Campus Security Authority

Campus Security Authority, or CSA, is a Clery specific term that encompasses certain departments, groups and individual Cal State LA employees who have a duty to report crimes they become aware of, as defined by the Jeanne Clery Act. The intent of including non-law enforcement personnel in the role of a CSA is to acknowledge that some community members and students in particular may be hesitant about reporting crimes to the police, but may be more inclined to report incidents to other campus-affiliated individuals.

The Clery Act requires Cal State LA to provide an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. As part of this obligation, members of the University’s community who are considered to be CSAs are required to report crimes that occur on campus, in residential housing, other university owned property and some public properties adjacent to campus. Reported crimes are used to compile statistics in the University’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, which is distributed every year in the beginning of October.

CSAs are usually found in departments responsible for, but not limited to, student and campus activities, safety/security, discipline, housing, athletics, human resources or judicial proceedings. This designation also includes any individual who has been specifically identified by California State University, Los Angeles to receive and report offenses.

The law defines four categories of CSAs:

• University Police Department sworn personnel and department administrators.
• Non-police people of offices responsible for campus security. These CSAs have security presence or access control authority on university property, including, but not limited to, security guards, campus parking enforcement staff, student patrol personnel, security staff at athletic events, and student ID checkers.
• The Officials with significant responsibility for student and campus activities category is defined broadly to ensure complete coverage and thorough reporting of crimes. To determine which individuals or organizations are CSAs, consider job functions that involve relationships with students. Look for Officials (i.e., not support staff) whose functions involve relationships with students. An Official is defined as any person who has the authority and the duty to take action or respond to particular issues on behalf of the University. If someone has significant responsibility for student and campus activities, he or she is a CSA. Some examples of CSAs in this category include, but are not limited to: deans, student affairs professionals, student housing staff, athletic director/assistant directors, coaches, student activities coordinators, student judicial officers, and faculty/staff advisors to student organizations.
• Any individual or organization specified in an institution's statement of campus security policy as an individual or organization to which students and employees should report criminal offenses (University Police / Title IX Coordinator).

CSAs are required by law to receive annual notification and resources.

Campus Security Authority (CSA) Training Video

Printable PDF Resource:
The Jeanne Clery Act: Working Together to Create Safer Campuses

Campus Security Authority Test

The following offenses are Clery Act crimes and are required by law to be reported by CSAs to University Police:

Definitions for these crimes can be found here: Clery Act Crime Definitions (PDF)

Regardless of your status (CSA or non-CSA), all campus community members are encouraged to promptly report all campus related criminal incidents, and other public safety related emergencies, to University Police. When a crime is reported, the CSA should always first handle an emergency by calling University Police at 323-343-3700, by dialing 911, or by use of a “Blue Light” Emergency Phone which are located throughout the campus.

If it is not an emergency, the CSA should ask the individual reporting the crime if they would like to report the incident to University Police. If they do, then the CSA should coordinate reporting and contact University Police by phone or in person at the Department of Public Safety, located on the south end of campus in parking lot 1. CSAs can also complete and submit a Campus Security Authorities Crime & Incident Report Form. The completed form is then forwarded to the University Police Department to the attention of the Chief of Police.

CSAs are encouraged to use the following statement when speaking with the crime reporting party:

"As part of my position on campus, I am a federally mandated crime reporter for the University. I am required to report this incident to University Police for data gathering. If you request confidentiality, the Report Form will not include your name, or that of any other involved individuals. My report will contain only the information you provide. Do you have any questions? Would you like to help me fill it out?"

As noted above in the CSA statement, the CSA should explain that they are a federally mandated crime reporter and are required to submit a crime report for statistical purposes and that the crime report can be submitted without identifying the reporting party and/or victim if the reporting party would like to remain anonymous.

If the CSA has firsthand knowledge and confirmation that the reporting party has already filed a police report with University Police, then they are not obligated to contact University Police or submit a Crime & Incident Report Form. However, if the reporting party says they will file a police report with University Police, leaving the CSA with no firsthand knowledge and confirmation that a police report was filed, then the CSA must report the crime by contacting University Police directly or by submitting a CSA Crime & Incident Report Form.

If the reported crime is made in good faith, meaning that there is reasonable basis for believing that the information is not rumor or hearsay, then the crime is Clery reportable. CSAs, when interacting with the reporting party, need to gather incident information that would provide sufficient detail to properly classify the incident. This means CSAs need to document reporting party responses or lack thereof. Reporting party identifying information should only be included in the Crime & Incident Report Form if the reporting party is willing to provide it. CSAs should not investigate the crime or attempt to determine whether a crime, in fact, took place. When in doubt, a Report Form should be completed and submitted.