UC Santa Cruz Police Department Policies related to this pillar:

Chapter 8: Use of Force (Universitywide Police Policies and Administrative Procedures)

201: Community Engagement

219: Police Community Advisory Board

311: Officer-Involved Shooting

341: Standards of Conduct

339: Hate Crimes 

347: News Media Relations

359: Major Incident Notification

361: Death Investigations

391: Department Use of Social Media

393: Community Relations

470: First Amendment Assemblies

402: Racial or Bias Based Policing

1020: Personnel Complaints

1056: Performance History Audits

UC Santa Cruz Police Department Department Manuals

Daily Training Bulletins (DTBs) related/updating standing policies and general orders

UC Response to Protests on UC Campuses (Robinson-Edley Report)

2.1 RECOMMENDATION: Law enforcement agencies should collaborate with community members to develop policies and strategies in communities and neighborhoods disproportionately affected by crime for deploying resources that aim to reduce crime by improving relationships, greater community engagement, and cooperation.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this recommendation item.

UC Santa Cruz encourages community groups to report crimes and suspicious activity promptly.  We provide emergency notifications and timely warnings through the campus Cruz Alert system and the UC Santa Cruz email system and our department social media platforms to make the UC Santa Cruz and the surrounding neighborhood community members aware of incidents, as well as assist with solving crime. We monitor crime occurring in nearby city neighborhoods where our students, staff, and faculty reside so that we may communicate crime concerns.

We utilize Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles and have trained members of Physical Planning, Development & Operations (e.g., Grounds, Physical Planning and Construction, etc.) in these principles as well. Our officers, Police Student Ambassadors, and CUIP intern meet with various student groups to improve relationships and address safety concerns. Our Physical Security Unit, a partnership with ITS, conducts assessments on security alarm systems, access control systems, CCTV, and assists with construction design to deter crime. When a deficiency is observed, they work to resolve the issue.  

We participate in multidisciplinary workgroups (e.g., Slug Support, BIT, etc.), seek information from members of the Chief’s Advisory Board, and promote shared responsibility to safety at UC Santa Cruz. Moreover, we regularly refer community members to the UC Santa Cruz Community Standards and Conduct and  Human Resource processes as alternatives to arrest or enforcement, where appropriate. 

In addition, we regularly provide training for students, staff, and faculty, both online and in-person, to develop an awareness of crime at UC Santa Cruz and encourage cooperation to deter and report crime.  In addition to these training opportunities, we partner with many community groups and campus departments to support and/or sponsor prevention programs (e.g., First aid courses, Cops and Coffee, CARE and Title IX events, etc.).  These training opportunities and prevention programs are included in our annual Clery Act Campus Security and Fire Safety Report.

2.1.1 ACTION ITEM: The Federal Government should incentivize this collaboration through a variety of programs that focus on public health, education, mental health, and other programs not traditionally part of the criminal justice system.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this Federal Government action item.  

We currently participate in the Santa Cruz Superior Court Criminal Justice Partner meetings to collaborate with public health and mental health officials, along with court officials, to increase the court process’s effectiveness and promote community resources when adjudicating cases.  

We partner with Slug Support, the Behavioral Intervention Team, Community Standards and Conduct, Counseling and Psychological Services, and many other multi-disciplinary teams to reduce crime, provide resources, reduce harm and conflict, and improve relationships, engagement, and cooperation.  We collaborate with numerous units within the Division of Student Affairs and Success to provide education to build community trust and reduce misperceptions among various community groups.

2.2 RECOMMENDATION: Law enforcement agencies should have comprehensive policies on the use of force that include training, investigations, prosecutions, data collection and information sharing. These policies must be clear, concise, and openly available for public inspection.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this recommendation item.  We continually review our policies to align with state, federal, and local reporting requirements for the use of force-related incidents.  We further review our policies to ensure they adhere to our values, the Code of Ethics, university regulations, and policies.  All department members are held accountable through their chain of command. Sergeants and lieutenants play a critical role in making sure officers understand and follow department policies. Our policies and employee training plan are available for public inspection on our department website.  The Chief of Police reviews all uses of force.  

2.2.1 ACTION ITEM: Law enforcement agencies policies for training on use of force should emphasize de‐escalation and alternatives to arrest or summons in situations where appropriate.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this action item.  De-escalation is emphasized in our use of force policy and training.  Moreover, officers have a duty to intervene to stop excessive force by another officer. This has been in our policy for many years. 

