2008 Woodie Awards
The Man Behind the Salute
Zoë Kern
Issue date: 4/7/04 Section: Features
He wears a sharp uniform and a shiny badge. Many students see his face two or three times per day. He may be the person who checks in your friends and visitors that pass through Goucher's front entrance.
How many of us really know our Public Safety Officers, though? The Goucher community fondly refers to this particular Security Officer as, "the saluter," but his real name is Leon Stirling.
Although Stirling has been a part of Goucher College for about five years now, he has worked in many different jobs in places far from Towson, Maryland. Stirling grew up in Montego Bay, which is the most westerly town in Jamaica, and the tourism capital of the island.
He attended school there, but left at age 19 to join the Kingston Police Department. Stirling spent sixteen weeks in training school before being appointed as a patrolman. After Stirling had worked in this position, he returned to school, but this time, he trained to become a detective.
Stirling then switched his focus again to transportation and went on to become a detective. He went to work at Hunt's Bay Police Station in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), before being transferred to the flying squad. During this time, Stirling was sent to investigate serious crimes throughout Jamaica, which, in turn, allowed him to travel to different cities and towns around the island.
One morning, Stirling was instructed to bring in a group of local offenders. After locking up two of the men, a violent shootout took place between the police and the remaining felons and Stirling was shot in the leg.
His injury was severe and Stirling had to endure many surgeries before he was released from the hospital. After the incident and numerous medical procedures, Stirling grew weary of law enforcement and he decided to leave the line of work
Stirling left Jamaica and moved to the United States, settling in Maryland, where various friends and acquaintances already resided. Stirling started working as a detective in Baltimore and he remained in this position for six years. Giant Food Corporation then employed his detective services and he was put in charge of fourteen different stores.
How many of us really know our Public Safety Officers, though? The Goucher community fondly refers to this particular Security Officer as, "the saluter," but his real name is Leon Stirling.
Although Stirling has been a part of Goucher College for about five years now, he has worked in many different jobs in places far from Towson, Maryland. Stirling grew up in Montego Bay, which is the most westerly town in Jamaica, and the tourism capital of the island.
He attended school there, but left at age 19 to join the Kingston Police Department. Stirling spent sixteen weeks in training school before being appointed as a patrolman. After Stirling had worked in this position, he returned to school, but this time, he trained to become a detective.
Stirling then switched his focus again to transportation and went on to become a detective. He went to work at Hunt's Bay Police Station in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), before being transferred to the flying squad. During this time, Stirling was sent to investigate serious crimes throughout Jamaica, which, in turn, allowed him to travel to different cities and towns around the island.
One morning, Stirling was instructed to bring in a group of local offenders. After locking up two of the men, a violent shootout took place between the police and the remaining felons and Stirling was shot in the leg.
His injury was severe and Stirling had to endure many surgeries before he was released from the hospital. After the incident and numerous medical procedures, Stirling grew weary of law enforcement and he decided to leave the line of work
Stirling left Jamaica and moved to the United States, settling in Maryland, where various friends and acquaintances already resided. Stirling started working as a detective in Baltimore and he remained in this position for six years. Giant Food Corporation then employed his detective services and he was put in charge of fourteen different stores.