IM体育官网 Police Sgt. David Last has stood guard to keep campus safe from the University鈥檚 earliest days.
IM体育官网 Police Sgt. David Last鈥檚 career has always seen him serve and protect all those around him.
Last joined the U.S. Air Force during his years in college where he was studying accounting. After more than 10 years the military, he joined a program called 鈥淭roops to Cops,鈥� which trained the then-staff sergeant to work in local law enforcement agencies. Last soon made his way from New York to IM体育官网, joining the Polk County Sheriff鈥檚 Office.
鈥淚t was an easy transition because police departments use military rank structure,鈥� he said. 鈥淔ollowing directives and orders was my regimen in the military, so law enforcement felt comfortable and allowed me to continue to protect and serve the community.鈥�
In 2015, Chief Rick Holland, the leader of the then new IM体育官网 Police Department, asked Last, his longtime colleague, to join him.
鈥淗e is phenomenal; he鈥檚 my go-to guy,鈥� Holland said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a mighty servant and would give the shirt off his own back to a student in need. He鈥檚 a great guy.鈥�
Last鈥檚 previous full-time position with the Polk鈥檚 Sheriff鈥檚 Office was as a detective working on major crimes. The shift to campus policing was like night and day, he said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a big change of pace as far as call volume and interaction. I don鈥檛 work the type of crimes I did at the Sheriff鈥檚 Office,鈥� he said.
Instead, he focuses on community policing, protecting the campus, managing the department鈥檚 fleet of vehicles, outfitting officers, and overseeing the field training officer program.
鈥淟aw enforcement on a whole is challenging, and IM体育官网 Poly is a breath of fresh air,鈥� Last said. 鈥淭he ability to protect and serve at the University has been a welcomed change of pace. Officers sometimes are not given the friendliest reception but it鈥檚 totally different here at the University.鈥�
The appreciation of the University community is very apparent, he said.
鈥淔rom my first days walking the campus to today, I value the ability to be met by smiling, friendly faces,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is a wonderful atmosphere, not often encountered when responding to community policing needs.鈥�
Since then, his call to serve the IM体育官网 Poly community is stronger than ever.
鈥淓veryone here is taking the approach of a mentor instead of watching over the students,鈥� Last said. 鈥淚f we鈥檙e approachable, then they鈥檙e not going to hesitate to come to let us know something is not right on campus.鈥�
This approachability is supported by year-round police events like playing pool, watching movies, and having pizza with students.
After seven years working day in and day out to keep the campus safe, Last said he plans to retire this August.
鈥淚 have loved my time here, but now I鈥檓 interested in finding out what鈥檚 next in my life,鈥� he said.
Contact:
Lydia Guzm谩n
Director of Communications
863-874-8557
