BEND, Ore. — A central Oregon prosecutor has accused community college public safety officers of illegally acting as police and is threatening the school with criminal prosecution if the behavior doesn’t stop.
The Bulletin reported Tuesday that Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel has threatened criminal action against Central Oregon Community College because of the public safety officers’ actions.
The college, Hummel and Bend Police Chief Jim Porter have been discussing the distinction between campus security and police officers since 2015 when public safety staff investigated an iPhone belonging to a college employee that was found in a bathroom soap dispenser.
Hummel says public safety officials do not have the jurisdiction to investigate crimes. The college denies any wrongdoing.
