Every morning when Karl Ross arrives at the police station at 7
a.m., he goes on a tour.
It’s not that the newly appointed chief of university
police hasn’t seen some parts of the police station or that
he needs to monitor his staff. Surveying the various departments
with a cup of coffee in his usual Dilbert mug is instead part of
his management philosophy ““ “learning by walking
around.”
“There’s so many things that go on, that if I was to
barricade myself in my office I wouldn’t know,” Ross
said.
Ross was formally appointed in January after spending more than
eight years as the assistant chief and about 28 years with the
department.
Ross began as acting chief in August 2003 when then-chief
Clarence Chapman went on medical leave.
Chapman had been with the department since June 1994 and helped
catalyze UCPD’s new focus toward community-oriented policing.
For the past 18 months as acting chief, Ross said he has been
continuing and furthering Chapman’s legacy by pushing the
department to further their commitment to building community
partnerships, a tactic he says is the best way for university
police to operate.
Staff in the department have noticed.
“The one thing he’s really pushing on is the
community-oriented policing,” said Gene Gorostiza, a
training, recruitment and hiring officer. “Now it’s
going to be recognized and in the forefront … We’ve been
doing it, but we’ve never emphasized it to this
point.”
Ross said community-oriented policing means working with
different community bodies to solve problems that affect
everyone.
Lt. Robert DeFrancesco said Ross has also brought back the beat
system to UCPD, a structure that assigns certain officers to
certain parts of the campus. DeFrancesco said that idea builds on
the concept of community-oriented policing because officers really
get to know the people and buildings in a certain area.
Some officers said Ross was a good choice for chief because of
his long-running affiliation with the department.
“He’s still an officer at heart. He knew what
it’s like to be a patrol officer at a university
setting,” said Andrew Ikeda, a field training officer who has
been with the department since 1996. “I think it’s
always an advantage for someone within the department to be in the
leadership.”
Ross lives in Santa Clarita and is married with four children.
His family has a history of public service; his grandfather worked
for the Los Angeles City Fire Department, and Ross flew helicopters
for the army during the Vietnam War.
On the wall in his office hangs a photograph of one of his
helicopter platoons flying during the war, and when he retires, he
says he is going to fly a helicopter as an air ambulance.
Although Ross has had an extended stint as acting chief,
officers said the formal position is important.
“The person on the top is the person you look to for
leadership, mentorship and as an example just in general,”
Gorostiza said.
“And everything ripples down from there.”