Sam Lathrop has been a police officer, a detective, and now a director of security and safety for Quincy University. He has a combined 45 years of experience.

“As the director, I’m not involved in a lot of the day–to–day routine security patrols and that kind of thing. But I am tasked with almost 100% of the follow–up investigations,” Lathrop said.

Lathrop says when he is conducting an investigation, he can look at one of the 275 cameras on campus, check dorm system key card access logs, and interview people involved in a reported incident.

“I will do some checking of the camera system. Maybe there are witnesses, so I’ve lined up maybe three, four students who were either involved or nearby an event and I want to talk to them, so I’ll arrange for follow–up interviews with them. And finally, the person responsible or involved in the conduct,” Lathrop said.

Lathrop explained that in his 45 years of combined experience in his police career and his time at QU, is that there is always two sides to every story, and the initial information he has is usually correct, but he is never surprised by the additional facts he finds when he starts to talk to everybody.

More in–depth investigations, such as a Title–IX investigation, Lathrop explains can take weeks depending on circumstances.

There is also the management side of security and safety. Many of the line officers and the supervisor are contracted Per Mar employees. The director, Lathrop, is an employee of the university. Lathrop also has additional responsibilities such as being liaison to the Per Mar managers.

“All of my experiences with security have been really positive. I’ve never really felt unsafe on campus at all. They’ve always said that even if you feel nervous walking back from your car at night, feel free to call them. The only times I’ve ever had to call them was accidentally locking myself out of my room or other locations, which I have done many times, but none of the staff members of security have ever made me feel dumb for it,” Emma Klitzing, senior, said.

Lathrop had a 32-year career of policing in Wisconsin. He started as a patrol officer in the afternoon and overnight shifts, then he worked up to the ranks of detective, patrol sergeant, administrative sergeant, captain, and finally chief of police. He also mentored for an army unit in Afghanistan for a year and a half. Saying he wasn’t done working, he applied to work at Quincy University. He had an interview with them at 3:30 a.m. while in western Afghanistan. He is also a loyal Green Bay Packers fan.

As director of security and safety, he was able to apply his police skills to his current occupation. The positive events that stick out to him the most are when freshmen struggle with adapting to college life but eventually find their way.

“Somewhere along the line, between that maybe freshman and sophomore year, God lays His hand on their head and changes their outlook, and all of a sudden you have this student who started out as a challenge. For whatever reason, something changed in their lives, here and then four years later, you see them walking across the stage at graduation, and you think, ‘oh my gosh’ that student kept me busy the first year they were here, and look at what they’ve become. They’ve turned themselves around, they graduated and they’re on to ‘adulting.’ Those are truly the ones that stick with me,” Lathrop said.

He explained that the proudest moment of any university is when you can turn a student around and watch them walk across the stage.