The Department of Public Safety Community Advisory Board’s 45 recommendations include creating an independent oversight body and reallocating current DPS officer responsibilities to other departments. (Daily Trojan file photo)
The Department of Public Safety Community Advisory Board released a report Wednesday with 45 recommendations for improving public safety at USC, including creating an independent DPS oversight body, sending alternatives to armed officers on nonviolent calls and ensuring that “sustained reports of bias” result in the firing of DPS officers.
The Board’s recommendations resulted from 10 months of meetings with over 700 people — community members, students, faculty and staff. Some advocated for the abolition of DPS, some supported DPS because of concerns about crime on and around campus and others fell somewhere in the middle, both concerned about safety and unjust DPS tactics.