6 / ’southern
COMMUNITYNEWS
Oneof BSC’s top cops retires after 31 years
withdepartment
CarlWilson ’01 spentmost of his adult life keeping theHilltop safe, but that run
came to an end inMarchwhenhe retired after 31 yearswith theBSCCampus Police
Department. He spent the last 13of those as deputy chief.
Wilson said retirementwill givehim a chance todevotemore time to travel, playing
golf, reconnectingwith friends, andmost of all, concentratingonhis real estate
business.
“I’m really excited about this new chapter inmy life,” saidWilson. “I’m sad, but I’ll
keepbusy to get over it.”
He is an eight-year veteranof theU.S. Air Force and served two tours of duty in
Southeast Asiaduring theVietnamWar. Duringhis years on theHilltop, he earned a
bachelor’s degree inbusiness fromBSC’s former Adult Studies Program.
At a campus retirement reception forWilson, BSCPoliceChief RandyYoungblood
saidWilson’s departure is bittersweet.
“Weboth came toBirmingham-Southern as young adults to serve andprotect,”he
said. “Inour nearly32 years ofworking together, we’veboth evolved somuch. He’s
mybrother.”
VicePresident of AdministrationLane Estes presented a rocking chair, a retirement
gift forWilson, andYoungblood gavehim aplaquehonoringhismore than three
decades of service to the college.
“DeputyChiefWilsonhelpedme to gain valuable insight and achievenew focus
in choosing a career path,” saidMichael Elcott, aBSC senior andwork-study for the
Department. “He always showed a special interest inhelping those aroundhim and the campus community as awhole.”
Here are threeofWilson’smostmemorableBSC experiences, inhis ownwords:
•
“A largeblackbearwanderedon campus in Juneof 1993. Thebear hadbeen struckby a vehiclewhile crossing I-59 and entered the
woods northof our campus. The JeffersonCounty Sheriff’sOffice SWAT teamwas called in alongwith several other law enforcement
agencies. Thebear exited the campus from theBruno entrance, and, after a two-day search, was captured in anearby yard. After that
experience, everyone referred to the animal as theBrunobear.”
•
“WhenPresident Bill Clinton steppedonto the campus duringhis re-election campaign in the fall of 1996, Iwas the contact person for
his security team. I got tohangoutwith the teamduringhis visit aswell as shake thepresident’s hand and get apicture takenwithhim.”
•
“During the 1996 SummerOlympicGames, hostedbyBirmingham, BSChoused several of the athletes. Every law enforcement agency
you can thinkofwas onour campus; theAlabama state troopers served as lead. The college turned the entiredormquad into an
Olympic village and fenced it in.”
BSCnamedoneof the safest campuses in the South
Safewise.comhas namedBirmingham-Southernoneof the four safest colleges in the South.
“Not onlydoBirmingham-Southern alumni have an impressive record for acceptance intomedical, dental and law schools, but they
complete their undergraduate studies ononeof the safest campuses in the south,” Safewisewrites. It credits BSC’s energeticCampus Police
department thatworks diligently to reassureparents that their students are in goodhands—whether it’s 24-hour on-campus escorts, bike
patrols or emergency response, the college is on the case tokeep its staff, faculty, and students fromharm.
Safewise.com is awebsite that compares home securityproviders and reviews home securityproducts. It comparedpolice statistics from
2013 to comeupwith its rankings.
Wilson
