Escorts ensure safe lots

The escort service at Cal State Long Beach provides security for people en route to their cars at night and assists police by reporting suspicious activities on campus.

The University Police previously provided escort service for the campus community; but, a year and a half ago, the duty was officially delegat ed to a force of Community Service Officers. These officers are students who go through extensive background searches before they are hired. Many have an interest in law enforcement or have military backgrounds.

Eight officers were originally hired for the CSO program. However, as the demand increased so did the number of officers; there are now 18 escorts.

University Police has been running the program since April. The program was originated to relieve police officers from escort duty, all owing them to respond quicker to crime reports, and to extend the service to a greater number of campus community members.

"We've now gotten additional eyes and ears out there that assist the police department, which in turn, frees up the police o fficers to do more police work," said Sgt. Bonnie Myers, head of the CSO program.

The Associated Students government is credited with the program's inception, as its members wanted to expanded the number of escorts available to help with special on-campus activities, such as athletic and performing arts events.

"It became apparent to people in student government that they wanted a larger service to be presented to the (people) of the campus," said Lt. Ron Perron of University Police.

The student officers are highly visible in yellow security jackets and carry radios to keep in contact with University Police.

Perron said that it is estimated that crime on campus has dropped about 25 percent in the last year. The most noticeable decrease has been in the areas of auto theft and indecent-exposure incidents.

The University Library is the student officers main base - the local from which most requests for escorts derive.

Prior to the CSO program, approximately five to six people were escorted per night. Now, the student officers escort about 200 per week.

"When we came up with the CSO escort program, there was a great void that (it) filled, and now there is a pretty large demand for (the) services," Perron said. "People were needing to be escorted."

With the opening of the parking structure and The Pyramid, Perron said he thinks the need for escorts will increase, as well as the number of student officers.

To request an escort, call extension (310) 985-4101 or use one of the campus emergency phones. The program's hours of operation are from 6 to 11 p.m.