Public Safety Officer I/II

DEFINITION

Under general supervision of the Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police and/or Police Sergeant, provide general campus security and enforcement of rules and regulations governing parking and the use of college buildings and grounds; transport and deposit district funds; respond to requests for assistance; report crimes and injuries; assist campus visitors; respond to all campus alarms; administer sales of parking permits and collection of parking revenue; and perform related work as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

The Public Safety Officer I is the entry-level position in the series of safety officers on campus. The Public Safety Officer II is the second level and requires demonstrated competency in investigations and knowledge of applicable sections of the California Vehicle Code, State Penal Code, Education Code and college regulations.

Incumbents in these positions support student learning outcomes and institutional effectiveness by being the contact for the general public as well as new and returning students through in-person or telephone communication. They also maintain daily contact with staff, students and the general public during day-to-day contact on campus in a visual, supportive service oriented role. Incumbents help to maintain a safe and secure environment for staff, students, faculty, and visitors to support the District.

ABOUT THE COLLEGE

Where You Will Work
Serving all of San Luis Obispo County, Cuesta College has provided comprehensive associate degree offerings, certificates, and community programs to the region since 1964. The main campus is located along scenic Highway 1, west of San Luis Obispo and east of the beaches of the Pacific Ocean. Cuesta College has a North County Campus in Paso Robles, and South County Center, in Arroyo Grande.

Who We Are

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are essential to our culture and the work we do. Cuesta College is proud to be a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) committed to racial and socio-economic diversity as it reflects our communities and student populations. We actively seek to attract candidates who share this commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. As part of the Cuesta College team, you can expect to be part of a collaborative community of faculty, classified professionals, administrators, students, and community partners advancing educational excellence with intentional support services leading to student success and completion.

• Additional information about the college can be found at https://www.cuesta.edu/about/index.html
• The college planning documents can be found at https://www.cuesta.edu/about/collegeplans/index.html
• Our Student Equity Action Plan can be found at https://www.cuesta.edu/about/info/student-equity-initiatives/equity/index.html
• We offer comprehensive benefit options. Information about benefits can be found at https://www.cuesta.edu/about/human-resources/benefits/index.html

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

In consultation with the Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police and/or Sergeant:

• Conduct safety and security inspections of campus to include doors and windows to ensure they are secure;

• Maintain daily logs and records;
• Respond to requests for medical aid to provide basic first aid and to document incident;
• Train and mentor newly assigned Public Safety Officers;
• Serve as liaison between District administers, local police and fire departments;
• Provide essential minor repairs of parking permit machines;
• Collect and prepare weekly deposit of parking machine money and deliver to cashier;
• Provide service and assistance to District employees, students, and visitors;
• Prepare written reports documenting minor incidents occurring on District property;
• Immediately report critical information to the Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police, Sergeant and/or police officer;
• Maintain confidential information;
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with faculty, staff, students and others contacted in the performance of duties;
• Develop extensive knowledge of District Policy, the California Education Code, and the California Vehicle Code;
• Ability to Live Scan fingerprint the public, staff and students;
• Act as back-up to cover dispatch;
• Receive, account for and deposit case from sales; reconcile discrepancies from those sales;
• Perform other related duties as required.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES OF LEVEL II

• Develop the Public Safety Officer’s work schedule;
• Perform a wide variety of clerical work;
• Oversee parking permits and reconciliation;
• Review Public Safety Officer reports for accuracy;
• Represent Public Safety Officers at Department staff meetings;
• Conduct monthly fire extinguisher inspections.

Essential functions of particular positions within classifications may vary because job duties may vary by work location.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Required

• Equivalent to graduation from the twelfth grade;

Preferred

• Associate degree or two years of college work is desirable;

Experience:

Level I

Preferred

• Two years of experience in security work as a first responder, such as an officer with a city, county, college or other governmental agency;
• Knowledge of current technologies, a personal computer and associated software such as Microsoft Word.

Level II

Required

• Three years of experience in a security or law enforcement setting, such as an officer with a city, county, college or other governmental agency, at the equivalent level to a Public Safety Officer I;

Or any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge of:

• Current technologies, personal computer, and associated office software such as word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and/or database software;
• Correct usage of English, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary;
• District policies and procedures.

Ability to:

• Operate standard office equipment, including, a personal computer, calculator, credit card POS machine, cash register;
• Maintain composure and interact tactfully and effectively with students, faculty, staff and the public;
• Follow written and oral instructions;
• Track items using both hard copy and computer files;
• Work at any District campus location as directed by the Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police;
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the performance of duties;
• Demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds of staff and students and of staff and students with physical and learning disabilities.

Physical ability to:

• Read and comprehend printed matter and text and data on computer monitors;
• Communicate intelligibly and effectively via speech, telephone, written correspondence, and/or email;
• Sit or stand for extended periods of time;
• Stoop, lift and/or carry up to 50 pounds;
• Walk on varying terrain;
• Ability to work indoors and/or out of doors, in varying environmental conditions;
• Sufficient visual acuity to accurately observe and report activities and situations;
• Exert manual dexterity sufficient for keyboard and other office equipment operation.

License and Certificates (current within the last year):

Required

• Valid California Class C Driver’s License;
• Basic First Aid and CPR Certificates - to be obtained within the first 6 months of employment;
• Background check
  • Due to the Confidential nature of investigations and access to DOJ CLETS (California Law Enforcement Teletype Service), Prior to appointment, applicants must successfully complete a modified investigation of their personal history and background to determine suitability for the position of the Public Safety Officer Position with the Cuesta College Police Department.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO APPLY
Candidates will be required to submit ALL of the required documents below when applying for this position. When uploading documents, PDF uploads are preferred.

1. Resume;
2. Reference List (see further instructions below);

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Cuesta College will not sponsor any visa applications.

San Luis Obispo County Community College District ("Cuesta College") is an equal opportunity employer committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), age, disability (physical and mental), genetic information, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal and state law in admission and access to, or treatment in employment, educational programs or activities at any of its campuses. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose. Cuesta College also prohibits harassment on any of these bases, including sexual harassment, as well as sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.

In compliance with California law, all prospective staff and students are entitled to read the Annual Security Report, published each October by the Cuesta College Department of Public Safety. This report contains information about our emergency and crime reporting procedures, as well as crime statistics for the past 3 years. You may request a copy of this report at one of our two Public Safety Offices: on SLO campus at Building 6600A or on North County Campus at building N1021, during campus business hours. You may also access the complete text of this report at the following website address: https://www.cuesta.edu/community/publicsafety/crime-information/clery-act.html

Cuesta College uses E-Verify as part of the I-9 process to verify the work eligibility of all new hires. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9 to data from U.S Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records. For further information, visit: https://www.cuesta.edu/about/depts/humanresources/Job_Opportunities.html

Selected applicants will be invited to attend a Zoom interview on Thursday, May 28, 2026.