Reflections: Karl Palo

Karl Palo
Director of Campus Security

Karl Palo was student number 202 at BCC. He started the first quarter in January 1966, he majored in law enforcement, and in 1968 received an associate degree in technology.

As a student, Karl was head of the AV department, worked as a part-time security officer, and was the advisor to the college sports car club. He was also on the committee that picked the college's new logo. "They wanted to change the cartoon-like sailor logo they used on parking decals," said Karl.

Karl's future bride worked in the library processing books. "We went on couple dates, and now have been married 33 years," said Karl.

In about 1967, he and a few other students wanted to write their own school paper — they felt The Jibsheet wasn't reporting "true news." So, they formed the People's Freedom Democratic Revolutionary Society (the PFDRS). They published their paper on yellow paper, to symbolize yellow journalism, and knew they were successful when they were sued by the state. The suit was over an unflattering photo of one of the ASB officers. A lawyer from Kent, who was known for taking oddball cases, took their case pro bono. They went all the way to the King County Court House, but there convinced the Attorney General to drop the case.

In 1968, he started working full-time as a security officer at BCC. Karl has enjoyed his time at BCC. "There's no place like it. BCC isn't just a place, it's people — the people make BCC what it is."

Karl has a few memories that have stuck with him over the years. One night, when they were still using classrooms at Newport High School, Karl was monitoring the loading zone in front of the school. A Newport High School student approached him, commenting on all the "hippies" as a carload of longhair and bearded people drove past them. "Are they really students here?," the student asked. "No," Karl replied. "They are the teachers."

One summer day while Karl was patrolling the campus, he found a little boy selling lemonade down by the baseball fields. "There wasn't anyone around, so I stopped my patrol car and got out to buy some lemonade." The two chatted for a few minutes, and Karl bought a comic book and a few toys that the boy was selling. "I might have been his only sale all day," added Karl.

Years later, Karl saw a familiar face in on campus — the little boy who sold Karl lemonade on that summer day, was now the ASB student body president.