Congratulations to the finalists of the 8th Annual Campus Safety Director of the Year awards program! The winners and runners up will be announced at the Campus Safety National Forum in Washington, D.C., this June. Complete coverage will appear in an upcoming issue of Campus Safety magazine as well as CampusSafetyMagazine.com.
The Campus Safety Director of the Year finalists are:
William Adcox
Chief of Police and Chief Security Officer
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and the University of Texas Health Science Center
Houston
Notable Achievements:
- Worked for three years with the FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety, Harris County Sherriff’s Department, Houston Police Department and many local campus police agencies to participate in integrated active shooter drills in recently vacated buildings to provide ‘live’ full-scale simulations.
- Agency has won the University of Texas Statewide Chancellor’s Pistol Match three years in a row.
- Created a threat management unit resulting in a 300% increase since 2012 in early intervention reporting.
Paul Chapa
Chief of Police
Trinity University
San Antonio, Texas
Notable Achievements:
- A number of Trinity University police officers serve as sexual assault victim advocates, and the department participates in the “Step Up” program that promotes sexual assault awareness.
- Officers take inventories of vehicles in the campus parking lot, describing what makes each one a hard target or vulnerable to theft.
- Implemented an “Elert” system that enables members of the community to use their mobile phones to report crimes in progress and include a photo with their report. The system also acts as a virtual escort.
Donald Charley
Vice President Parking and Security
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Pittsburgh
Notable Achievements:
- Developed a K-9 unit trained in explosives detection, criminal apprehension, human tracking and scent tracking. A K-9 for narcotics searches will come aboard in 2015.
- Expanded video surveillance system to cover high-risk areas, including emergency departments, metal detector posts, elevators, pharmacies, entrances, stairs and building perimeters.
- Security personnel have been issued ballistic vests and received more advanced self-defense training. Some are now certified to carry firearms and Tasers.
Roy Garcia
Director of Campus Safety
Colorado College
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Notable Achievements:
- Through the College Resource Officer (CRO) program, implemented more than 10 new community policing programs, including bike safety awareness and student peer-to-peer neighborhood patrol.
- Last year the number of residential burglaries decreased by 90% and bike thefts by 80%.
- Adopted a blended model approach to campus safety where unarmed campus safety patrol officers partner with armed police officers, student patrols and safe ride employees.