Key updates covered in below communication:
- Appointment of permanent Community Advisory Board
- Updates on implementation progress of CAB Recommendations
- Invitation to join monthly Kitchen CABinet meetings
- Latest ONE USC Safety Vision video reel
Dear USC Community,
I am writing to provide important updates about the work of our Department of Public Safety Community Advisory Board (DPS CAB). As some of you will recall, President Carol L. Folt created the first iteration of the DPS CAB during the 2020-2021 academic year, tasking a group of students, faculty, staff, parents and neighbors with reimagining public safety at USC. The result of this effort was the CAB Report, which established the ONE USC Safety Vision as part of a suite of 45 recommendations, grouped into four thematic pillars: accountability, transparency, alternatives to armed response and community care.
Over the past year, we have launched our ONE USC Safety Vision awareness campaign to inform the Trojan Family about the changes we’re making. Simultaneously, the CAB implementation team has analyzed each of the CAB’s 45 recommendations, and drafted plans to incorporate the recommendations into the university’s operations. That work is detailed here.
Today, I’m pleased to share the next step in our public safety journey: the university is appointing a permanent CAB , chaired by Dr. Monique Allard (our VP for Student Life) and me, that will take up the mantle of the implementation work, and serve as a DPS advisory body. The charter for this permanent CAB was approved last year, and beginning this month, 21 students, faculty, staff and community members will begin working closely with university administrators and DPS to ensure the spirit and letter of the CAB recommendations continue to be implemented.
In addition to overseeing the implementation process, the CAB will also review DPS’ performance, stop, and misconduct data, keeping an eye on performance metrics so critical indicators can be identified early and addressed. In addition, the CAB will conduct periodic assessments and suggest revisions to the ONE USC Safety Vision statement and the alignment of that statement with DPS policies, practices, and operational performance.
During the summer, several recommendations were advanced, including two recommendations under the Alternatives to Armed Response theme (numbers 13 and 16) and another under the Transparency theme (number 45). I would encourage all of you to peruse the implementation page to learn more about these ongoing efforts.
This CAB process has been an important, deliberate journey for the university, and I want you to know that you, too, can get involved. On the third Thursday of every month at noon, I host an open meeting we call the “Kitchen CABinet,” where students, faculty, staff, parents and neighbors are welcome to drop in and share their perspectives on the university’s ONE USC Safety Vision journey. Share your contact details through the CAB website contact form if you are interested in participating.
I want to thank all of you for doing your part to live the ONE USC Safety Vision. We recently asked a group of students, faculty and administrators about what the ONE USC Safety Vision means to them, and their responses have been collected here. I hope you’ll check it out. I find their answers inspiring. Listening to one another and working together, I know we can nurture the safe and respectful community we all strive for.
Sincerely,
Dr. Erroll G. Southers
Associate Senior Vice President, Safety & Risk Assurance