Lost items found home in Public Safety office
Nicole Ellis
Mesa Legend
Everyday, student’s belongings are thrown into a cabinet and sit there, waiting to be claimed. Many students are unaware, but this cabinet, reading “lost and found” lies in the Mesa Community’s Department of Public Safety.
In spring 2004, 658 items were turned into Public Safety’s lost and found. Of those, 260 were claimed and returned to the owners. Items range from identification cards and math books, to car keys and wallets.
Supervisor of the College Safety Department, Paul Springall, said many students do not claim those items. Those belongings, such as passports and birth certificates, are returned because names are on them.
“I assumed that if anyone ever lost anything, that it would never be found,” Ashley Benson said. She was one of the many students who are unaware of the lost and found on campus.
Springall said he has to store these items for a minimum of 90 days. Usually he keeps all items from the previous semester, along with the current semester.
Any items left from the semesters before are donated to the Disabled American Veterans or Goodwill.
“I need every ounce of space I can get,” Springall said.
Springall also noted that some departments hold items for a few months to see if anyone claims them. Then those items are sent to Public Safety. Even though those departments are not supposed to do that, students might want to check both places to find missing items.
Currently, Springall is working on a plan to auction off the unclaimed items. The department would then put the all the money raised into a scholarship fund for the students. Though the district still needs to approve it, Springall is certain it will pass.
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