Jamison Guice, Campus Carrier features editor

Kelsee Brady, Campus Carrier asst. features editor 

Police Chief Jonathon Baggett has served as a member of Campus Safety since 1988. He said some of his duties as chief include managing the budget, attending meetings and serving on the council for Student Life. However, over the course of his career, he has had several different job positions with Campus Safety. Some of his roles include being a patrol officer, a corporal and a liaison with the Department of Natural Resources, according to Baggett. 

Baggett said he has served about 26 years at Berry. However, he has left the campus to work other jobs during the years. He said in 1997, he left Campus Safety to work for a small family business but then left. Then, in 2002, he worked for the Adairsville Police Department. Baggett said that when he was rehired in 2002, he became the evening shift supervisor. 

“Berry has always had good benefits, good work environment,” Baggett said. 

Baggett has been a part of many different events during his time on campus. He said he was a part of the team who provided security around a plane crash site in December 1991. According to Baggett, the Bruno corporate plane crashed into the mountain due to the inability to see through the fog. 

“It was like a scene out of a horror show,” Baggett said. “It was awful. It probably took a week, basically, to get all of that Bruno plane cleaned up.” 

In 1996, Berry College hosted the Olympic Youth Camp. The camp invites athletes of varying ages to compete in Olympic-themed sports. During this event, Baggett said he was able to see many different kinds of people. 

“Everything going on, on campus was about the Olympics,” Baggett said. “Every TV had the Olympics turned on.” 

In the future, Baggett said he would like to see the department grow. He said Campus Safety is currently in the process of getting the certification to be a state certified police agency. He said it is a long process but it is simply a set of policies and guidelines that the department would agree to go by. For example, he said that it would set regulated standards in the workplace. 

“It takes most agencies anywhere from two to four years to get it completed,” Baggett said. “There’s a hundred plus standards that you have to meet and have a policy on and prove that you do.” 

When he is not working, Baggett said some of his hobbies include fishing, kayaking and hunting. He said his family enjoys kayaking on the Etowah River after church on Sunday. Also, he said that he enjoys fishing at the Reservoir in his free time. 

“I have just always enjoyed being outside and hunting and fishing ever since I was little,” Baggett said. “My daddy always took me hunting and fishing.” 

As a patrol officer, Brian Chandler said some of his duties include writing tickets, answering phone calls and patrolling the campus. He said he began working at Berry because, while looking for a job, he realized that he would be sent to the police academy as a Campus Safety employee. 

During his 12 years of service, Chandler said that what stood out to him the most is that students on campus are generally good and respectful. He said, compared to bigger colleges, he does not think this would be the case. 

“We don’t have the same problems as they do at say a state school,” Chandler said. “I think it’s a different type of student, a different type of kid.” 

When he has time off, Chandler said he likes to fish. He said he enjoys visiting the Reservoir during the early morning hours when he is off duty. On Thursday or Friday morning, he is often on the lake. 

“I like to be on the water, fishing,” Chandler said. “Fishing is just one of my favorite pastimes.” 

He said that he began fishing as a child. Bringing that tradition to the present, Chandler said that his two children also enjoy fishing. Sixteen-year-old Will is a sophomore in high school and Twelve-year-old Jessica is in seventh grade. He said Will is on the swim team and Jessica plays volleyball. 

Chandler said that he expects both of his children to attend Berry when they are older. He said if they attend, he does not expect any problems because they are good kids. 

“Everybody in this department knows them,” Chandler said. 

Chandler has been married to Laurie Chandler, director of Bonner Scholars, for about 20 years. He said they first met through a mutual friend. Now, both working together on campus, he said it does not pose a problem because they do not see each other during work hours. 

In about 14 years, Chandler said he plans to retire. He said that he would like to move near a lake so he can continue his passion for fishing. The climate does not matter as long as there is water nearby, he said. 

Officer Matt Maddox began with the Berry College Police Department in 2017. Prior to joining the force, he worked with the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office for almost nine and a half years. He received the opportunity to work at Berry when he heard about the job through his friends that worked at Berry. 

Maddox is a native of the Rome area and is currently raising his family here as well. 

“I’m from Rome,” Maddox said. “I grew up in Silver Creek and went to Pepperell High School.” 

Maddox has a wife, Cherish, and an 11-year-old son, Asher, who is homeschooled. Spending time with family is very important to him, and he enjoys spending time with his family hiking in the Berry woods. 

“We do the hiking, we do a little fishing sometimes up at the Res, and currently just taking in some of the concerts,” Maddox said. 

Maddox enjoys interacting with students on and off campus both at church and at campus events. 

“Anything sports related, I’m a big fan of,” said Maddox. “There’s been a couple of football players that with the whole ministry side of things, I’ve been able to meet with them. Those are the memories that I like, being able to work with them on and off campus.” 

Maddox is heavily involved in his church community. He and his family attend Cornerstone Church, where his wife is a worship leader. He said that they strive to be effective in their areas and value effectiveness in their current positions over titles and pay raises. 

“With my wife doing worship, we’re a big part of worship nights,” Maddox said. “I’ll usually run sound on the nights that I’m available.” 

Maddox plans to stay in Rome and, when taking the position at Berry, he had his son’s future in mind. 

“I’ve got a young son, so we’re looking at the future,” Maddox said. 

Sergeant Anthony Loveless began his work with the Berry Police Department as a patrol officer in 2013 and later became sergeant. He currently serves as the second shift patrol supervisor. 

“This is actually my retirement job, ” Loveless said. “I policed for 22 years before I came here. This police department emphasizes more community policing instead of enforcement. This police department encourages more to interact with the student population whereas at my previous employment, it was more enforcement.” 

Loveless puts a large amount of thought into patrolling Berry’s campus. He considers the flow of students coming on and off campus. 

“I patrol different parts of campus based upon the time of day, the student population as far as the comings and goings, ” Loveless said. “For instance, on a Sunday evening, you’ll see one of my cars, either me or one of the other patrol cars, around the baseball lot, and it’s because there are a lot of students coming back in as the sun’s going down. There’s actually more of a thought process than just driving around.” 

According to Loveless, his future plans at the police department involve completing a certification program that holds the department to a higher standard nationally. 

“I am currently working, through the police department, on the Georgia Law Enforcement Certification program, ” Loveless said. “We are a recognized police department in Georgia; however, Georgia has a volunteer certification program for departments that goes above and beyond that. It’s based upon national best practice standards. I am working towards that. That is something that the new chief of police put as one of his goals for the department.” 

Student interaction is a large part of Loveless’ job and he enjoys being 

able to be a part of the community on Berry’s campus. 

“I love working the different athletic events, ” Loveless 

said. “I enjoy just talking to the students. Marthapalooza, I’ve worked that every Mountain Day since I have been here. That’s always a joy for me, just hanging out with the students in more of a relaxed, informal setting.”