Say hello to the chief

From September 20 to 24, Dal News presents a series of profiles of new folks on campus. Today, Dal News introduces you to Mike Burns, Dal's new chief of security.

Mike Burns is a former homicide detective and now heads Dal Security. (Danny Abriel Photo)

There's a new sheriff in town. Fresh from duty as an HRM superintendent of the criminal investigation division, Mike Burns became Dalhousie's new chief of security earlier this summer.?

Mr. Burns, who was with Halifax Police and HRM Police from 1982 until his retirement in 2010, was most recently the officer in charge of high-profile files including drugs, auto theft, homicide, sexual assault, breaking and entering. He says he looks forward to something a little different with a change of venue.

“I really liked where I was but there are just different challenges here,” he says. “The position appears to be as much a community safety position ... to create a safe, secure environment.” He finds this latter point particularly significant.

Student security is clearly his driving passion in his new role. He refers to his responsibilities to ensure their safety frequently and with great vigor. “The challenge is, if I'm a Dad at home with an 18 year old at university, I want to make sure that (Dal’s) a place where my son or daughter can get an education but can also feel safe and secure. I’m a couple thousand miles away, (so I want to know) that they're getting home safe at night and they're getting all the help they need.”

Dal alum

He's no stranger to the campus. A student from 1973 to 1977 – he obtained his Bachelor of Science here before furthering his studies at Saint Mary's – Mr. Burns understands the way the campus works and points out that the size of the campus presents some of the biggest challenges.

“My background is in policing but when you look at 16,000 students and maybe 4,000 faculty and staff you are looking at a small town of 20,000 people and there's a significant investment in security here, so the challenge is to provide the service you need.”

He also notes that every year around a quarter of the student community turns over. Educating those new people on the principles of the Dal community is a major priority. “The challenge is, every year brings a new group and you're dealing with a couple thousand new people – that doesn't happen anywhere else in the province.”

Relationship-building and consultation are the focus of Mr. Burns' security philosophy. In a community like Dal's, working together is his preferred method of tackling the issues of the day.

'Police with you'

“There's two ways to police,” he says. “I can police you or I can police with you. I'd prefer to police with you.” He emphasizes the value of community policing, with the consent and involvement of the community to better get at the heart of community needs. “If I do it with you, you are going to be a partner to it and you'll have more confidence in the process. Crime prevention then becomes less onerous.”

Mr. Burns hopes students will be proactive in helping to stay safe. His advice to incoming students includes the obvious -- lock your doors, don't prop doors open -- and the less so -- wear your bike helmets (Ontarians, take note – not the law in the homeland, but it is here!). He also suggests students program the security number into their cell phones (494-6400), don't leave drinks unattended if they're out and about, and take advantage of the Tiger Patrol.

He's not looking to completely change the look and feel of security at Dal. “It's a good business unit that runs well with some folk who have been here a long time,” he notes. But he looks forward to putting his own stamp on things. Visibility and accessibility are the key attributes he wants associated with security here. Trying to shorten the time between problem identification and response is a goal. Security being seen as approachable even for issues that aren't seen as traditional security issues is important to him. He wants to see a client-focused approach to the job - the clients being staff, faculty and especially, students. Making sure those clients are safe and sound are what motivates a man who has dedicated his career to keeping eye out, making sure all is well in our small town.