College of the Ozarks Security Department reports to the Dean of Administration and Work. The department trains and works closely with local law enforcement agencies and will be assisted by law enforcement when necessary.
All officers are POST certified and have a law enforcement background. Officers receive specialized POST training in Active Shooter, Threat Assessment, Tactical Firearms Proficiency, Building Clearing, Legal Updates and Disaster Preparedness.
The department is comprised of eleven full time staff officers, and eight students.
The department strives to provide a safe environment for all students, faculty, staff and guest. This is accomplished by the following methods:
Twenty-Four Hour Patrol: The campus is patrolled twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Front Gate: The front gate has a staff officer on duty until 1:00 AM. If you need to enter campus after hours, contact the switchboard at 417-690-3000 for assistance. All guest to campus will be logged. Guest of students must be off campus at 1:00 AM unless permission is granted by the RD.
Building Security: Campus buildings are locked and unlocked on a set schedule or by order of a facilities permit. Buildings are randomly checked by officers during the shifts. Please remember that you must have authorization to use a college facility.
Reports: An incident report is taken on things such as theft, vandalism, disturbances, etc. All incidents are investigated, and the reports are forwarded to the Dean of Administration and Work. These reports will be forwarded to local law enforcement agencies if deemed a criminal offense.
Interaction with Faculty, Staff and Students: We are public servants and are always here to help. Please contact us if we can assist you in any way.
Contacting Security
To contact security from an on campus, dial 690-3448. If the officer is out of the office, you may leave a message. You may also dial 0 and request the switchboard to contact the officer by radio.
For emergencies, dial 0 to have the switchboard contact the officer by radio. Always give the operator your name, location, type of problem and call back number.
Speeding Violations
The speed limit on campus is 20 mph. Please consider the safety of others when driving on campus. Use of cell phones while operating a motor vehicle is discouraged. Pedestrians are encouraged to utilize the designated crosswalks.
Parking Regulations
College of the Ozarks parking regulations are designed to provide optimal parking for the campus. Occasionally, regulations may change for special events i.e. major convocations, graduation or large events.
Vehicle Registration
All vehicles owned by students, faculty and staff must be registered. In order to maintain a safe campus, the department must be able to identify vehicles parked on college property. Vehicle registration also aids in locating people in case of an emergency. Please keep your vehicle registration current.
Campus Watch Program
If you see a crime committed or have information concerning a crime, please notify campus security. You can remain anonymous and help keep your friends or even yourself from becoming a victim. Please do your part to keep our campus safe.
Student Officer Recruitment
Student Officers are an integral part of the department. Students will work fifteen hours each week. Student Officers receive training in patrol procedures, report writing, investigations and public relations. All student officers are Criminal Justice majors preparing for careers in police work or related job field. The on-the-job training our students receive while working in the Security Department is very beneficial.
If you are majoring in Criminal Justice and interested in working as a Student Officer, call or email sec_dep@cofo.edu to schedule an interview