Campus Law Enforcement Authority

Portland State University Campus Public Safety Office (CPSO) employs Campus Public Safety Officers (PSOs). These officers are granted authority as “special campus security officers” pursuant to Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 352.385. PSOs have limited law enforcement authority. In particular, PSOs have “stop and frisk authority as provided in ORS 131.605 to 131.625 and “probable cause arrest authority” as provided in ORS 133.310 and ORS 122.315, when acting in the course of their employment. PSOs are not authorized to carry firearms and are not considered full “peace officers” under Oregon law.

The Portland Police Bureau (PBB) is a fully empowered law enforcement agency and has police jurisdiction throughout the City of Portland, including the campus of Portland State University. CPSO and PBB work together closely to provide law enforcement and security services to the campus.