LAPD training on campus receives mixed reactions from USC students and faculty

The USC Department of Public Safety collaborated with the Los Angeles Police Department K9 unit to hold a joint training exercise with the Transportation Security Authority at the USC University Park Campus on Wednesday, according to a DPS statement sent to the USC students and faculty on Tuesday.

Students had mixed thoughts about police officers training on campus during the school day.

The training exercise was held from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in four different parts of the campus, including the Bovard Auditorium and Tutor Campus Center Courtyard, where students normally go to eat, rest and study.

Olivia Cookman, a sophomore majoring in public relations, was troubled by the presence of the Police and the dogs.

“This is not a police training ground, this is a college campus,” Cookman said. “We’re supposed to come to learn and feel comfortable and safe, and having police officers here, and training happening, is kind of distracting from our studies.”

Nya Manneh, a sophomore majoring in communication, said she was surprised and somewhat worried when she saw the warning signs about the training. They were more alarming to her than the training itself.

“Walking around and seeing [the signs], I was taken back a little bit,” Manneh said. “I didn’t really see any of it happening, but I was just a little curious and a little worried, I guess, just because I’m a Black person. I was just interested in why it had to be here.”

Eric Lambkins II, a master’s student majoring in specialized journalism, said he was happy when he heard there were dogs on campus but held back when he realized they were K9 police dogs.

“I’ve been chased by police dogs, so I kind of stood back and was just observing what was going on,” Lambkins said. “I have mixed emotions about it. I understand they need [it] for real world training, not only for the canines, but for the officers as well.”

“However, as a student, I prefer not to be a guinea pig without my consent,” Lambkins added.

Campus groups such as Reimagine Public Safety and USC Abolition have been pushing back against police presence on campus, often using the hashtag #PoliceFreeUSC on their social media posts to speak about unfair policing of students and residents by DPS.

Ralph Roseli, a sergeant in training at DPS, said they are hosting the event on USC campus because they work closely with the LAPD and want the scent dogs to get used to the campus in case of emergencies.

Roseli also pointed out that bringing the dogs while students were around was a way to showcase them as a resource.

“This training is an opportunity to see what this resource is and why it would be worthwhile for us to have it ourselves,” Roseli said.

Roseli said that USC is thinking about university safety, and they are willing to talk with anyone who has questions about this process. He said that the university wants to be prepared and prevent any dangerous situations that could happen on campus.

“We’re doing everything we can to ensure that we’re prepared, and we’re building relationships that will help us serve the community,” Roseli said.

“We want to put ourselves in a position to field questions, to just have conversations about what it is we’re doing, why we are doing it, and what’s the value,” Roseli added. “And of course, to listen to any sort of critique that may come back.”