Public Safety's loss of officers raises questions of safety

The recent loss of officers over the course of the summer and past year have raised questions regarding the safety of students on campus. Although Public Safety is somewhat shorthanded, officers assure that there is no reason for any concern.

Benjamin Lunn editor in chief

Public safety is understaffed. Although the numbers have gone down over the summer, the fact still remains. With the departure of at least three officers over the course of the past year, there are fewer officers working in the department of Public Safety forcing officers to often work double shifts, abd leaving job openings.

According to Cabrini's website which was last updated on July 29, there were four positions open in the Department. According to the FYI Newsletter dated September 1, there were 3 positions open. Sergeant Diane Pohl, acting director of Public Safety, and Tom Kelly, say that the staff is currently only two officers short, thanks greatly to Officer Sam Coleman, a Resident Assistant in Dixon House last year.

Coleman was unavailable for comment due to a family emergency, however Kelly chimed in on Sam's behalf, calling him "an asset to the department." Kelly adds with a laugh that "he already knows his way around here, so all we really had to do was show him what keys to use."

When asked about the overtime hours that officers are now working, Pohl maintains that it is a common occurrence for officers to work overtime, citing the recent flooding in Founder's Hall. The amount of overtime that an officer does varies from week to week.

According to Kelly, it is not uncommon for an officer to work a normal workload one week, and then pick up somewhere between 14-20 hours of overtime the next week. During the floods the workload to a somewhat normal capacity for most officers, Kelly added.

These facts have raised questions about safety on campus. Is it still safe on campus? Are there enough officers to work all of the shifts? Is it safe for officers to work so much overtime?

-Officer in Founder's Hall, the total amount of hours overtime for the department was 74 - which averages to about 15 or 16 per person.

The addition of one more officer should do enough to bring