By GAVIN MENDOZA, Senior Reporter
Security and safety are top priorities for campus police all around the country.
For Northwestern Campus Police Chief Jack Servis, who goes by his middle name Cole, keeping students and faculty safe while maintaining a good relationship with everyone is a main goal.
Servis has been working in law enforcement for 17 years and said he enjoys helping people.
“I kind of got into it just needing a job, but public service is one of the things that is important to me because I like helping people,” Servis said.
Servis started to like law enforcement when he found a desire to help people like his family, who were primarily teachers.
“I felt like I was good at it because I am someone who has a lot of empathy,” Servis said.
Servis came to Northwestern for the opportunity to finish getting his degree so he could one day become a teacher like his family members.
Like helping people, finishing his degree is something he is passionate about, he said.
“I was passionate about finally getting finished and working towards my teaching degree,” Servis said.
Servis has been around things he said were not easy to see. Earlier in his law enforcement career, he worked in special weapons and tactis units,better known as SWAT units.
He said that, since getting to Alva, his mental and overall health has greatly improved.
“I think there is still a stigma attached to law enforcement and admitting that they need help with mental health issues,” Servis said.
Edwin Colon, a senior health and sports science major from Lawrence, Massachusetts, works for Servis as a student worker.
Colon said he wants to pursue a career in law enforcement and he has enjoyed working for Servis.
He said he feels like it has helped him with wanting to become a police officer.
“Cole is a great teacher and has taught me tactics when it comes to certain situations,” Colon said.
Before Servis, Colon did not have anyone to teach him all the “ins” and “outs” of being law enforcement officer.
“He is also a very kind person,” Colon said. “He takes time out of his day to help me with my homework.”
Colon came from the Dominican Republic before going to Massachusetts. He said Servis helps him with his English.
Servis said he wants to be able to have good relationships with students as he does with Colon.
He wants people to know he is there for them.
He spoke about this when he mentioned trying to hire people to work for the campus police.
“You can still have a good relationship with the humanity, and I feel like somebody that, that is a little more laid-back, is better,” Servis said.
Not going into it for the money is something he really takes pride in.
“I’m more interested in stopping bad behavior than getting financial return, which is what I fear most people want,” Servis said.