Everyone sees them. Whether at a university function, a sporting event, or just walking around campus, the officers of public safety are always there, lingering somewhere in the background—doing their job.

But, once you start to look past the badge, some interesting things emerge, including the backgrounds of the officers.

For example, within the campus Public Safety Department alone, there are more than 200 years of policing and law enforcement experience represented, including experience drawn from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the San Bernardino Police Department (SBPD) and the Knox County Sheriff’s Department, among others. Officers have worked in such fields as vice, narcotics, homicide and MET(Swat). All of the public safety officers were once police officers and each has more than a decade of experience in law enforcement—a statistic that few universities can claim.

What is most surprising about the department, though, is not so much the background of the officers within or the amount of experience they have. It is the dogged optimism they convey, despite their difficult work.

“Ninety-nine percent of what you do is negative,” admits Jorge Valles, an officer who served in the LAPD for 25 years. “Some cops turn cynical.”

Yet, when talking to the public safety officers, one of the hardest things to find is cynicism.

Officer Roy Izumi, for example, worked in the SBPD during the Rodney King-related riots. Yet, he still finds law enforcement very rewarding, enjoying the personal interaction, including being invited to barbeques or just being waved at as he passes down the street.

“Like most people, it was just a job at the beginning… but it became more than that.” Officer Izumi said. “What other job can you have that allows you to do so many things?”

Not many. Sergeant Gilbert “Gil” Orosco can attest to this, having not only worked for the LAPD, but for Hollywood as well. A technical and weapons advisor for movie productions, Orosco was able not only to live the dream he had as a child watching shows such as “1 ADAM 12” (a police drama much like “Dragnet”) but to take part in creating it for others, too.

In addition to this, Officer Orosco still finds time for his diverse hobbies, including surfing, restoring cars and ocean kayaking, which he sometimes does with fellow officer and longtime friend Dennis Hammarstedt on the weekends.

Officer Hammarstedt, who served with Sergeant Orosco and Officer Valles in the LAPD for 27 years, stays active in more ways than kayaking. He participated in dirt bike racing when he was younger and now enjoys flying (he has a registered FAA Pilot’s License), camping on the lakeside, car races and “anything like that.”

For Officer Valles, though, hobby and work come together. One of the pioneering officers who worked on the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program, Officer Valles was able to combine his work life with his family life. In the process, he discovered a new passion --teaching. Not only did DARE enable Officer Valles to serve the children of the community and to be able to travel to such places as Costa Rica, teaching other officers about the program, but he was able to involve his wife and five children in it as well, bringing them along to DARE functions. The DARE program had such an impact on Valles, in fact, that he has begun pursuing his teaching credentials, hoping to be able to be involved with children again.

--Michael Carroll '05

Jean Swanson has been appointed director of the Armacost Library after working as acting director during the fall term.

She replaces Klaus Musmann, who is retiring after serving as director since 1994.

Swanson came to the University of Redlands in 1987, when she was hired as an associate librarian. She was later promoted to librarian.

She has written several award-winning books on female mystery novels, including "Killer Books: A Reader's Guide to Exploring the Popular World of Mystery and Suspense" and "By a Woman's Hand: A Guide to Mystery Fiction by Women." Her latest book is set to be published next year.

Swanson also is active in campus life, serving on a number of governance committees. She served as chair of the Faculty Review Committee last year.

Vice President for Academic Affairs Philip A. Glotzbach said he was pleased with Swanson's leadership during her stint as acting director.

"She already has begun developing ideas for strengthening the library and enhancing its place as a center of intellectual life within the university community," Glotzbach wrote in a Dec. 11 memo to university employees.

Associate Librarian William Kennedy has agreed to serve as associate director of the library and will act as director in the summer.

Swanson and Kennedy will receive input from the Library Advisory Committee as they work to craft a new direction for the library. Faculty members interested in serving on the committee can contact Glotzbach at ext. 4072.

Staffs of the Bulldog Weekly student newspaper and La Letra yearbook will move into renovated offices in the Gannett Center in mid-December. The offices previously were occupied by KUOR.

“The students are very excited to have a permanent home again,” said Ilaria Pesco, assistant director of student leadership and involvement and advisor to the publications. "They’ve been moved around four times in as many years.”

KUOR recently began broadcasting the full programming of jazz station KLON in Long Beach. The university retains the station license, however, and a broadcast booth and transmitter room remain in the Gannett Center for potential local programming and emergency use.