Known for their humor and friendliness, this Campus Safety duo stands out from the average campus officer.
Officers Keith Duffy and David Tansey, who became friends on the job, do more than just drive around giving out tickets. From singing karaoke at Casino Night to taking part in a national police challenge involving a lip-synch video, Duffy and Tansey work at creating a relationship with students and growing alongside them.
Tansey said that his favorite part of being an officer is the relationships he has built. “Whether it be with my partners or other students, a cool part of the job is getting to watch you guys grow as students and we grow and learn with you based on that.”
Duffy has been with NCC since February 2013, Tansey since April 2016. Both officers said they like working in the college atmosphere, that it is a fun experience for them to be a part of a student’s journey.
As Campus Safety officers, they also get the opportunity to work with the officers at the Naperville Police Department. “We have a pretty good working relationship with (them). My brother is an NPD officer, so that’s definitely helped with forming a relationship with them,” said Duffy.
Tansey said they also have a good relationship with the fire department. With as often as the fire alarms go off on campus, it is not surprising to learn this. Although they have formed many relationships since starting at NCC, one relationship seems to stand out.
Tansey’s second day of field training was with Duffy. “We kind of just realized that we both have pretty much the same personality, we’re both kind of goofy and funny. Our personalities meshed really well right away,” said Duffy.
“Which is weird because we are very different too,” said Tansey. “Had we not met here, I don’t know.”
While both seemed very hesitant to re-enact the famous lip sync video, “We were more ‘volun-told’ we were doing that,” said Duffy. However, the two seemed more than happy to karaoke their favorite song “Wagon Wheel,” by Darius Rucker.
“We’ve sung that before. We harmonize very well together. Although I don’t know if people need to know that,” said Duffy.
Getting involved in on-campus events helps to show the student population another side of Campus Safety officers. “We aren’t out to get students,” said Duffy. “If you’re honest with me, I’m honest with you.”
Both officers are adamant that students know that they are genuinely here to help and want to have an evolving relationship with them. “The most rewarding is when we have an opportunity to help someone and turn a negative situation into a positive,” said Duffy.
What would be the one thing they would want everyone to know? “I don’t put on the uniform and be like ‘how many people am I going to bust today?’ We have to hold students accountable for what they do. It’s a part of our job, it’s what we have to do. I would want to tell students that we are here for them for any questions they have. We’re all nice guys,” said Duffy.
