Public Safety conjures images in students’ minds of menacing golf carts and approaching trouble. But Public Safety Supervisor Brad Young is trying to move away from that scary image.Young, who works the third shift from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., has worked as a Public Safety officer at Guilford for five years. Before beginning part-time work at Guilford, he worked for seven years at Elon University.

This year, students chose him as Officer of the Year, which is an award decided entirely by students, according to Director of Public Safety Ron Stowe.

A former aspiring teacher, Young views his job as more of an extension of the education system than a form of law enforcement.

“After two years in college I kind of messed up, so I can relate to the kids,” said Young about his decision to leave Pembroke State University, thus giving up his childhood dream of teaching.

After leaving Pembroke, Young pursued a career as a police officer. A bad back injury ended that pursuit, which led him to Public Safety.

First-year Marissa Bowers was pleasantly surprised by her first encounter with Young.

“I expected him to be mean about letting me into my building one night,” said Bowers. “He just laughed and said everyone did it. He’s a lot cooler than I thought he would be.”

“Brad has always treated us with respect,” said junior Andrew Slater. “He’s not here to keep everyone from having a good time, he just honestly wants people to be safe.”

That is exactly the kind of relationship Young wants to have with the students.

“I tell them (the students) that I’m kind of like their dad,” said Young. “I definitely think of them as my kids.”

Young’s fatherly approach toward students is probably a result of his two children – a son and a daughter.

A desire to keep his daughter out of day care prompted him to take the job at Elon, where he was able to work three weekend shifts.

Outside of his work at Guilford, Young spends his days sleeping, watching college sports and being with his children. On the night of our interview, he was eagerly checking the scores of a game.

If Young could give any advice to students, it would be for them to “find a job they love and they’ll never do a day of work.” That is what Young says he’s found with Guilford.