California State University San Bernardino: The CSO Project

Press release from California State University San Bernardino:

October 28, 2021

The Community Service Officer Program at CSUSB’s University Police Department has served as a pipeline to careers in criminal justice, both as sworn and unsworn personnel. Others have pursued careers working closely with law enforcement agencies, and others have gone on to practice law.

Editor’s Note: This article was written by the CSUSB University Police Department.

For many alumni who served in the Community Service Officer Program at the CSUSB University Police Department, the student employee program has served as a pipeline to careers in the field of criminal justice, both as sworn and nonsworn personnel. Some have also pursued crime-fighting careers in the private sector, working closely with law enforcement agencies while others have begun practicing law.

The Community Service Officers, affectionately known as “CSOs,” are divided into two groups, which assist both UPD and Parking & Transportation Services. Police CSOs are tasked with a variety of responsibilities from locking down the university buildings every night to providing escorts and logging and returning found property. They are also responsible for assisting the public and the UPD officers and staff. Parking CSOs on the other hand, generally staff the information booths, work the front desk in the parking office and assist parking staff.

Editor’s Note: This article was written by the CSUSB University Police Department.

For many alumni who served in the Community Service Officer Program at the CSUSB University Police Department, the student employee program has served as a pipeline to careers in the field of criminal justice, both as sworn and nonsworn personnel. Some have also pursued crime-fighting careers in the private sector, working closely with law enforcement agencies while others have begun practicing law.

The Community Service Officers, affectionately known as “CSOs,” are divided into two groups, which assist both UPD and Parking & Transportation Services. Police CSOs are tasked with a variety of responsibilities from locking down the university buildings every night to providing escorts and logging and returning found property. They are also responsible for assisting the public and the UPD officers and staff. Parking CSOs on the other hand, generally staff the information booths, work the front desk in the parking office and assist parking staff.

Not all former CSOs have pursued traditional work in law enforcement; some have entered the legal field.

Heather Razook, a former CSO who graduated in 2017, eagerly awaited the results of her California Bar Exam after graduating from the University of La Verne College of Law in 2020. COVID-19 delayed delivery of the results for three months. Finally, Razook reads her results – she passed the bar exam.

Razook, 27, describes her two years as a CSO as “fantastic” in terms of her career goals. A criminal justice major who had always planned to apply to law school, she wanted to get more experience around law enforcement.

Razook credits her experience as a CSO as invaluable in landing an internship with the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office.

“I believe it helped me get hired as an intern initially because a good understanding and relationship with law enforcement is important for the District Attorney’s Office,” she said.

Heather Razook, a former CSO who now is an assistant district attorney with San Bernardino County.

“It also provided a good perspective while studying criminal law and procedure. My experience as a CSO has only ever helped me on my journey.”

Four months after she passed her bar exam, in April 2021, she was hired on at the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s office as a deputy district attorney.

Other former CSOs, like Zachary Jiminez, have taken different paths to crime fighting – in the private sector.

Jiminez, a former Baker 1, graduated CSUSB in 2018 with a degree in business administration.