By Jackie Rapetti, News Staff

After a 37-year career working with the Northeastern University Division of Public Safety (NUPD), James Ferrier, 63, is retiring from his role as the university’s associate director of public safety.

An avid Yankees fan from Old Saybrook, Conn., Ferrier graduated from the University of Connecticut and went on to receive his masters in administration of criminal justice at Northeastern.

“I’m a double Husky,” Ferrier said.

Joseph Griffin, NUPD’s director of public safety, originally hired Ferrier as a patrolman at UConn.

“He was a bright star and progressed very quickly on the promotional scale,” Griffin said. “When I came to Northeastern in 1974, I asked Jim to join me in helping to build a very solid foundation in which today’s public safety has been built upon.”

When Ferrier came to Northeastern in 1975, he said the environment on college campuses was a very different place.

“Students and many campus officials didn’t see the need for police on campus,” Ferrier said. “Drugs were rampant in the country and on campuses and crime was rapidly increasing as a result.”

While working at Northeastern, Ferrier decided to hire students on co-ops to the public safety division for the first time in the late ‘70s in an effort to integrate NUPD as a part of the university, rather than a separate entity imposing on students.

Thirteen of the people he has hired over the years, including several co-op students, have gone on to become directors of public safety at other universities.

Ferrier said he has met many wonderful and prominent people over the years, including presidents of the United States, governors, senators and other world leaders.

“Those are memorable moments, but the most memorable times have been smaller everyday things, like working with the Student Government Association on implementing security procedures that help students,” Ferrier said.

In the late ‘70s, Ferrier insisted on having a weekly crime log published in what was then the Northeastern News.

“We’ve really cherished our open relationship with The News because I believe the crime log is our most effective crime prevention tool,” Ferrier said. The tradition continued after The News moved off campus in 2008.

With many bizarre reports over the years, Ferrier said he recalls one in particular.

“Back in the ‘80s there was a man who used to live in the neighborhood and he spray painted himself orange on move-in day to help direct traffic,” Ferrier said. “Some parents called and reported this oddball person who said he was just trying to help and thought he’d be more visible if he was painted orange in the street.”

Despite the entertaining stories, Ferrier advises students to learn about public safety resources on campus.

“It is a city and anything can happen anytime, so use common sense,” he said.

Griffin, who has worked with Ferrier for 41 years, said he is glad to have had the pleasure of working with him.

“I wish Jim great health in the future and great prosperity,” Griffin said.

In his retirement, Ferrier said he plans to attend a few Yankees games and spend time with his family.

“My two daughters are both Northeastern graduates and they both have wonderful families so my wife and I plan to do some traveling and visit them,” Ferrier said.

Proud of what he’s accomplished, Ferrier said it has been a privilege to be a part of the university.

“I will miss working in such a wonderfully exciting special community called Northeastern University,” he said.