With 40 years of criminal justice experience behind him, Rolf Dzirson, Director of
the Department of Public Safety for the PCOM Georgia campuses, has worked to provide a safe environment for the college
since 2013. “We focus on being a service-oriented department that creates a safe and
welcoming environment for our community,” he said.
Since he first arrived, Dzirson, with his sense of humor always at the ready, has strived to build a sense of community, both within the Public Safety Department and across the campus. He encourages his officers to get to know students, faculty and staff. “As a whole, I push for them to be out and engaged with our campus community,” he said.
In fact, he is most proud of collaborating with the Office of Student Affairs to bring mental health awareness training to his officers. This training helps Dzirson’s staff identify students who may be in crisis so they can refer them for counseling.
“We see our people every day and we can observe changes. That’s part of being in community,” he said. “When I see students who were in crisis and are now thriving, I am happy that public safety had a part in getting them help.”
In addition to the Suwanee campus, Dzirson oversees public safety at PCOM South Georgia in Moultrie where Heidi Browning, assistant director of the Department of Public Safety, serves as the campus’ boots-on-the-ground public safety presence. The college contracts with Allied Universal, a private security and staffing company, to supplement the department. Dzirson, along with Browning and Michael Simpson, the allied account manager who has worked on the PCOM Georgia campus since 2014, scan the horizon to find innovative ways to provide security services in a higher education setting.
He strongly believes that a uniformed presence makes a big difference in keeping the PCOM campuses safe from outsiders. He also believes in preparation. The department regularly offers active shooter training to all members of the campus community, as well as self-defense classes.
Prior to working in higher education, Dzirson was a detective squad commander for the New York City Police Department, retiring after 20 years of service. A poignant time was his involvement in rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center in 2001.
“We have a large melting pot population on our campuses,” he said. “It reminds me of the people I worked with in New York City whom I still keep in touch with.”
Dzirson grew up in Washington Heights, a neighborhood in the northernmost part of the borough of Manhattan, known for its stunning Hudson River views. The neighborhood is also known for inspiring Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit Broadway musical, “In the Heights.”
However, “Adam 12”, a TV series that aired in the 60s and 70s about two patrol officers in Los Angeles, influenced Dzirson to explore police work as a career. At the age of 17, he volunteered to be an auxiliary police officer in New York City. Auxiliary members were required to volunteer four hours a week and served as the eyes and ears of the police department.
Not deterred by his auxiliary service, Dzirson decided to pursue a career in community service, enrolling in EMT school where he serendipitously met his wife, Doris, of 38 years. They didn’t start dating immediately, but got to know each other as partners in a private ambulance company. Later, Dzirson became a police officer working in Washington Heights, Harlem, Spanish Harlem and the South Bronx. Doris worked on New York City ambulances for ten years.
The couple married and now have three adult children—two are veterans and one is still serving his country, all of whom share a patriotic outlook. When they first moved to Woodstock, Georgia, to be closer to family members, Dzirson worked in public safety for Georgia Tech and owned a private investigation firm specializing in criminal defense and civil rights investigations for attorneys in the North Georgia region.
He thoroughly enjoys the familial atmosphere at PCOM. He said, “The people I interact with at PCOM Georgia make me want to come back every day. Our campus is a safe campus, based on the character of our campus community as a whole. We all get along.”
He encourages students to come and talk to him, in addition to any of the security officers. “If they want to talk, if they get bogged down with studying, we’re always able to provide a listening ear,” he said. After all, that’s what family is all about.
Established in 2005, PCOM Georgia is a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education with a storied 125-year history dedicated to the healthcare professions. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), PCOM Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins PCOM South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, PCOM Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit pcomgeorgiahealth.org.
Jamesia Harrison, MS
Assistant Director, News and Media Relations
Email: jamesiaha@pcom.edu
Office: 678-225-7532 | Cell: 470-572-7558
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