Serving the Students

The Department of Campus Safety keeps a close eye on campus, assisting and protecting faculty, staff, and students. For two days in June, Campus Safety hosted the Campus Security Officer Conference. “Our job is to keep the ship afloat,” said conference presenter Philip L. Mullendore at the Campus Security Officer Conference on June 14-15.

The first-ever conference drew officers from APU, Fresno Pacific, Master’s College, USC, Westmont College, and Whittier College attending. Mullendore spoke at the conference in hopes of getting all private school campus safety officers to have the same training and knowledge. Throughout the seminar, they discussed the differences between a campus safety and police officer, as well as some of the laws and liabilities that an officer deals with.

Mullendore spent extra time discussing the Clery Act, named after the late Jeanne Clery who was raped and murdered in her dorm room. He wanted officers from the universities to know that, through the hard work and determination of Clery’s parents, campuses are required to report the number of crimes on their campuses. This act resulted in increasing security on campuses throughout the country.

Mullendore emphasized that "campus safety" doesn’t mean just enforcing the standards of the university, but caring for the people within the community and keeping them safe. “Our service is to the community,” Mullendore said, “We’re the keeper of the key, the guardian of the gate.”

“We’re here for the students,” said Sergeant Randy Richardson of the Department of Campus Safety. “[Students] need to understand that we’re there for them, and what we’re doing is holding them accountable for their actions.”

Posted: June 15, 2005