We provide regular training to our officers on alternatives to force, de-escalation, time and distance, etc., as well as when it may be appropriate to utilize alternatives to arrest or enforcement through a referral of community members to the UC Santa Cruz Community Standards and Conduct and  Human Resource processes, when appropriate. 

We investigate complaints, and the chain of command imposes discipline up to and including termination.  Any use of force must be lawful, reasonable, proportionate, and not the result of provocation.

2.2.2 ACTION ITEM: These policies should also mandate external and independent criminal investigations in cases of police use of force resulting in death, officer-involved shootings resulting in injury or death, or in-custody deaths. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this action item. Our policy outlines external investigations that are managed by the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office investigations in cases of police use of force resulting in death, officer-involved shootings resulting in injury or death, or in-custody deaths.  Additionally, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Attorney General’s Office may investigate any use of force by a department member.

2.2.3 ACTION ITEM: The task force encourages policies that mandate the use of external and independent prosecutors in cases of police use of force resulting in death, officer-involved shootings resulting in injury or death, or in-custody deaths. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this action item.  In a use of force incident resulting in death, officer-involved shootings resulting in injury or death, or in-custody deaths where a criminal act is alleged, a criminal investigation is conducted, and the matter is referred to the Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office.

2.2.4 ACTION ITEM: Policies on use of force should also require agencies to collect, maintain, and report data to the Federal Government on all officer-involved shootings, whether fatal or nonfatal, as well as any in-custody death. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this action item.  Per our use of force policy, use of force incidents that meet specific criteria is collected and forwarded to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) as required by Government Code §12525.2.  We post this information to our website, Department of Justice Use of Force Incident Report Data. At this time, our department meets Uniform Crime Reporting requirements.  We received a U.S. Department of Justice grant to report incident-based crime statistics better and are transitioning to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). 

2.2.5 ACTION ITEM: Policies on use of force should clearly state what types of information will be released, when, and in what situation, to maintain transparency. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this action item.  The UC Santa Cruz Police Department use of force policy is posted on our website.  Our policies are compliant with state and federal laws governing the release of information on uses of force. The release of information on criminal investigations is dependent on the investigative and prosecutorial bodies to determine when and what will be released.  When federal, state, local prosecutorial authorities, and confidentiality laws permit, we will release information regarding use of force incidents.  

2.2.6 ACTION ITEM: Law enforcement agencies should establish a Serious Incident Review Board comprising sworn staff and community members to review cases involving officer involved shootings and other serious incidents that have the potential to damage community trust or confidence in the department. The purpose of this board should be to identify any administrative, supervisory, training, tactical, or policy issues that need to be addressed. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this action item.  

There is a Santa Cruz County policy that requires an investigation into all officer involved shootings and other serious incidents by the District Attorney’s Office.

We currently have a policy that requires the review of all use of force, including serious uses of force.  The Chief of Police reviews all uses of force. Any administrative, supervisory, training, tactical, or policy issues are immediately addressed.

In addition, any incident that can damage community trust or confidence in the department may be investigated or reviewed upon the direction of the Chief of Police, the Chancellor, or Office of the President (e.g., UC Davis Pepper Spray Incident). 

2.3 RECOMMENDATION: Law enforcement agencies are encouraged to implement non‐punitive peer review of critical incidents separate from the criminal and administrative investigations.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this recommendation item.  

The Chief of Police may seek the assistance of a peer review of any incident through the UC Council of Chiefs, Office of General Counsel, or an independent investigator.  

Incidents, both involving UC Santa Cruz officers and other agencies, are often reviewed in non-punitive briefing sessions to consider policy application, options for response, and communicate best practices. 

2.4 RECOMMENDATION: Law enforcement agencies are encouraged to adopt identification procedures that implement scientifically supported practices that eliminate or minimize presenter bias or influence. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this recommendation item.  Valid eyewitness identification is essential to solving crime and convicting the persons responsible for specific crimes. The department continues to review and update all policies and procedures related to the identification of suspects to increase reliability and to ensure all bias is eliminated. For example, we do consecutive photo line-ups versus photo spreads and “double-blind physical line-ups,” which are both best practices in reducing false-positive identifications of suspects.

2.5 RECOMMENDATION: All federal, state, local and tribal Law enforcement agencies should report and make available to the public census data regarding the composition of their department including race, gender, age, and other relevant demographic data. Demographic data will be included in all forthcoming Annual Reports.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this recommendation item.  There is limited data, which is being compiled and will be made available for review on our website by September 4, 2020.

