A San Diego State University police officer was recently arrested and charged with allegedly downloading child pornography to his personal computer.
SDSU Chief of Police Gregory Murphy sent out the following email to campus students, faculty, and staff.
Dear SDSU students, faculty and staff,
I am writing to share deeply disturbing and concerning information that a police officer with the San Diego State University Police Department (UPD) has been arrested and charged on allegations of downloading child pornography to his personal computer. This is shocking, and I want to immediately acknowledge that no child – and no one – should ever experience exploitation, and to also recognize the pain and upset this has caused within our organization. This is painful, and these cases can be especially difficult for survivors of abuse. Let me be clear: UPD condemns any and all forms of exploitation and abuse.
In the interest of keeping our university community informed, I am writing to proactively share the following information:
What happened?
On Thursday, March 13, Homeland Security Investigations Cyber Crimes Investigators unit, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), contacted UPD. The university learned on that day that the UPD police officer was arrested away from campus. The following day, on March 14, the police officer was charged with the possession of child pornography.
As UPD is not the arresting or investigating agency for the criminal investigation, and because the arrest was made outside of UPD’s jurisdiction, information about the arrest, allegations and HSI’s investigation must come from HSI. I fully support HSI in conducting a thorough and comprehensive criminal investigation.
What is UPD doing?
The police officer, whose name and identity cannot be shared due to employee privacy laws, remains in custody. Upon learning of the allegations, UPD immediately initiated actions to terminate the officer.
Where can I go for support?
If you or someone you know needs support, I urge you to rely on university support resources, including counseling.
I also know that trust is built through action. That is why we at UPD also commit to continuing to prioritize our charge to aid in the safety and well-being of all individuals. We will continue our many efforts aiding in the prevention of sexual violence through education and other efforts, supporting survivors through a trauma-informed practice and serving our full SDSU community while upholding the highest standards of integrity and respect.
Gregory L. Murphy
Chief of Police
(Photo by Dave Thomas)
