Staff safety and well-being are a top priority for UCOP and will continue to remain so. UCOP Safety and UCOP leadership understand that it is essential for us all to be safe, and feel safe, at work. We are constantly evaluating the effectiveness of our safety program to make our workplace as safe as possible for all of us.

During the recent Community Safety Conversation, staff shared their concerns about safety around our Oakland campus. The UCOP Safety team listened to these concerns, shared the measures we are already taking and considered additional ideas to address staff requests.

UCOP Safety brought these concerns to UCOP executive leadership, and we have implemented several new safety measures near the Oakland office to address staff concerns:

• Expanded UCSF Police Department patrols: To help deter crime during working hours, we added another sworn UCSF PD officer to patrol the perimeter around UCOP buildings, Tuesday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. We will continue to monitor criminal activity around our offices and determine if there is a need to expand this patrol to five days a week.
• Increased security presence: UCOP is adding more UCSF security officers and providing security staff with training to handle different types of security incidents that commonly arise in Oakland.
• Improved garage safety measures: UCSF security now patrols the parking entrance from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. for those who have an early commute. To ease employees’ entrance to the Franklin garage on our busiest days, the garage doors will remain open from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Tues-Thurs., with a security attendant stationed there.
• Security system review: The UCOP Community Safety team is reviewing UCOP’s current security systems and processes to ensure they meet industry best practices.
• Laptop Loaner program for hybrid staff: Instead of bringing your laptop back and forth to the office, you can use a laptop loaner instead when you’re on-site. To request a laptop loaner in advance, submit a request in ServiceNow and check it out for the days you are on-site. You can also request a loaner on the day you arrive by visiting ITCS on Broadway 5^th floor between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. You should use the locking cabinet in your workstation, office or hoteling space and return the laptop when leaving for the week.
• Laptop backpacks: ITCS keeps a limited supply of backpacks for staff who prefer them to the standard laptop case. They are available upon request, and ITCS can increase inventory if demand increases.
• Hoteling spaces with desktop PCs: ITCS is in the process of outfitting a few hoteling workstations with desktop PCs for staff who just want to check email or access a cloud service. ITCS will communicate when these hoteling spaces are available for use.

These new steps are in addition to UCOP’s existing safety protocols, which include the following:

• UCSF officer and patrol car on-site: A sworn UCSF police officer remains on-site during regular business hours to respond to incidents, and a patrol car is nearby as a visible deterrent.
• Frequent patrols: UCSF security makes regular patrols inside and outside the perimeter of the buildings 24/7.
• Security escort services: Staff can request security escorts to the UCOP parking garage and 11^th BART station between 6:30 a.m. and 11 p.m. To request an escort, call the UCOP security desk 30 minutes in advance ((510) 987-9790).
• Safety training for staff: UCOP offers Basic Safety Awareness and Active Attacker Training to help staff be informed, alert and safe. Several sessions are offered this spring.
• Updated Franklin garage doors: We are replacing the Franklin garage doors with ones that open faster so that staff will spend less time idling on the street. Installation is scheduled to be completed in April.
• Coordination with local employers: UCOP continues to meet with other large employers in downtown Oakland to discuss coordinated safety/security efforts and align approaches.
• Coordination with police:
  • UCOP is in direct contact with the Oakland Police Department and the BART Police Department to coordinate patrol efforts and share incident information.
  • Governor Newsom has bolstered Oakland PD with a California Highway Patrol (CHP) taskforce to help with Oakland patrols.

Resources for well-being

UCOP offers resources for staff who would like emotional support in coping with stress, loss, violence or other personal challenges:

• Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP): Services are voluntary, free and confidential. They include individual counseling and consultations for managers and supervisors.
• UC behavioral health benefits: All UC medical plans include coverage for mental health services and substance abuse treatment, including sessions with counselors, psychologists or psychiatrists.

More community safety resources

• UCOP Community Safety Conversation recording
• BART Watch — Phone app to report and receive alerts on BART safety issues
• Oakland Community Ambassadors buddy escorts
• Safety classes — Log in with single-sign on to register for Basic Safety Awarenessand Active Attacker Training
• Link UCOP safety reminders webpage

For questions or more information, contact the Community Safety team at ucopsecurity@ucop.edu.

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