Public Safety

Full-Service 24-Hour Police Department

The University of South Carolina Upstate maintains a full-service 24-hour Police Department staffed by certified law enforcement officers fully accredited by the State of South Carolina and nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).

Our mission

The Department of Public Safety exists to serve and protect the physical and human assets of the University of South Carolina Upstate by promoting and maintaining a safe, secure and healthy campus environment. This is realized through engaged community-oriented policing, effective fire prevention and inspection, service-oriented Fleet Management operations, efficient Parking Services and a professionally run Office of Risk Management.

Our mission significantly contributes to and supports an environment where staff, students and faculty may flourish in the pursuit of academic excellence.


Fire and Crime Log


The purpose of the fire and crime log is to record all incidents of fires in student housing facilities, criminal incidents, and alleged criminal incidents that are reported to University Police.

This log is available for public viewing during normal business hours at the Department of Public Safety located at 219 North Campus Blvd., Spartanburg, SC 29303. The clery fire and crime log can also be viewed online at the Crime and Incident Reports link below. 

Our Services

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  • The University of South Carolina Upstate maintains a full-service 24-hour Police Department staffed by certified law enforcement officers fully accredited by the State of South Carolina. Police Officers patrol the campus in clearly marked vehicles, bicycles, electric carts and foot patrol. The University Police Department may be reached for emergencies at any time by dialing 911 from campus telephones, cellular phones or off-campus telephones. For non-emergency calls, dial 7777 from campus telephones or 864-503-7777 from cellular telephones or off-campus telephones. For after hours, non-emergency calls dial 864-357-3008.

    Services include the delivery of security awareness and crime prevention programs, student escorts, securing campus buildings, VIP protection, assisting stranded motorists, providing helpful, friendly information to guests and visitors, managing the University card access control system, monitoring the closed circuit television system (CCTV), student mentoring, managing the Lost and Found, responding to campus fire and burglar alarms, investigating reported violations of state law and University policy, traffic enforcement, staffing of student and other special events and a host of other services.

  • This division enforces campus parking regulations, manages the parking decal distribution system, facilitates transfer of collection accounts, provides student escorts, vehicle unlocks, jump starts and directions. 

    Rules and Regulations

    The Board of Trustees of the University of South Carolina has established rules and regulations governing traffic and parking that may be examined upon request at the University Public Safety Department. A copy of the state law is on file at the University Public Safety Office.

    1. All persons who shall regularly or occasionally drive, operate or control, park or let stand, or otherwise use or maintain a motor vehicle on the land or property of the University are required to register the vehicle with the University Public Safety Department.
    2. Regulations apply to drivers of all vehicles, whether public or private, and are in force twenty-four hours a day unless otherwise posted. Parking permits allow the holders the privilege of parking on campus, but do not guarantee the holder a parking space unless so specified.
    3. The driver of any vehicle shall obey the lawful instruction of any University Public Safety or Parking Enforcement officer and any official traffic sign placed in accordance with the provisions of these regulations except otherwise directed by an officer.
    4. No person shall, without lawful authority, attempt to or in fact alter, deface, injure, knock down or remove any official traffic sign or device, or any inscription, shield or insignia thereon, or any other part thereof.
    5. The University shall assume no responsibility for the care and/or protection of any vehicle or its contents at any time while it is operated or parked on campus. Valuables should not be left in unoccupied vehicles at any time and vehicles should be locked when not in use. Thefts, or damages that occur should be reported to the University Public Safety Department for investigation or other action.
  • Conducts building inspections, oversees emergency fire drills, reviews and approves construction plans, ensures life safety code compliance and serves as liaison with North Spartanburg Fire Department and Spartanburg County Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

  • Processes and distributes University Identification cards to all faculty, staff and students. 

  • Responsible for oversight of the Incident Management Plan including all aspects of training, preparation, mitigation, response and recovery efforts. Also includes oversight of the SpartAlert notification system, Timely Warning Notices, severe weather evacuation areas, managing building and floor coordinators and campus emergency phones and communications

  • Manages the University fleet of motor and electric vehicles, oversees maintenance and service records, conducts annual inspections of all vehicles, processes accident reports, manages and facilitates driver education programs, secures annual 10 year driving histories on all part-time employees.

USC UPSTATE POLICE RECRUITMENT

Message From the Chief

klay peterson

Dear Campus Community,

I am pleased to present the USC Upstate Department of Public Safety’s 2018-2021 Strategic Plan. This is our second edition which now spans a six-year operational period. We are posed and excited to move forward into our next three years of campus service and operational readiness.

As Chief of Police it has been rewarding to look back and see the growth of our officers, their passion for serving our growing campus and the implementation of new programs and policies that contribute to the professionalism of our agency.

Our national certification recognition from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) has set a standard of excellence where each employee is expected to consistently and effectively engage best practices in university policing. By so doing we can maintain the highest standard of performance to meet or exceed the goals and objectives of this plan.

The strategic plan is a single guiding document that identifies our priorities and encapsulates our vision for the future. It includes our goals and objectives and a S.W.O.T. analysis of our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.  Moreover, it provides a platform from which to look back and exam what we did well as an agency and areas of needed improvement. With an eye towards the future, it provides lessons learned and a roadmap for the next three years to enhance professional 21 century police service in a university setting.

I encourage you to review our Strategic Plan initiatives which reaffirm our commitment to proactively and responsibly provide law enforcement services that enhance safety and security and quality of life; where faculty, staff and students may all flourish in the pursuit of academic excellence.

Sincerely,

signature

Klay D. Peterson 
Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police 

Contact Us

Contact Public Safety

864-503-7777
219 North Campus Boulevard,
Spartanburg, SC 29303

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  • klay peterson

    Klay Peterson
    Director of Public Safety
    Chief of Police

    glynda miller

    Glynda Miller
    Administrative Manager
    Police Officer

    sherita cheatham

    Sherita Cheatham
    Police Corporal

    Makayla Cobb
    Front Counter Technician

    profile-blank

    Sarah Ingle
    Front Counter Technician

    rick jones

    Rick Jones
    Emergency Services Coordinator

    marvin orellana

    Marvin Orellana
    Police Corporal

    fred payne

    Fred Payne
    Shuttle Driver

    steve peacock

    Steve Peacock
    Administrative Lieutenant

    Chris Raymond
    Part-Time Police Officer

    calvin roper

    Calvin Roper
    Parking Services Officer

    marty shugart

    Marty Shugart
    Police Sergeant

    charles solesbee

    Charles Solesbee
    Shuttle Driver

    profile-blank

    Makayla Stokes
    Front Counter Technician

    frank taylor

    Frank Taylor
    Shuttle Driver

    Michael Trotter

    Michael Trotter
    Transportation Services Coordinator

    justin thomas

    Justin Thomas
    Part-Time Police Officer

    cheryl wingo

    Cheryl Wingo
    Police Sergeant