USC students, activists call for disbanding of campus police department

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- It's a rallying cry by community activists including Black Lives Matter: to redirect funding for USC campus police and instead put more funding into scholarships for low-income students and more.

The groups claim the USC Department of Public Safety has a history of racial profiling in neighboring communities, hiring officers with past allegations of excessive force, and racial discrimination.
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The activists say it's time to focus resources on students, the community and not police.

The university responded with a statement:
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"Last fall, USC established a Department of Public Safety Community Advisory Board (CAB) comprised of students, faculty, staff and neighborhood community representatives," the statement said. "The CAB is undertaking an evidence-based, comprehensive examination of campus public safety practices with the full engagement of USC's stakeholders."

USC officials are encouraging community input regarding campus policing practices through its community advisory board website, and at a series of 10 sessions for the community that currently are underway.

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