Incoming students will not see a face that has been around the St. Edward’s University campus for nearly 30 years.

University Police Department Captain Dan Beck, currently the interim police chief, will retire this summer after nearly 28 years of service to campus. Beck will miss his first orientation session since they’ve started, he said.

Hilltop Views’ then Online Editor-in-Chief Lyanne Guarecuco sat down with Beck in March 2015.

In that interview, he tells us about his time at St. Edward’s. Beck came to the Hilltop in August 1988. At the time, there were only 11 buildings above ground. There are now over 30.

Beck was inspired to become a police officer by his uncle Dan and his love of Western movies.

One of the most vivid memories of his childhood is of his uncle Dan, who was a constable, helping out a man who wrote a check with insufficient funds instead of arresting him. The man had gone over on his check by $7 when he was buying shoes for his children.

“We went down to the store, wherever he’d written the hot check at, and I watched my uncle pay cash money to take care of the check. And he told the guy to just pay him back … I remember that, so it must have been very important to me as a child ‘cause of the way that he treated people. He didn’t treat people like they were criminals, so I tried to carry it on,” Beck said.

And carry it on he has: On the occasions when Beck has made arrests of homeless people on campus, he usually tries to stop at McDonald’s to buy them something to eat on the way down to jail.

Beck has not decided on a date of his retirement, but says it will be this summer, depending on when a new leader is hired for the department.

Vice President for Student Affairs Lisa Kirkpatrick has known and worked with Beck for over 20 years.

“He is a kind, compassionate and thoughtful leader and has supported a number of officers in their transition to the Hilltop, especially to help them understand what community policing means to us and how police officers live the mission on a day to day basis,” she said.

Beck said he has enjoyed his time on campus and will miss St. Edward’s desire to educate people the most.

“If you have been here for 27 years, you’ll find that this is a great institution,” he said.

Beck has a reassuring presence and always puts students first, Kirkpatrick said.

“I always know that Dan will be there when I need him — on site to help me respond to an emergency, or by phone to talk through an immediate problem,” Kirkpatrick said. “He is as loyal to St. Edward’s as the sky is blue.”

All things must come to an end. Today, Beck has moved into an office in Andre Hall, next door to Hilltop Views. And Hilltop Views can report that Beck occasionally enjoys singing in his office.