Two years ago, Ken Barnett put down his night stick and picked up a pen.

That was when Barnett-who started with Sacramento State?s campus police force as a student dispatcher in 1976-became the director of the Department of Public Safety, the top campus cop.

It?s his job to worry about the security of people and property at Sac State. The higher profile of the campus in recent years, the swelling population attending school, and concerns stemming from Sept. 11 all complicate Barnett?s job.

When the Olympic trials came to Sac State in 2000, Barnett spent 28 out of 31 days working on campus to make sure things went smoothly.

“I?m a manager,” Barnett said. ” I don?t get overtime.”

Barnett earns $99,144 as top cop, and has to be concerned with the traffic woes that go with the record student enrollment expected this fall. He says his department of 18 certified officers are ready to handle the problem.

“Part of every officers daily routine is traffic,” Barnett said, “they?ve all taken additional courses in traffic accident investigation.”

Barnett said that the biggest crime problem on campus is property crime.

“Thieves know that at any point in the week we can have 10,000 cars within 300 acres on campus.”

Since the events of Sept. 11 Barnett has even more on his plate.To battle the potential terrorist threat Barnett and the campus police department stay closely involved with other local law enforcement, a terrorism task force and the FBI.

“The FBI are contacted almost daily,” Barnett said.

New training for officers includes special attention on how to deal with Anthrax and other bio-terrorism agents.

State of the art hand held police radios make it possible for officers to contact the local fire department, the Sacramento Police Department, the County Sheriffs Department and even the FBI directly with the push of a button.

“Is it ever enough?” was still the question Barnett asked.

With all the responsibility Barnett still finds time for his wife and three children, his kids though are all adults and lead their own lives.

If you see anything suspicious on campus Barnett?s advice is to, “report it.”

“As much as I would like to say the department can handle everything alone I can?t,” Barnett said, “most crimes are solved with tips and information from citizens.