Chief, University Police​/Director of Public Safety

About Worcester State University

WORCESTER STATE UNIVERSITY is a liberal arts and sciences university with a long tradition of academic excellence dating backto 1874, as well as an Affidatory Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that seeks to reflect the diversity of its community. Our workforce is dedicated to academic quality, student-centered programming, engaged citizenship, open exchanges of ideas, diversity and inclusiveness, and civility and integrity. We are looking for job applicants who share these values and commitment to our students.

Worcester State is centrally located in Massachusetts, about an hour's drive from Boston, Springfield, and Providence, Rhode Island. Our 58-acre campus is nestled in the residential northwest side of Worcester--the second largest city in New England and home to 37,000 college students at more than a dozen colleges and universities. Over 6,000 of those students attend Worcester State--approximately 5,300 are undergraduates and 1,000 are graduate students.

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OFFICIAL

TITLE:

Chief, University Police/ Director of Public Safety

SUPERVISION RECEIVED: Executive Director of Emergency Management and Institutional Safety

SUPERVISION EXERCISED: Directs and leads all University Police Department personnel that consists of Deputy Chief(s), Captains/Lieutenants, Sergeants, Patrol Officers, Detectives, Dispatchers, Institutional Security Officers, and administrative staff, as well as contracted officers, student employees, and professional service vendors.

General Statement of Duties: The Chief of University Police/ Director of Public Safety is a visionary, community-oriented public safety leader responsible for ensuring a safe, welcoming, and inclusive campus environment at Worcester State University (WSU). This position is charged with directing all law enforcement, emergency response, crime prevention, and public safety operations, with a strong emphasis on equity-driven, trauma-informed, and de-escalation-focused policing strategies.

The Chief is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of the department, ensuring compliance with all applicable university policies and local, state, and federal laws, including standards set by the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission, Clery Act, Title IX, and other relevant higher education regulations.

The Chief commands a force of 15 sworn officers and support personnel, and represents the University in key community, civic, and professional safety initiatives.

(E) = Essential

1. (E) Lead a 21st-Century, Community-Oriented Police Department

• Foster a departmental culture grounded in service, transparency, equity, and accountability.
• Embed community policing and procedural justice principles into all policies and operations.
• Promotes an interactive, positive relationship between the University Police Department and other departments or offices of the University, students, parents, faculty and staff with the goal of building trust and strong working relationships between the department and the community.
• Build meaningful relationships with local residents and city officials.
• Participate in justice programs, student forums, and safety outreach events.
• Ability to adapt policies and procedures to police reform measures on the local, state, and federal level.

2. (E) Emergency Response and Strategic Safety Planning

• Develop and implement comprehensive campus safety plans in coordination with senior leadership and community stakeholders.
• Conduct regular threat and security assessments and ensure campus-wide readiness for emergencies.
• Serve on the University's Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) & Emergency Response Team (ERT) and may serve as…