Charlie Forrest, LSC Public Safety

5/1/08

Ben Holbrook
Managing Editor

Charlie Forrest sits in the Public Safety office taking calls before he heads out for his usual security checks around campus.

Charlie Forrest, a Public Safety officer, has been working at LSC since 2004 after he decided to leave his state corrections job. “I got tired of dealing with the atmosphere and the inmates,” Forrest said. Working for Public Safety at LSC is along the same lines as corrections in terms of making sure everything is in order, Forrest said.

Forrest, who works from 4 p.m. until 12 a.m., is usually alone for the first three hours of his shift until the other Public Safety officer goes on duty. All of the Public Safety officer shifts overlap so that someone is always on duty, Forrest said.

Forrest, who attended LSC in 88’ and 89’, served in the military for 16 years and is now part of the National Guard. “Eventually I would like to be the director of Public Safety,” Forrest said.

Public Safety is required to go on routine security checks during their shifts to inspect the buildings and check the boilers every couple of hours, Forrest said. “Once everyone goes home we take over everything,” Forrest said.

“I really enjoy this job because it gives me the opportunity to help people out,” Forrest said. Although there are some issues, usually with underage drinking and some drugs, there aren’t many problems on campus, Forrest said. “The potential (for something to happen) is always there,” Forrest said.

Some of the most common problems that Public Safety deals with are issues with parking, especially with students who park in the fire lanes.

The prime days for there to be problems are Wednesdays because of Packer night, Fridays when everybody is gearing up for the weekend, and the beginning and end of the school year, Forrest said.

If there are issues that can’t be handled by Public Safety officers, such as a student who is getting aggressive then the state police have to be called. “Public Safety officers don’t have the ability to restrain people because we don’t have arresting powers,” Forrest said. “When dealing with someone during an incident I fall back on my communication sills that I learned while working in corrections,” Forrest said.

“I just want to keep everything calm and talk to them,” Forrest said.

“People should know that this department is here to keep people safe and make sure that no one gets hurt,” Forrest said.