Moreover, the State of California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training captures this information for police officers and dispatchers and makes this information available upon request.

2.5.1 ACTION ITEM: The Bureau of Justice Statistics should add additional demographic questions to the Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) survey in order to meet the intent of this recommendation.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this Bureau of Justice Statistics action item.  

2.6 RECOMMENDATION: Law enforcement agencies should be encouraged to collect, maintain, and analyze demographic data on all detentions (stops, frisks, searches, and arrests). This data should be disaggregated by school and non‐school contacts.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this recommendation item.  By the end of the year, officers will be able to enter demographic data on all stops, searches, and seizures.  We currently collect data in a limited manner.  We are working towards compliance with the State of California Department of Justice Racial and Identity Profiling Act of 2015 (RIPA) requirements by April 1, 2023, as required for Wave 4 agencies with staffing of 1-333 personnel.

2.6.1 ACTION ITEM: The Federal Government could further incentivize universities and other organizations to partner with police departments to collect data and develop knowledge about analysis and benchmarks as well as to develop tools and templates that help departments manage data collection and analysis.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this Federal Government action item.  

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department has engaged with the UC Berkeley Department of Public Policy People Lab to pursue data analysis.  We, aling with the Chancellor's Advisory Board, will also be engaging with the UC Santa Cruz Division of Social Sciences to develop a year of scholarly discussion on the intersection of law enforcement and societal issues such as institutional racism and will provide the data necessary for this project. 

Once RIPA data is available, additional discussions about data collection and analysis may occur.

2.7 RECOMMENDATION: Law enforcement agencies should create policies and procedures for policing mass demonstrations that employ a continuum of managed tactical resources that are designed to minimize the appearance of a military operation and avoid using provocative tactics and equipment that undermine civilian trust. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this recommendation item.  The UC Santa Cruz Police Department manages demonstrations weekly on the residential campus and at locations operated throughout the area. The majority of demonstrations are managed without any police involvement or intervention. 

Officers are trained and equipped in civil unrest, disturbance, and unusual occurrences where a significant police presence is needed. The department policies are updated to include recommendations per the University of California Response to Protests on UC Campuses (Robinson-Edley Report).  We use best practices and maintain consistency with other agencies in the event of large scale interagency needs.

If situations arise that necessitate the need for arrests, the police department attempts to de-escalate situations throughout the event, and only uses tactics and equipment appropriate for any given situation.

2.7.1 ACTION ITEM: Law enforcement department policies should address procedures for implementing a layered response to mass demonstrations that prioritize de-escalation and a guardian mindset. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this action item. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department has already instilled a culture and mindset for being guardians. We have policies that address procedures for implementing a response to mass demonstrations that prioritizes de-escalation and a guardian mindset. Our policies and training emphasize that officers evaluate the totality of the circumstances present and, when feasible, consider and utilize reasonable available alternatives and techniques that may persuade an individual or individuals present to voluntarily comply or mitigate the need for a higher response.

2.7.2 ACTION ITEM: The Federal Government should create a mechanism for investigating complaints and issuing sanctions regarding the inappropriate use of equipment and tactics during mass demonstrations. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this Federal Government action item.  

2.8 RECOMMENDATION: Some form of civilian oversight of law enforcement is important in order to strengthen trust with the community. Every community should define the appropriate form and structure of civilian oversight to meet the needs of that community. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this recommendation item, in part. 

The Office of the President is responsible for the Universitywide coordination of certain University police services functions. This responsibility is executed through the Office of the Coordinator of Police Services. It includes coordination of the development of employee selection, training and performance standards, collection and dissemination of crime prevention information, liaison with other agencies in the Criminal Justice System, organization planning for inter-campus mutual assistance, and development of police services policies and standards. 

Responsibility for security and law enforcement at each campus is assigned to the Chancellors, who are responsible for campus organization, operation, internal administration, and discipline. 

In accordance with the UC President Task Force on Policing recommendations, and as announced in the Chancellor’s community safety services update on July 1, 2020, the Chief’s Advisory Board will report directly to the Chancellor. It will be renamed the UC Santa Cruz Campus Safety Community Advisory Board. It will operate with a new, more expansive charge. We agree that this mechanism is the proper and appropriate form to strengthen trust within the community.

