How Montgomery College Established Its Public Safety Department

Prioritizing the safety of students and staff on school campuses is expected, and those expectations have grown exponentially in recent years. Prior to this significant shift, safety and security operations often fell under the umbrella of facilities management. While both departments share common goals related to maintaining a safe and secure environment, separating public safety and facilities management is a crucial consideration for many campuses.In this interview, Adam Reid, Vice President of Public Safety, Health and Emergency Management at Montgomery College and a 2025 Campus Safety Director of the Year winner, reflects on his experience with extracting the school's public safety department from facilities management to create its own department.Reid shares:The benefits of pulling safety and security out of facilities management (10:12) Technological improvements made since the department's creation (17:38)The challenges of having multiple campuses and how he has addressed those challenges (00:50)CAMPUS SAFETY SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: Facebook: https://facebook.com/CampusSafetyMagazineX: https://x.com/CampusSafetyMagInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/CampusSafetyMagLinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/1836305YouTube: @Campussafetymagazine