December 01, 2004
Doan promoted to captain at police department
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Lt. Kay W. Doan, a 24-year veteran of Southern Illinois University Carbondale's Department of Public Safety, assumes her new role as captain today (Dec. 1).
Public Safety Director Todd D. Sigler announced the appointment.
"I have worked with her for almost as long as she has been here," Sigler said. "We understand, I think, each other's philosophy. It's very similar with respect to the service that we try to provide to the University, the type of police department that we try and foster, promote and help other employees to understand what we are trying to do.
"I don't have to explain that to Kay; she understands that," Sigler said. "She can make decisions that are very much in line with what I would do in a situation without having to come and ask about it."
"That's very valuable to have," he said. "And to be able to find that in-house is, I think, a bonus. We are going to continue to do that with the employees we have here and build an even stronger department."
Doan succeeds Sigler as captain, a post he held until his appointment in September as public safety director.
A native of Salem, Doan graduated from Salem High School. She earned a bachelor's degree from SIUC in administration of justice in 1980.
Doan started her career at SIUC as a telecommunication operator in August 1980. She became a police officer in September 1983, then became a sergeant in September 1988 and lieutenant seven months later.
As captain, Doan will oversee the department's patrol division, in addition to her previous duties supervising the department's investigations unit and telecommunications operations.
The department has 36 active sworn officers and 18 office staff, which includes parking division employees.
Doan believes she is ready to take on the additional responsibilities.
"I'm excited. It will be a nice change," she said.
Sigler noted that Doan's credibility on campus is important for the department. She was recently appointed to a committee examining gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues on campus. Doan twice served as interim public safety director when the University was searching for someone to head the department - the first time in 1992, and again earlier this year prior to Sigler's appointment.
"She has credibility with the University community, which is very important because the Department of Public Safety is a very service-oriented operation on campus. It is very important to have someone in a leadership positions who has established credibility with various constituency groups," Sigler said.
Promoting campus safety is among the goals of Southern at 150: Building Excellence Through Commitment, the blueprint for the development of the University by the time it celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2019.
Doan lives in Carterville with her two children.