This is a reminder to all you last minute shoppers that Christmas, if you celebrate it, is only a week and one day away. I am still struggling with what to buy my mom. If anyone has any ideas, please comment below. It would be neat to be able to tell her that the loyal readers of this blog helped me pick out her gift. (Obviously, she doesn't read this often, or ever for that matter.)
On a much more relevant note, last week we had the pleasure of meeting with Randy Nichols, Bowdoin College's director of safety and security. We made the 15-minute trip from our offices to talk about museum security. The 1,700 student college recently opened a stunning new museum.
If you ever make it up to Brunswick, Maine, you should stop by — I recommend you do so in the summer by the way. The museum has some beautiful, and unique, collections on display including a giant blow-up Buddha. See?
I was really impressed with Randy's approach to security and safety. Not only does he meet with each new freshman each year, but he also can be found wandering across campus on weekend nights making sure everything is running smoothly. He also asks students to call him Randy so that they feel comfortable coming to him in case there is a problem.
This 'personal approach' is refreshing in an age when technology is becoming a larger part of security programs. I get so frustrated when a vendor tells me their latest and greatest technology can replace security personnel. Sure, technology can augment an officer's capabilities, but it can never replace this human aspect. And in today's environment, the personal approach is becoming more and more important.
