MassArt campus police officers are academy-trained and licensed as special state police officers as well as Suffolk County deputy sheriffs. This means that the chief, deputy chief, and all other CPOs have the same authority on campus as Boston police officers. They are trained to the standards of the Municipal Police Training Council and are empowered to detain, question, and arrest violators of Massachusetts’ statutes. Officers receive training in areas such as community policing, criminal investigation, self-defense, and other related fields.

In addition to upholding the law, CPOs help enforce college rules — which means they may also report infractions to the administration for possible disciplinary hearings. 

MassArt CPOs patrol the campus regularly and provide a wide range of security services. They are trained in CPR and first aid and are always available to provide assistance.

Institutional Security Officers are not police officers like CPOs — they are uniformed security personnel assigned to safeguard areas of the campus. Like CPOs, ISOs patrol the MassArt campus and perform a variety of public safety services.