With thousands of students and faculty stepping onto college campuses every year, security is a huge priority. While all schools have some form of security measures in place, campus police units are nearly ubiquitous. Speaking with authority figures can be intimidating, and many students are advised to either fully comply with orders from campus police or to remain silent at all times. However, if campus police request that they speak to you, it's essential to know when you should and when not.

At least two separate police departments have jurisdiction in most college towns—a municipal department and a campus police department. Even within the college or university, there are sometimes two types of officers.

Patrol Officers/Public Safety Officers

Patrol officers are not sworn police officers and do not carry weapons. Their duties are generally limited to ensuring that university rules are adhered to on-campus and on all school-owned property. Their duties can include:

• Ensure that only authorized vehicles enter campus grounds and buildings
• Entrusted with a limited patrol responsibility
• Enforce campus parking regulations
• Required to evacuate campus buildings during emergencies
• Conduct preliminary code of conduct investigations on behalf of the school administration

Police Officers

These deputized authority figures must go through a more extensive screening process than a public safety officer and will carry a firearm at all times. In conjunction with their duty to perform “law enforcement duties,” for instance, at UCLA, other obligations may include:

• Patrolling all school-related property on and off-campus, including nearby residential areas
• Investigate and prepare preliminary reports
• Issue citations
• Make lawful arrests
• Assist in the prosecution of violators of the law
• Provide crime prevention information
• Develop community partnerships
• Work with other law enforcement agencies

To Talk, or Not to Talk?

If you are a student, the code of conduct at your college or university likely requires that you comply with all university personnel. For example, at Villanova University, failure to comply with requests given by such an official “in the course of their official duties” is in itself “subject to disciplinary action.” Therefore, if a student thinks they can pull a fast one on a campus cop and not provide them with the correct information or identification—think again—it can get you into trouble, not to mention whatever brought them to you or into your dorm in the first place.

It's important to note that if officers are not investigating a crime for which they plan to charge you in court, officers are not required to advise students of their rights, and whatever you say to them may be given to the school administration for use in a code of conduct violation. If a student believes campus police may be investigating you for violating campus rules, you should be very careful at helping them make a case.

Campus Police and Title IX Allegations

A concern that arises regularly in the context of campus police interactions are matters involving Title IX allegations specifically. As much can be at stake with potential code of conduct charges, the stakes generally cannot be higher in matters involving Title IX sexual misconduct.

Despite federal Title IX law which requires specific notice to be provided to a potential accused student ("respondent") in advance of being questioned, many schools, and by extension, many campus police departments will jump the gun and be quick to question a student without providing proper, if any notice, thereby putting the accused student in a highly-compromised position with significant potential consequences.

In sum, it generally is best to be respectful to campus police, but not to engage in any discussions until you have sought professional help. Respectfully declining to speak to law enforcement will go a long way towards protecting a student's rights and interests, especially when a student's academic and professional future can be at stake.

Have You Had an Interaction With Campus Police?

When it comes to talking to campus officers, the situation is complicated, but understand that you have help on hand. If you have an interaction with the campus authorities, and you are worried you will be in trouble with your university, ask for copies of all reports that result, and call a student defense attorney like Joseph D. Lento immediately.

Attorney Lento and the team at the Lento Law Firm are empathetic and understand what students experience when talking to campus police, and they have unparalleled experience defending clients and protecting their reputations. To reach the best possible outcome, call 888-535-3686 to discuss how the Lento Law Firm can defend you.