A Campus Security Authority (CSA) is an individual, who by virtue of their university responsibilities and under the Clery Act, is designated to receive and report criminal incidents to the Department of Public Safety or the Office of Clery Act Compliance so that they may be included and published in the university’s Annual Security Report.  They have completed training on appropriately handling reporting crimes, victim relations and support, and related school policies.

Who They Are

Department of Public Safety officers are CSAs, but other USC employees designated as CSAs include: residential advisors, certain student affairs staff members, etc.

The Clery Act defines a CSA as any of the following categories:

1. A campus police department or a campus security department of an institution, e.g. any member of USC’s Department of Public Safety.
2. Any individuals who have responsibility for campus security but are not members of a campus police department or a campus security department (e.g., an individual who is responsible for monitoring the entrance into the institutional property, such as a security guard).
3. 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 offense; or
4. An official of an institution who has significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including, but not limited to, student housing, student discipline and campus judicial proceedings.

What They Do

A CSA must notify DPS or the Office of Clery Act Compliance of crimes or criminal incidents that are reported to him or her. They disclose statistics that fall under the Clery Act’s list of reportable crimes and occur within Clery geography.

If a CSA is notified of a crime in progress or an ongoing threat to the USC campus community, they will contact the Department of Public Safety for assistance.

Confidential Crime Reporting through CSAs

Occasionally, a person may want to seek assistance anonymously. For example, if you are a victim of sexual assault and wish to seek help, medical or otherwise, without contact with law enforcement, you can confidentially report the incident to a designated CSA. Your CSA can provide you with information and resources and serve as your agent to obtain the support you need without filing a police report.

Note: Because DPS must report violent crimes including sexual assault and battery to the LAPD, if you wish to maintain anonymity, you should contact a CSA who is not a DPS employee.