Alex Gutierrez: Officer of the Year

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A Tech cop since 2004, Alex Gutierrez is the Georgia Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators’ Officer of the Year. Even in his off-duty hours, Gutierrez conducts crime prevention seminars — in English or Spanish — and volunteers for Institute events. He also is the Tech department’s first gang and graffiti specialist. As a full-time crime prevention officer, Gutierrez has reached out to Atlanta officials to better the community surrounding the campus. His award nomination also noted that he compiled a recommendation for the Tech police chief on how Segways could be used most effectively in the line of duty.

1. Is working for a university police department different than working for a municipal department?

I would say yes. Our community differs in the age group we serve compared to a municipal police department. The majority of the campus population is traditional college-age students. Municipal police departments deal with anywhere from 0 to 100. However, crime is wherever you are, and we treat it as so.

2. Can you outline your duties in the crime prevention unit?

As crime prevention officer it is my role to educate the community; develop and organize crime prevention programs for students, faculty and staff; and conduct presentations to fraternities, sororities, associations, clubs and community groups off campus. I also serve as a liaison with city, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

3. What are the top two crime prevention tips you tell students?

Always be aware of your surroundings and do not leave valuables unattended. For the most part, our most frequent crimes on campus are thefts or “crimes of opportunity.” Usually if a car is broken into, it’s because the individual left a laptop of GPS unit out in plain view, or if something is stolen, it’s because it was left unattended.

4. Has crime increased on and around the Georgia Tech in the last year? In the last two years?

In the last year, on-campus crime has decreased by approximately 16 percent. In 2008, crime increased 22 percent. Georgia Tech is located in Zone 5 within the Atlanta police department jurisdiction zones. If you go to the Atlanta police Web site, there are statistics showing that they had a decrease of 11 percent in the last year. In 2008, there was no change.

5. Do you believe students should be able to carry concealed weapons?

As a sworn police officer for the state of Georgia, I have to uphold the law regardless of what my personal thoughts are. By being a police officer now for six years here at Georgia Tech, I believe that students having guns would not be the solution for crime.

6. What is the most rewarding part about being a Tech police officer?

When I see someone I helped in the recent past, they have a huge smile on their face of thankfulness.

7. What is the most frustrating part of your job?

To see individuals in the community be a victim of a crime when the crime is an opportunistic one that could have been avoided by applying common sense and street smarts.

8. How important is it for Tech to reach out to the surrounding community to prevent crime?

We work closely with the Atlanta police department, Midtown Blue Officers and the Georgia State Patrol to deter crime in the surrounding areas of campus. We also work with nearby neighborhoods to do what we can to help reduce crime on the boundaries of campus.

9. How does your fluency in Spanish help you in your job?

It has helped me be a part of recruiting minorities of Hispanic descent to Georgia Tech. From time to time I work with the Admissions office, and they invite me so the potential students may have an opportunity to meet with me with any questions or concerns they may have.

10. Where did you grow up?

New York City — Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, the Bronx and Manhattan. I’m a true New Yorker!

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