Campus Safety magazine often features the accomplishments and expertise of the heads of campus public safety departments. In fact, every year we acknowledge them in our annual Director of the Year program. Although there is no doubt that police chiefs and security directors are critical to the leadership of their departments, those individuals who are second in command play a vital role as well.
One of those campus protection professionals is Babson College Public Safety Department Lieutenant Erin Carcia, who works daily with Chief James Pollard and Lt. Joe O’Leary to manage Babson’s law enforcement agency.
“Chief Pollard is no doubt the head of this department, but Lt. Carcia is the heart,” says Babson College Public Safety Department Sgt. Frederick Winslow. “In the last three to four years, our department has made so many positive changes. All of these changes make coming to work every day an easy and happy experience rather than a chore, and Lt. Carcia is a very big part of those changes.”
It is for this and many other reasons that Lt. Carcia has been named a Campus Safety Hero.
“Lt. Carcia takes time out of her day (not only work days but her days off) to make sure that everyone is happy and healthy, fully engaged,” Winslow adds. “She works 10-12 hour days most weeks for six and sometimes seven days a week. She is the first person in this department that someone would go to who had an issue, not only in their professional life but in their private life because they know that she truly cares about them as a person, not just an employee.”
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Winslow says that Carcia was the driving force in the agency becoming fully accredited in only one year. She worked with the chief to transition the department from unarmed to armed, as well as increase pay for both sworn and nonsworn officers. Carcia also partnered with Winslow to develop a workplace safety program. Additionally, she teaches faculty, staff and students how to respond to an active shooter and oversees all training.
Not too shabby for a woman who is married with three children under the age of six.
“I guarantee that you will not find a more professional, hardworking, career-driven police manager, mother, wife and friend than Lt. Carcia,” says Winslow. “She cares for everyone and everyone cares for her.”