With officers on duty 24/7, Kirkwood Community College’s Public Safety is ready to help students however they can.
Public Safety performs a plethora of services for students, faculty, staff and visitors. From free vehicle unlocks and jumpstarts to collecting lost items and giving directions to people who are lost, Public Safety assists with on-campus issues.
Some students may think of public safety officers as the people who leave warnings on vehicles that are parked in places that aren’t parking spaces. While public safety officers do, at times, have to leave such warnings, this is only a small part of their job.
Public Safety Officer Randy Jones said he spends a lot of time collecting items that have been lost in campus buildings or parking lots.
According to Jones, “There’s just no telling what you might find […] keys, laptops, shoes, clothing items – in the parking lots.”
When an item has been found and turned in to Public Safety the item is catalogued and then cross-referenced with the records Public Safety creates when someone calls to report that they’ve lost something.
Some items, however, are never retrieved. “I don’t think a lot of students know about the lost and found thing, as far as calling security if they’ve lost something or if they’ve found something,” Jones noted.
Another important task performed by Public Safety is making sure students are safe and healthy. Officers keep an eye out for light poles with burned-out bulbs so that students don’t have to walk on campus in the dark.
Officers can also escort students to their vehicles at night if a student has concern for their safety.
Public Safety’s patrol vehicles are equipped with medical emergency equipment so in the case of a medical emergency an officer can provide medical assistance until ambulance services arrive.
Also, if a 911 call goes out from a building on campus, Public Safety receives an alert and sends an officer to the location, so even if the call was accidental someone can be on-site to make sure everyone is safe.
For any students leery about approaching a public safety officer, Kirkwood Maintenance worker and part-time Public Safety Officer Matt Roling affirmed that Kirkwood’s Public Safety department is constantly evolving, seeking to understand cultures and trying to break down barriers.
No matter what issue a student might be facing, Roling pointed out, “[It] doesn’t hurt to give us a call…Someone here knows someone who can help you.”
Public Safety Dispatch can be reached at 319-398-7777. As Jones said, “Someone is going to pick up the phone 24/7.”
Categories: Campus News, News
