Posted on Aug 26, 2005

At 1,365 acres and more than 5,000 residents, CSUMB is its own small city. To keep that city safe, the University Police Department has 14 officers, including the newest member of the force, Daniel Andrada, who was sworn in Aug. 22.

CSUMB President Diane Cordero de Noriega, Vice President for Administration and Finance Dan Johnson, several members of the Marina Police Department, and members of Andrada's family were on hand to witness the swearing-in ceremony.

"As you know, I have a soft spot in my heart for law enforcement. My husband had a long career in law enforcement. My father spent 30 years in law enforcement at UC-Santa Barbara. I have appreciation for what you do. You make this a better place," President Cordero de Noriega told the officers in attendance.

The event included a promotion ceremony for long-time UPD sergeant Earl Lawson, who joins Jay McTaggert as a lieutenant.

Andrada, a native of Salinas and a lifelong resident of the city, recently graduated from the Police Academy at Monterey Peninsula College.

Lawson is a graduate of Cal Poly Pomona, where he majored in sociology, then worked as a police officer there before coming to CSUMB in January 1995.

Members of the UPD are fully trained, sworn peace officers and most have prior law enforcement experience. They routinely deal with things that many police never see - students who are experiencing emotional crises, for instance. They are more apt to educate students than to arrest them. They are an important part of the university community, participating in student orientation, working with the staff members in residential life, giving workshops on personal safety and other topics. Nine of the 14 are graduates of various CSU campuses, and four are alums of CSUMB -- two of that quartet started as "campus service officers," that is, students who work for the university's police department as a part-time job. Three of the officers, including Andrada, speak Spanish.

And all are there to help.