The Florida Atlantic University Police Department’s School Resource Officer (SRO) Program places law enforcement officers in schools with the goal of creating and maintaining safe, secure, and orderly learning environments for students, teachers and staff. Alexander D. Henderson University School and FAU High School are a combined public school district functioning as a laboratory school located on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. There are approximately 950 students in grades K-12 that attend.

The FAU Police Department’s SRO Program currently places two full-time officers in the schools to work closely with educators to develop plans to prevent or reduce dangerous situations in our schools by the facilitation of campus safety, security technology and the Violence Intervention Techniques and Language (VITAL) Program. The Vital Program is an initiative of the School District of Palm Beach County Police Department to train staff members in control procedures and defensive strategies to help promote and ensure a safe school environment. Our SROs are assigned to a school on a long-term basis and are trained to perform three major roles: law enforcement officer, law-related counselor, and law-related educator. The FAU Police Department’s SROs serve as role models with good communication skills to convey the correct messages to our young people.

The Florida Atlantic University Police Department utilizes an explosive, drug detection and therapy K-9 team in response to the need for increased security precautions at many of the special events that take place on the university campus. Our K-9 team is also available to assist local law enforcement in specialized operations as requested.

All FAUPD K-9 units have been specifically trained and certified in numerous fields.

The Florida Atlantic University Police Department strives to achieve professional accountability at the highest level. We strive to be the model University Police Department in the State of Florida and as such we are currently pursuing accreditation through the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA).

This section is responsible for:

• Maintaining and controlling all critical need training mandated by the state and local law enforcement entities.
• Maintaining all training documents and certifications in the Power Document Management System (PowerDMS) and ATMS.
• Maintaining all uniform, supplies and equipment to include fleet and emergency operations.
• The Department’s voluntary accreditation through the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators.
• Coordinates and compiles data using the Performance Measures matrix for Command Staff meetings.
• Maintains and updates Departmental policies.
• Ensures Departmental compliance with Clery requirements and publishes the Annual Security Report (ASR).
• Maintains all official reports and documents pertaining to police matters on all campuses.
• Submits required reports for UCR.
• Submits required reports to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).

The Florida Atlantic University Police Department’s Bureau of Investigations is staffed by sworn and non-sworn personnel. It is commanded by a Lieutenant and is comprised of two Detectives, a Crime Analyst, a Cyber Analyst, and an Evidence Custodian. The Bureau is primarily staffed Monday through Friday between 8:00am – 5:00pm and responds as needed on nights and weekends with an On-Call schedule. The Bureau is located at the police department on the Boca Raton Campus of Florida Atlantic University in the Campus Operations Building (CO-69). The Bureau is responsible for conducting criminal investigations, special investigations, internal affairs and citizen complaints, crime/threat analysis, pre-employment background checks for the police department, and evidence and property storage.

The Boca Raton Campus of Florida Atlantic University is staffed with non-sworn, part time Community Service Officers (CSOs). These personnel supplement the Department’s patrol function by responding to security related calls for service and to maintain a high visibility while on security patrol of parking lots and buildings. For example, battery boosts, vehicle lockouts and residence halls patrols are conducted by Community Service Officers. This program is composed of all student employees and is currently overseen by a civilian supervisor who reports to the Lieutenant of the Police Department. Students gain invaluable experience in this stepping stone program to a career in law enforcement. The CSOs are being mentored and molded into future criminal justice career minded citizens. Involving them in the process of crime prevention and community affairs meetings will increase their investment in this Department and the University as a whole.

In September of 2014, the Florida Atlantic University Police Department and Housing and Residential Education created a partnership to provide a visible presence within the residential halls. As a result, the CSO Program was expanded to facilitate this need. Community Services Officers now provide a presence at each of the following residential halls on the Boca Raton Campus: Glades Park Towers, Indian River Towers, Heritage Park Towers, Atlantic Park Towers, Parliament Hall, University Village Apartments and Innovations Village Apartments.

For more information about the CSO Program, contact Lieutenant John-Williams, at (561) 297-4141 or via email at faupd_cso@fau.edu