Department of Public Safety (DPS)

Department of Public Safety

Welcome to the Department of Public Safety at Solano Community College.

Your safety is our top priority, and we are proud to maintain some of the safest campuses in California. Through programs like the RAVE Alert system and our role as the college’s parking authority, we work every day to ensure our campuses remain secure, welcoming, and accessible for all.

 

About the Department of Public Safety

The Solano Community College District Department of Public Safety (DPS) is a California Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) accredited law enforcement department established by Board of Trustees Resolution No. 21/22-10.  The Department of Public Safety consists of a Chief of DPS, a commander, sworn sergeants, non-sworn public safety officers and a public safety service technician.

The responsibilities of DPS include campus security; traffic and parking control; prevention and detection of crime; and enforcement of federal, state, and municipal laws and District regulations and policies.  DPS has the primary responsibility for direction, planning, and controlling vehicle and pedestrian traffic on College grounds.  DPS oversee the painting of roadways and curbs, placement of control signs, removal of hazardous obstructions, and other related tasks.

DPS personnel make inspections of facilities to insure physical security; design and present programs to reduce risk from criminal acts; review plans and new construction additions to facilities to insure against design defects that could contribute to criminal acts; make preventative patrols of grounds; make necessary arrests and detentions; and interact with all other law enforcement and investigative agencies.

Sworn personnel receive continuing professional training in first aid, CPR, emergency response, disaster preparedness, de-escalation techniques, anti-bias, defensive tactics, and other topics each year.  All sworn personnel have graduated from a regional police academy and have full peace officer powers per 830.32(a) of the Penal Code and 72330 of the Education Code.

Non-sworn Public Safety Officers are trained in Laws of Arrest, Search and Seizure and Firearms per California Penal Code 832. Public Safety Officers are not sworn officers but are provided special authority by the California Penal Code, California Vehicle Code and Education Code to enforce campus rules and regulations.  Safety Officers are the first line of support for the campus sworn personnel.  Many are trained in report writing and parking enforcement.  Public Safety Officers are also trained in first aid, CPR, and emergency response procedures.

Public Safety Technician provides information to the public, dispatch officers to calls for service or crimes in progress, answer DPS telephone calls, maintain accurate and detailed records, log calls for service, compile information and data for statistical and financial reports, and provide support services for field officers.