Stay Cougar S.A.F.E.: Q&A with UHPD Chief Ceaser Moore


The University of Houston Police Department (UHPD) was recently honored with a Top 10 ranking on the 2018 Safe Campus Summit Top 25 list, as well as a Top 30 ranking for 2018 in Security Magazine, building on a 2017 Top 40 achievement.

Q. As part of the Stay Cougar S.A.F.E. initiative, what does being a “co-producer” of safety mean and how is this approach being utilized?

Chief Moore: Being a co-producer is very similar to the national awareness campaign “If you see something, say something,” with one notable exception — this effort goes beyond information and education to include an “actionable component,” or in other words, collective engagement and participation by everyone.

What that means is that each of us, every day, are individually responsible for minimizing our safety risk and collectively being a part of, i.e., “co-producing,” an environment of safety — in our workplace and across the UH campus community.

Q. How can everyone be a “co-producer” by embracing this approach? 

Chief Moore: For managers and team leaders, there are three key ways to incorporate the “co-producer” approach to safety: by examining your departmental or program area 1) policies, 2) practices and 3) training opportunities. From this perspective, continually looking at conditions with respect to those areas and seeing where you may have gaps to provide safety improvements are instrumental steps in “co-production” of safety.

For everyone, it means subscribing to the philosophy that supports the Stay Cougar S.A.F.E.! fundamental elements, namely:

Secure any personal items…when studying and in public places…don’t leave your valuables unattended or in plain view.

Always be aware of your surroundings….reach out and report suspicious activity to UHPD.

Friends matter…check out Cougar Pack & Cougar Ride.

Educate and encourage others to learn more about how to Stay Cougar S.A.F.E.!

Q. For team meetings, what are some opportunities to bring the “co-production” of safety to the workplace? 

Chief Moore: Consider including a “safety moment” at the beginning of every workplace meeting. These are 1-2 minute briefings where meeting participants focus on one key point pertaining to safety as a daily reminder of awareness, engagement and discussion.

Other industries, namely the energy and oil & gas sectors, have utilized safety moments for decades, so much so that these briefings are an integral part of the culture and serve as a valuable opportunity to pause, reflect and reinforce key messaging about safety. It’s also important to point out that the safety moment framework is not just for the team leader but everyone to propose topics of interest that day, which again reinforces the “co-producer” philosophy of accountability and responsibility.

Q. Going forward, what are opportunities for the campus community to engage with UHPD and learn more?

Chief Moore: At UHPD we welcome the opportunity to attend staff or team meetings and continue the conversation about everyone being co-producers of safety. Just give us a call. In addition, we invite participation and outreach with our team at upcoming engagement events such as Finals Mania, where we’ll have a table, as well as our ongoing Coffee with a Cop series and regular training workshops.

Overall, everyone’s support and engagement is truly key toward fulfilling our overarching UH mission, vision and values of student success.