Sacramento State police officers have come up with a unique new way to raise the department?s profile on campus.

Officers have been passing out baseball-style cards featuring individual officer photos on the front. On the back is the officer?s background information, along with a safety tip.

The cards have increased the department?s visibility, according to campus police.

Police Chief Ken Barnett said the cards help students and staff put a name with an officer?s face.

“What better way to be visible than to have a card that has an officer?s picture on it?” Barnett said.

Officers have been encouraged to pass out the cards on campus, some even accompanied with an autograph.

Barnett said the cards are becoming increasingly popular, especially with the parents and children at the Associated Students, Inc. Children?s Center.

Sac State senior Heidi Naden thinks the cards are a good idea.

“I honestly never knew their faces, much less their names. These cards have definitely raised their profile,” Naden said.

There are 16 police officers on campus, each with their own set of cards. Barnett ordered 2,000 for each officer.

Corporal Roger Britton has just finished passing out his first 1,000.

“This is something that we are definitely going to continue. We have had a real positive response,” Britton said.

Britton said there are even people that have started to collect the cards.

“We have had several calls from people asking for a particular officer?s card that they don?t already have,” Britton said.

Barnett brought the idea back from a meeting a few years ago and decided that Sac State should be the second university police department in the California State University system to offer the cards. The first was CSU, San Bernardino.

Cards are available through CSUS public safety at 278-7321.

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