Since 2014, the Chief of Police has engaged a variety of stakeholders through the Chief’s Advisory Board.  The board met quarterly and included faculty, staff, and students.  Board members provided a voice about how UC Santa Cruz Police Department members and our community can work together to achieve our community's needs and concerns. This board disbanded on July 1, 2020.

Nonetheless, department members will continue to serve on many multi-disciplinary teams and workgroups with community members to meet the community’s needs, and any community member can request to meet the Chief of Police and discuss their concerns.

2.8.1 ACTION ITEM: The U.S. Department of Justice, through its research arm, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), should expand its research agenda to include civilian oversight. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this U.S. Department of Justice action item, in part.  See recommendation 2.8, as we agree an advisory board is more appropriate.

2.8.2 ACTION ITEM: The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) should provide technical assistance and collect best practices from existing civilian oversight efforts and be prepared to help cities create this structure, potentially with some matching grants and funding. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this U.S. Department of Justice action item, in part. We believe that any funding also be allotted to advisory boards.

2.9 RECOMMENDATION: Law enforcement agencies and municipalities should refrain from practices requiring officers to issue a predetermined number of tickets, citations, arrests or summonses, or to initiate investigative contacts with citizens for reasons not directly related to improving public safety, such as generating revenue.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this recommendation item.  Our department prohibits quotas for tickets or enforcement action(s).  Except for parking tickets, we do not receive revenue from moving violations or other enforcement action(s) not authorized by law (e.g., restitution).

2.10 RECOMMENDATION: Law enforcement Officers should be required to seek consent before a search and explain that a person has the right to refuse consent when there is no warrant or probable cause. Furthermore, officers should ideally obtain written acknowledgment that they have sought consent to a search in these circumstances.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this recommendation item.  The UC Santa Cruz Police Department currently has policies governing consent searches requiring officers to explain the person has the right to refuse consent when there is no warrant or probable cause. The policy also highly recommends the use of the written consent document and a recording device to document the acknowledgment of the consent.

2.11 RECOMMENDATION: Law enforcement agencies should establish search and seizure procedures related to LGBTQ and transgender populations and adopt as policy the recommendation from the President’s HIV/AIDS Task Force to cease using the possession of condoms as the sole evidence of vice. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this recommendation item.  Our department adheres to bias-free policing in all aspects of contact with the public. 

2.12 RECOMMENDATION: Law enforcement agencies should adopt and enforce policies prohibiting profiling and discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, immigration status, disability, housing status, occupation, and/or language fluency. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this recommendation item.  Our department Policy 402  policies prohibits profiling and discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, immigration status, disability, housing status, occupation, and/or language fluency. 

2.12.1 ACTION ITEM: The Bureau of Justice Statistics should add questions concerning sexual harassment of and misconduct toward LGBTQ and gender-nonconforming people by law enforcement officers to the Police Public Contact Survey.

 The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this Bureau of Justice Statistics action item.  

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2.12.2 ACTION ITEM: The Centers for Disease Control should add questions concerning sexual harassment of and misconduct toward LGBTQ and gender-nonconforming people by law enforcement officers to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this Centers for Disease Control action item.  

2.12.3 ACTION ITEM: The U.S. Department of Justice should promote and disseminate guidance to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies on documenting, preventing, and addressing sexual harassment and misconduct by local law enforcement agents, consistent with the recommendations of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this U.S. Department of Justice action item.

2.13 RECOMMENDATION: The U.S. Department of Justice, through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services and Office of Justice Programs, should provide technical assistance and incentive funding to jurisdictions with small police agencies that take steps towards shared services, regional training, and consolidation.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this U.S. Department of Justice recommendation item.

2.14 RECOMMENDATION: The U.S. Department of Justice, through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, should partner with the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) to expand its National Decertification Index to serve as the National Register of Decertified Officers with the goal of covering all agencies with the United States and its territories.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this U.S. Department of Justice recommendation.

2.15: RECOMMENDATION: Law enforcement agencies should adopt policies requiring officers to provide their names to individuals they have stopped, along with the reason for the stop, the reason for the search if one is conducted, and a card with information on how to reach the civilian complaint board.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this recommendation item.  Our department has policies requiring officers to provide their names to individuals they have stopped, when feasible, the reason for the stop, the reason for the search if one is conducted.  Officers also provide individuals with information on how to file a complaint or commendation, when requested.

Members of the UC Santa Cruz Police Department receive training on non-biased policing per California POST and UC policy requirements.