SCSU student discovers career passion by working for Public Safety Department

St. Cloud State student Kailee Roberts has been dramatically shaped by her time working for the on-campus Public Safety Department. And she now has a clear career direction she never could've anticipated.

Roberts, who will graduate in the spring with a degree in psychology, originally came to SCSU as a biomedical science major with plans to take a psychiatrist route.

When looking for a work study program last year, she came across a job post to be a patrol officer for Public Safety.

"I thought I'll give it a try, and I can use psychology aspects of my degree within the job," Roberts said.

Since starting last January, Roberts has risen up from trainee all the way to staff sergeant, which is the highest rank a student can achieve.

Roberts's success as an officer, field training officer and sergeant allowed her to quickly move up the ranks.

"She's hard-working and wants to learn," said Lisa McEwan, assistant director of Public Safety. "She's special in building a relationship with people while doing the job … but also being assertive when she has to; she has that natural ability. She can go anywhere and be successful."

Roberts is an active person, and she loves the ability to be on her feet patrolling campus during her shifts. She feels that officers being present at SCSU events allows the campus community to visibly see someone is there for you.

While most people probably associate Public Safety with parking tickets, their responsibilities go much deeper than that. Officers are responsible for door unlocks, aid in safety escorts and are the first response for calls of threats or theft on campus.

"We are open 24/7 and are the constant on campus at all times," McEwan said. "We play a large role in supporting students; we want people to rely on us and utilize our resources."

"We emphasize being proactive; we want campus, whether its guests or students or faculty, to know the there is a presence on campus," Roberts added. "We are the first responders."

Diverse groups of individuals make up the student employees within the department, where the most common major actually isn't criminal justice; it's cybersecurity.

"I think we provide something for everyone; it's a difficult job and a lot of work, but I think it's very rewarding," Roberts said. "We strive to have high standards, but we also like to have fun. No matter what your career path, I think everyone can belong in public safety."

Roberts enjoys learning about the different perspectives of her fellow officers. Her roles within the department also have allowed her to see how the St. Cloud Police Department operates.

"You get to work hand in hand with the St. Cloud PD and make a lot of connections, which is really important if you are going into law enforcement," Roberts said. "Even if you're not going into law enforcement … it's nice to see the community aspect of what they do and how they respond to calls."

The job can also serve as a hand-on learning environment in dealing with people.

When confrontation happens, Roberts believes their training to stay calm and professional will benefit her and her fellow officers well in life.

"No matter where you work, you're going to have a situation where someone disagrees with you, and we have a lot of those," Roberts said with a laugh. "It's essential to know how to critically think and problem solve in those (difficult) situations."

After her experiences at Public Safety, Roberts has no doubt she will be pursuing a career in law enforcement upon graduation in May.

"I've met a lot of amazing people here and really enjoyed my time," Roberts said. "I've gained a lot of confidence with this job. It really has shaped who I'm going to be."

Students interested in working in Public Safety can view the position description the Public Safety website or contact Lisa McEwan at [email protected]for further information.

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