News release Public Information Office   SLU 10880   Hammond, LA 70402   phone: 985-549-2341   fax: 985-549-2061 publicinfo@selu.edu Summer  2005 news releases Public Information home News archive Contact: Christina Chapple Date: 10/13/05   Click on image for publication quality photo  Mike Prescott, left; Patrick Gipson, right SOUTHEASTERN NAMES ACTING CHIEF, ASSISTANT CHIEF OF UNIVERSITY POLICE        HAMMOND – Mike Prescott, a 29-year law enforcement veteran, has been named acting director of Southeastern Louisiana University’s police department, replacing Paul Marek, who retired in September after 15 years as chief.        Prescott was previously assistant director of the University Police Department. Patrick Gipson, a member of the university’s police force since 1996, has been named acting assistant director.        Prescott received associate and bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice from Southeastern and spent more than two decades with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and New Orleans International Airport Police before joining the Southeastern force in November 2003.        “This is a significant appointment to a very important post at Southeastern,” said Marvin Yates, interim vice president for student affairs. “We feel Chief Prescott will bring to the office the credibility, esprit de corps and sensitivity required of a police department on a college campus.”        “It’s been great to be back at Southeastern where I graduated in 1976,” said Prescott. “My goal as acting chief is to make the university a safe and secure environment for our students, faculty, staff and visitors.”        Prescott joined the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department as a patrol deputy in 1977. He served as senior sergeant from 1985 until joining Southeastern’s force. He has completed a variety of special training from various agencies, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office Homeland Security Intelligence, the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, and the FBI.         Gipson also has a Southeastern criminal justice bachelor’s degree and is a master’s degree candidate in applied sociology. His duties with the University Police Department have included serving as community education officer since 1999 where he directed programming and training on topics ranging from crime prevention to sexual assault and domestic violence.         Following his retirement as chief, Marek is serving as interim coordinator of the Risk Assessment Office at Southeastern, where his duties include compiling a cost calculation of hurricane-related damage, following up on quarterly university safety reports and state property losses, and inspecting buildings for safety hazards and personal security issues.