The Police Community Advisory Board met at Bell Memorial Union, Monday, to discuss safety in the community, and find out more about the issues most affecting students on campus.

Board members were present, along with representatives from city and university law enforcement, to address issues like police use of force, sexual assault, and the safety of the larger Chico area. District Attorney Mike Ramsey was also in attendance to show his support for Chico State.

Chief of University Police, John Reid, began by reaffirming his department’s commitment to student safety. “First and foremost the university police officers are here for the safety of the campus environment.” said Chief Reid. “We are committed to working that environment and making that as safe as it can be.”

However, students don’t just hang around on campus. As part of their daily lives, students often travel into the areas around and adjacent to campus.

“Twenty-five percent of our calls to service occur in about a mile radius around the university,” said Chief of Chico Police, Michael O’Brien. “To better keep [the students] safe, we dedicate an entire patrol team to the south and north campus areas.”

In addition to this special unit, the Chico Police Department has sworn in an additional 35 officers in the last three years, according to Chief O’Brien.

Half an hour later, the meeting broke for discussion and audience members were given an opportunity to talk freely among themselves about the topics of the evening. Officers were available at this time to answer questions and receive feedback from the community members.

According to their website, the goal of the Police Advisory Board is to act as a communication link between law enforcement and the community, in order to reduce crime and help improve quality of life in Chico.

Daniel Christian can be reached at [email protected] or @DanoftheOrion on Twitter.