Most students already know about, or have interacted with, the UP Security Officers who can often be seen on or around campus. Whether in an attempt to find parking on or near campus, to figure out where their next lecture venue is, or simply in the hope that some missing item has ended up in lost and found, very few know the full scope of the work that these officers and others at the Department of Security Services do. The services they provide include controlling access to university grounds, managing student safety, lost and found, and so much more.
The department has a total of 510 staff members, of which 453 are security officers, who work 12-hour shifts at different UP campuses. These employees limit access at campus gates, manage parking, or patrol the campus and surrounding areas. They also walk with students to different areas around campus between 18:00 and 06:00 each night as part of the Green Route that helps students get to and from their cars or residences safely.
Their Operational Management Centre monitors the CCTV footage and electronic security systems around campus while also managing the university’s lost and found. Many students are first introduced to this unit, not when they are concerned about security, but when they go looking for a lost pair of earphones or other personal items.
The Investigation Component of Security Services is responsible for addressing all criminal activities that occur on or around UP grounds, as well as investigating misconduct cases that require referral to a disciplinary committee. They even implement crime prevention strategies like security briefings and student orientations while working with the Hatfield City Improvement District (CID) and SAPS to make Hatfield a safer place for students, residents, and workers.
When PDBY reached out to the DSS to ask if they had any statements on the work done by their employees, they said: “We value our Security Officers and their contribution to create a safe and secure environment on campus in support of students to achieve their academic goals.”
The Department of Security Services operates quietly and consistently, so much so that we often forget they are even there. But it is also important to acknowledge the hard work put in by the security guards, officers, and administrators. So, next time you see a security guard on or around campus, take a few seconds to greet them or even thank them for everything they do at UP.
Visual: Mpho Makwela
