an elite source of security to the campus and its surrounding neighborhood. South central Los Angeles has a semi-unfair reputation for being dangerous, so much so that many parents are frightened to allow their children to go to USC. Private security is absolutely necessary for an institution as large as USC, but when considering DPS’s suspicious hiring practices and the multiple instances of DPS harassing non-white students, documented by the Instagram account @Black_at_USC, it’s clear that the school can do much more to achieve its goal of making the community safer for everyone.
The DPS website states that “DPS public safety officers undergo a full state-approved law enforcement background investigation prior to hiring.” and that the most common recruitment method is referrals. Which is why it might be shocking to learn that DPS employs multiple officers with histories that should have probably disqualified them from the job. A Sergeant named Steven Alegre was the subject of an excessive force lawsuit for striking a handcuffed suspect on the head with a nightstick in 1984, and in 2015 Officer Miguel Guerra crashed into and killed a student while driving in a reckless manner without getting fired. Furthermore, DPS Officers Peter Foster and Frank Trevino were both fired from the LAPD for misconduct, notoriously one of the hardest jobs to get fired from thanks to the LAPPL police union. If USC background checks all of its DPS personnel and still hires these individuals, how is the Trojan family supposed to trust the department? With such a large budget, one would hope that the department filters for the most qualified candidates possible.
The university needs to reassess it practices. Students are aware of the deep systemic problems within all police forces, and demand that DPS be run using a more ethical protocol.
I agree with Richard, as more and more stories about law enforcement begin to surface, a school that boasts about its security spending and professionalism shouldn't hire ex cops who were fired for misconduct. Its crazy to think the most common recruitment method is referrals. Is this due to not many people wanting the job? Is it just easier for the school and applicant if the school doesn't ask these type of background questions? Or a combination of both? With the light being shown on DPS being racially prejudiced and USC's new hiring practices, I expect USC will begin holding its employees to a higher standard. With the amount of funding that they have, there should be no reason that…
Maybe in light of recent events, it's time to rethink hiring and employment practices. All the news stories about issues with law enforcement might be an indicator that a "state-approved law enforcement background investigation" may be inadequate. Also, as the fallout from the Tyndall lawsuit continues and USC has been ordered to do a "pre-hiring background check" for all new hires, maybe they should also conduct a review of currently employed personnel. With nearly $50 million spent on security, USC can probably be doing a better job on that front.
Thank you for bringing this issue to light. It is always upsetting to find out that the people we are meant to trust are not trustworthy. When we go off to college, it is a big transition away from the safety of our parents. Having a sense of security is one of the most important elements one beginning the journey of living on your own. Knowing that the DPS officers are not only violent but also racially prejudiced is unacceptable and frightening. The university should be held accountable for ensuring that the people they employ are held to a certain standard. When I would go out late at night at school, I felt a level of reassurance knowing that I…
I knew a firefighter from around the USC area and he actually told me that even the LAFD department here hates DPS. The firefighters feel that DPS tends to get in their way and they feel that DPS pretends to be more authoritative than they are. Personally, I have been here for almost four years and I have never had a positive experience with DPS. They use their role as a power play to intimidate students and go after underage drinking more than any crime that has to do with safety. Sexual assault rates at USC are still terrifyingly despite the "police" presence students have to deal with every day. There are countless stories of DPS's racial prejudices impacting their…
Eliana, what an eye-opening post! I completely agree with you that USC needs to reassess what they are doing with DPS and their security in general. I am shocked that USC does not do background checks before hiring DPS officers. One would think that USC would take the protection of their students seriously and want to know that their students are in great hands. I think it is great that you are raising awareness about this topic to hopefully start a conversation about DPS’s budget and reorganize the police force on campus.