The Department of Public Safety has called for Community Input Sessions from Feb. 14, to help them in their search for the next chief, after the retirement of DPS Chief John Thomas in September 2021.
The sessions would ask for what students would like to see in the new chief and how DPS can address pertinent issues in the future. Students are required to register for any one of their six sessions and provide ideas to help select the new chief.
The initiative has been organized by Erroll G. Southers, Associate Senior Vice President of Safety and Risk Assurance, the office responsible for all of the university’s safety departments.
On the incorporation of the voices of other members of the surrounding community as well as students, Southers said that “the Community Advisory Board, comprises students, faculty and our community neighbors.”
Some students feel that the input sessions will help in the functioning of the DPS.
“I feel like these sessions would be beneficial because students can tell the DPS what they can improve on,” said Stefan Delaguardia, a graduate student of communications management at USC Annenberg. “Student safety is everyone’s primary focus especially because there have been a lot of DPS notifications for robberies and assaults. Being able to get personal stories and seeing people face to face will be beneficial.”
USC had announced a search for the next DPS chief in January. The recent announcement has declared a 22-person search committee made up of various USC community members and stakeholders that will proceed to refine a candidate pool from across the country, with the support of an external firm.
The email said the university is looking for feedback on the best way to implement the ONE USC Safety Vision — an 80-page report on public safety goals.
“There were community residents who told us that they would call DPS because they knew it might respond faster than other agencies,” said Southers. “Contrary to DPS’s initial expectations, they were very supportive of DPS and had a good relationship.”
The update says students can register for the sessions here.