About Us

UNIVERSITY POLICE DEPARTMENT

We are professional state law enforcement officers, drawing authority from State Statute 1012.97. We are here to serve the campus community as well as to protect it. All officers are certified by the state of Florida after completing training from the State Regional Police Training Academy. As a requirement for employment at the PD on the USF St. Petersburg campus, officers must meet the highest standards of their profession. Officers must meet or exceed stringent educational, training, background, and physical requirements, as well as pass a process of personal interviews, oral boards, a writing exercise, and psychological testing. Many of our officers have also brought to USF St. Petersburg a variety of experience and specialized training from other law enforcement agencies.

BIASED POLICING

Biased policing or racial profiling in traffic contacts, field contacts, and in asset seizure and forfeiture efforts is strictly prohibited. Sworn officers shall actively enforce state and federal laws and applicable campus policies and procedures in a responsible and professional manner, without regard to race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation or gender.

Officers may take into account the reported race or ethnicity of a specific suspect or suspects based upon trustworthy, locally relevant information that links a person or persons of a specific race or ethnicity to a particular unlawful incident. Race and ethnicity may never be used as the sole basis for probable cause or reasonable suspicion.