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University Police: Authority and Jurisdiction

Becoming a University Police Officer

Officers begin their career at The Â鶹´«Ã½ by completing an application for a vacant position on the Human Resources webpage. All applications are reviewed and any candidates who meet department requirements are invited to an oral interview board. Those who pass, move on to PEP testing and an extensive background investigation. Successful candidates then must complete medical and psychological examinations. Finally, a potential officer must successfully complete firearms qualifications.

After completing the pre-employment testing, a successful candidate is hired and begins a six month probationary period, but the newly-hired officer is not a University Police Officer until he or she is appointed by, and has sworn an oath of office before the court.

University Police Officers are appointed by the Court of Common Pleas by way of an application to the court requesting appointment.

University police officers are eligible to be appointed via Pennsylvania Title 22, Pa.C.S.A. Detectives and private police, Section 501 (a), which states,

"Any nonprofit corporation...maintaining any buildings or grounds open to the public... may apply to the court of common pleas of the county of the registered office of the corporation for the appointment of such persons as the corporation any designate to act as policemen for the corporation. The court, upon such application, may by order appoint such persons, or as many of them as it may deem proper and necessary, to be such policemen."

The officer must appear before a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas and be sworn to become a University police officer.

The Oath of Office

Every University officer takes an oath of office in accordance with Pennsylvania Title 22, Pa.C.S.A. Detectives and private police, Section 501 (b), which states,

"Every policeman so appointed shall, before entering upon the duties of his office, take and subscribe the oath required by the sixth article of the Constitution of the State of Pennsylvania. Such oath, together with the decree and order of the court, shall be recorded by the recorder of deeds of each county in which it is intended that such policemen shall act."

All of our officer swear this oath, taken from article VI of the Pennsylvania Constitution, to become University police officers:

"I do solemnly swear that I will support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this Commonwealth and that I will discharge the duties of my office with fidelity."

Currently, University officers have the honor of being sworn by Â鶹´«Ã½ Alumni, Judge Vito Geroulo. At the completion of the ceremony, the officer is officially recognized by the state as a sworn Â鶹´«Ã½ police officer. University police officers have the same authority as municipal officers while within their jurisdiction.

Jurisdiction and Authority of University Police Officers

University police officer jurisdiction is defined by Pennsylvania Title 22, Pa.C.S.A. Detectives and private police, Section 501 (c), which states,

"Such policemen, so appointed, shall severally possess and exercise all the powers of a police officer in this Commonwealth, in and upon, and in the immediate and adjacent vicinity of, the property of the corporation."

While University officer jurisdiction is limited to "the immediate and adjacent vicinity," Pennsylvania courts have ruled circumstances can extend this jurisdiction. Such circumstances include "Hot pursuit," when an officer is actively pursuing a suspect. When in doubt, University officers will request Â鶹´«Ã½ Police assistance or intervention.

Pennsylvania laws have changed frequently recently regarding jurisdiction of campus police. This site will be updated to reflect new case law and legislative changes that affects the jurisdiction and authority of The Â鶹´«Ã½ police department.

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