Safety and Security has undergone change after change in the past few years, and those changes keep on coming. Alongside the hiring of a new Lieutenant, the search for a new director of Safety and Security is ongoing and predicted to come to a close sometime around the week of March 13.

The extensive process began after Andrea Vircks’ departure in January.

The goal is to find a director who will not only embody Vircks’ passion and hard work, but also be willing to build off of her foundation and take Safety and Security even further.

“What we’re looking for is someone to take the department to the next step,”Dean of Students Patti Klein said, “they need to be able to understand campus, safety and security in all aspects, work with the St. Paul police and be able to know OSHA types of requirements,”

Jeremy Thompson, the Assistant Director of Safety and Security, was able to further speak on the director’s role in Safety and Security.

“They’re interacting with all sorts of different departments across the campus. They get feedback from departments about the concerns they have and we try to resolve that with what we do in security. They are the main contact for the local police and fire,” Thompson said.

Beyond just the technical responsibilities, it was made clear by both Thompson and Klein that the position is more than tasks on a to-do list.

“They need to be a good communicator and collaborator. Do they initiate things? Do they problem solve? We’re looking for a seasoned professional,” Klein said.

While in the past the director has been the primary “face” of Safety and Security, that ideology is quickly changing. The department will now be represented by the director, Thompson, and Todd Jones, the new Lieutenant.

The Lieutenant’s duties differ greatly from the director and assistant director’s while still providing insight important for the three to be able to collaborate effectively.

“I oversee the dispatch area and the communications and technology part of the department,” Jones said.

Although Lieutenant is not a brand new position to Safety and Security, the thought is that there is  greater strength in a three person leadership team.

With the puzzle pieces still moving and shifting about, one idea is really at the forefront of everyone’s mind: how can they better get the students involved.

Up until about five years ago, there were no student officers employed by Safety and Security. Now, they take on about 10 student officers each semester as well as student dispatchers.

“The department under Andrea’s leadership became a very student centered and very strong department,” Klein said. “The candidates all have good insight as to how to support students in dispatch and officer roles.”

Although no decision has been made on who to hire yet, all three of the final candidates are promising.

“I think all three are fully capable,” Thompson said.

The goal is to find a director not only qualified on paper, but someone who will be beneficial to campus as a whole.

“We hope Hamline becomes part of them as they become a part of Hamline,” Klein said.