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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 27, 2016)
Campus safely director resigns Bobby Smith is m oving back to Las Vegas after less than a year here STORY BY CASSIDY WHITE, MERARI CALDERON RUIZ ANO KATIE ARCHER D irector o f cam pus safety Bobby Sm ith sen t in his because w e’ll fill the gaps resignation after holding the position for less than a for whatever we need to do year. He took on the position in May 2015 and his last to insure the campus stays sa fe.” Cochran plans on day at Clackamas Community College is Feb. 2. As a former member of the United States Air Force and startin g th e recruitm ent Marines, it’s no wonder why we recruited Smith for the process for another director this week. job. It is a wonder, however, w hy he resigned so soon. Last year, after six months of searching, 500 letters Currently, we have four sent and four final candidates, the college hired Smith fu ll-tim e cam pus safety officers and six part-tim e as the new Director of Campus Safety. According to Bob Cochran, Dean of Campus Services, officers th at are shared there have been three directors of Campus Safety since betw een the Oregon City, the position was created. The first director, Kurt Nelson, W ilsonville and Harmony filled the position for less than a year before he left. The cam puses, according to second, Suzy Isham, stayed less than two years before she Cochran. accepted a better opportunity at OHSU. Now, Smith felt Naomi Sether, a member that he wasn’t a good fit for the job after less than a year. o f the Building Em ergen During our conversation with Smith, he was very careful cy Response Team (BERT), with his words and often placed his head in his hands, believes our campus safe while trying to describe the situation. ty officers are very good at “ It’ s so im perative th at w e develop cam pus safety protecting our campus and programs and be aggressive about it and really invest. hasn ’ t had any problems Sometimes the greatest challenge is not teaching folks g ettin g ahold o f the o ffi w h at you can do during an active shooter training, cers. sometim es the greatest threat is changing the culture B rent Finkbeiner, th e o f the organization, and I think that was m y greatest ASG President said, “ One challenge, trying to do that cultural change. I think that’ s of the biggest things that the best way to put it,” said Smith. C lackam as C om m u n ity “ M y goal w as to really develop th e cam pus safety C ollege h as th at oth ers program s here because th e th reat environm ent has don ’ t is our partnership changed from what it used to be in the 80s and 90s,” said with the [Clackamas Coun Smith. However, when asked if he had accomplished what ty] Sheriff’ s Departm ent. he intended to do here he said, “ No, 1 didn’t accomplish We have real police officers what I hoped to do.” protecting us and that goes Regarding the question o f w h y he wanted to resign, a long way.” Smith also al Smith said, “ The safest thing to say is it wasn’t a good fit luded to this partnership by saying, “ If something hap for m e.” He expanded his statem ent by saying, “ For me pens, they’ re going to come rushing to our aid; I think it’ s so important that I feel like I’m making a difference, that’s one thing I’m very happy about.” that I’m giving back to the community that the community Smith wanted to assure the student body of their safety is giving back to me. If I don’t feel that way, then I know by saying, “ I would never ever say that the college here it’s important to meet my expectations and my needs and is unsafe, heavens no. We have a great comm unity.” He that may sometimes mean a change in environment. I also added that leaving the friends h e’s made here was may simply not be the right person for the job.” the hardest part of his decision. When asked how the absence of a director w ill affect W hen asked w h at’ s next, Sm ith said h e ’ s going to the campus safety, Cochran said, “ 1 don’t think it’ll im move back to Las Vegas and use that as a starting point pact our campus safety as far as being safe on campus for his next phase. 8 Clackamas Print JANUARY 27,2016 theclackamasDrint.com “Sometimes the greatest challenge is not teaching folks what you can do during an active shooter training, sometimes the greatest threat is changing the culture of the organization" - Bobby Smith
