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The Division of Public Safety dissolved its Security Services Department last Friday, handing over Penn's security initiatives to three outside firms. The move eliminated the job of Security Services Director Stratis Skoufalos, who had led the department for almost three years. Skoufalos' last day was last Friday. Skoufalos, a 24-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department who came to Penn in 1998, is the only member of the four-person Security Services administrative team who left the University entirely. Activities formerly coordinated by the department will now be handled directly by Security Services Technology, IXP and Spectaguard, all of which already handle major security operations for Penn. The three companies will report directly to Vice President for Public Safety Thomas Seamon. Security Services -- one of four departments run by the Division of Public Safety -- handled security guards, blue-light phones, building access control, alarm systems and closed circuit television monitors. Seamon said the elimination of Security Services was an attempt to get rid of the "middle man" between outside security companies and Seamon himself. "As [the outside firms] grew in capabilities, our own in-house staff was becoming somewhat redundant," Seamon said. "We didn't need, in effect, the middle people." For instance, Spectaguard Assistant Vice President Gesi McAllister, who used to report to Skoufalos, now reports directly to Seamon. Chris Algard, who served as the associate director of Security Services, is staying on as an advisor to Security Services Technology. Algard said his new job is to "basically assist [SST] in the transition, advise them and specify new installations." Maria Romeo retained her post as security systems administrator and will report to IXP's director of University operations. Security Operations Manager Domenic Ceccanecchio left the Division of Public Safety to work in Penn's Information and Computing Services. The three companies already coordinate most of Penn's security activities. Spectaguard trains uniformed security officers, IXP provides technology for the University Police Department's PennComm dispatch and surveillance center and SST installs and services alarms, access control systems, closed circuit TV units and blue-light phones. Seamon stressed that the decision to eliminate Security Services had nothing to do with its administrators. "It was a difficult decision," he said. "They were hardworking employees and very loyal to Penn." According to Seamon, installation and repair of security systems will now be handled by Facilities Services, which he hopes will cut down on red tape and make the repair process run more smoothly. Security Services is one of many University functions to have been recently outsourced. The first major outsourcing was in 1998, when the Trammell Crow Co. took over nearly all University building construction and real estate. But that deal was dramatically scaled back last spring after Penn administrators decided that the company was not giving them a high enough level of service. Since then, Penn has contracted out Dining Services and its employee benefits office.

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