SAN MARCOS — Texas State University’s Campus Safety Overwatch Program (CSOP) is covering more ground across both the San Marcos and Round Rock campuses, aiming to strengthen nighttime safety through extended hours and student involvement.
CSOP is a nighttime safety initiative operated by the TXST University Police Department (UPD). After recruiting TXST students to assist with monitoring efforts, the program recently expanded its hours and now operates seven days a week from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Student employees, known as Public Safety Officers (PSOs), are trained by UPD officers to monitor approximately 900 campus security cameras in real time. Their responsibilities include identifying suspicious activity, spotting safety hazards, and providing immediate information to police dispatchers and officers in the field.
“They are trained in emergency communication, dispatch, and how to listen to radio traffic,” said Adrianna Garcia, communications supervisor at UPD and the program’s student employee supervisor. “They are also trained in legal compliance because they are in an area where they hear sensitive information.”
Currently, three PSOs are participating in the program. UPD officials say their presence provides critical support by allowing dispatchers to focus on incoming calls while students monitor cameras.
“If there is an active call going on, students can assist locating the individual if there was a description provided,” said Garcia. “They can assist in looking at cameras and relaying the information to dispatch.”
Dispatchers then communicate possible locations to officers on the ground, helping improve response times and situational awareness.
While there wasn’t any reported criminal activity on either campus during the winter break, PSOs were able to help by ensuring there weren’t any safety hazards on the ground. These included unsecured doors, malfunctioning lights, and camera maintenance issues.
UPD plans to hire additional PSOs with the long-term goal of expanding CSOP into a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week operation.