Safety Minded

After 25 years working in higher education, Cheryl Logsdon takes over Seattle University Public Safety, leading a 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year operation with a staff of 21 uniformed campus Public Safety officers—and 30 students who work part-time in the role—along with dispatchers and administrative staff members.

The department is responsible for an array of duties to ensure the safety of the SU community, ranging from security patrols and emergency notifications to safety escorts and Clery Act compliance—a federal law requiring universities to disclose information about crime on campus and nearby. The team also works with Seattle Fire Department inspectors and operates SU’s lost and found.

In this Q&A, Logsdon talks more about her experience in public safety, her priorities for the department, her hobbies and more. 

What brought you to SU?
I saw an opportunity here to continue to serve a population of students where the mission really aligns with what I believe a Public Safety department is all about. And that's the care of the whole individual. Many might come to see us on their worst day that they're having and we're there to meet them and care for them and help them through that moment.

What’s your background?
I spent about 25 years at Seattle Pacific University working in various areas. I touched on areas of public safety, transportation, motor pool, but in particular emergency management and operations. Prior to that, I spent about 10 years managing security as a facility security officer at Raytheon, which is a naval weapons manufacturer.

What led you to a career in public safety?
It has definitely evolved into something I care deeply about. The mission is to create an environment where your students can learn, your staff can grow, your faculty can teach and your community can come together and flourish. I think that's the environment we want to create here.

Where did you grow up?
I'm imported from Rochester, New York, but we moved here when I was 12, so I'm pretty much a native. We moved around a little, first to North Seattle, but mostly Everett, Lynwood and Snohomish. I went to Snohomish High School. Go Panthers!

What are your priorities taking over the Public Safety department?
Foremost, just to listen. I'm not coming in with any predetermined ideas. The team here is so dedicated. That's really struck me that they're so committed to caring for the community and I'm really relying on learning from them. Personally, my goal is relationships first. Every student, every person, experiences safety in so many different ways. It's so individualized. Our goal is to develop the relationship so we can meet them where they're at and serve them there. So, it's listening in order to understand what are the priorities for the community and what does the department need and how do we match that up. How do we serve the community and meet them there?

What do you do for fun?
My husband, David, and I like to travel a lot, short trips and longer trips. Recently, we took a 10-day driving tour around Northern California as well as an Alaskan cruise. We've also been gardening, so we have some zucchini babies and some pumpkin babies that have sprouted up. That’s been a new hobby in the last couple of years, because normally I'm not very good with plants!