Recently DMACC has boosted its security measures, including hiring security teams for campuses. With Boone DMACC’s turn, a security guard was brought from Ankeny this semester to start Boone’s security program.
Dave Chapline was born in Houston, Texas, and was raised in southern California. Ask Dave about his work before DMACC security, and he will only smile.
“I have lived several lifetimes occupationally, and educationally,” Dave said, estimating that he tried out around 160 different occupations. At age 21 he joined the Navy as an air traffic controller for nine years (five active and four reserve), and for 45 years he has had some sort of business, making him self employed. Alongside that, Chapline’s had many jobs, from landscaping and tree services to real estate to “private property manager” to a rock and roll singer. When real estate grew big, Dave moved to Texas to start a mortgage company with two partners. In 1995, Dave moved to Iowa as that is where his wife Nancy is from, and continued his long line of career tasting.
“I’m going to try brain surgery next,” Dave jokes. “It’s on the list.”
During his “many lifetimes”, Dave has gone to school for 32 straight years, changing majors seven times while trying to figure out what exactly he wanted to do. Along with that, he became a father, having three kids along with becoming a foster parent, fostering 65 kids and adopting five of them within 25 years.
Dave retired once, but after a bit over a year, he realized he wanted more income and started looking for work. He discovered DMACC looking for a security guard and started out in Ankeny in February. He was offered the opportunity to start the security program at the Boone campus.
Dave’s job is to patrol not only the main building, but also the residential buildings and he deals with security risks for sporting events. He takes his job very seriously, encouraging safety protocols such as making sure that doors that are supposed to be locked (such as with the apartments) are not propped open.
“Think about what could happen,” Dave said. “I know it seems like a super safe place, which is good, everybody’s comfortable . . . but the reality is that things don’t stay that way.”
Students and faculty can catch Dave in the halls on patrol Monday through Friday from 7:30am-3:30pm. There is also a kioske on the East end of the Courter Center where people may find him and information. If needed, contact Boone DMACC security by calling Dave at (515) 230-4066.
Photography by Micki Anderson