New deputy proctor swaps police for uni
TAKING up the mantle of deputy proctor at the University of Otago will be an exciting challenge after 27 years in the police, one of the university’s newest staff members says.
Geoff Burns, formerly manager of police forensic photographers in the South Island, made the move to Dunedin with his family to take up his new role in late April.
In his previous position Mr Burns was involved in a variety of serious cases in Christchurch, including homicides and serious assaults.
There were some ‘‘sad and gruesome’’ aspects to the job that he would not miss, he said.
Before becoming a forensic photographer he was a frontline police officer in Christchurch for 14 years.
There was a lot of liaison work in his new role as deputy proctor, and he would be interacting with students who came to the attention of the proctor’s office for disciplinary reasons.
‘‘It’s a really diverse role. ‘‘There are a lot of transferable skills.
‘‘Policing is largely about communicating with people and building a rapport, getting an understanding of who you are speaking to.’’
Mr Burns has taken over from Andrew Ferguson, who was deputy proctor for 12 years before he took up another role at the university.
Making sure students enjoyed themselves safely at university were priorities, Mr Burns said, and the rollout of 26 extra CCTV cameras in the campus area, which began last month, was a winwin situation for everyone.
The university’s Campus Watch was particularly impressive, and something most universities around the country did not offer.
There was no one catalyst for him leaving the police force but he knew it was time to move on.
He and his family were settling well into the city, although he was still a fan of the Crusaders, rather than the Highlanders, and he thought the university was a ‘‘fantastic place’’.
‘‘I don’t know what else to say, there is a vibe, it’s tangible.’’
In his spare time he is a passionate photographer, and he was pleased he would be able to take photos that could be seen by other people.