Director, Public Safety and Security/Chief of Police

Director, Public Safety and Security/Chief of Police

Company:
Owens Community College

Job Location:

Category:
Police and Public Safety

Type:
Full-Time

The Director of Public Safety & Security/Chief of Police provides strategic leadership, oversight and operational management of the campus safety and security function for the College on both the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses. Reporting to the Vice President, Enrollment Management & Student Affairs, the Director/Chief is responsible for designing, implementing and continuously improving a comprehensive security program that enhances the safety and well-being of students, faculty, staff and visitors; mitigates risk; and supports the institution’s mission. This role leads a team of safety professionals (approximately 12 direct reports) and partners with campus departments, external agencies and community stakeholders to build an inclusive culture of safety, readiness and resilience.

Essential Functions:

Leadership and Collaboration

• Serve as the primary liaison with local, state and federal public safety agencies, emergency services and professional associations; represent the College in external collaborative public safety efforts.
• Develop, implement, monitor and refine the College’s comprehensive security strategy, policies and procedures in alignment with institutional goals and with applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations (including those specific to higher education).
• Establish and maintain the highest standards of professional ethics, service delivery and accountability within the College and among team members.
• Lead the organizational structure, staffing, training and performance management of the Department of Public Safety, applying sound management and professional standards.
• Collaborate with campus partners (Facilities, Student Affairs, Student Life, HR, etc.) to integrate safety and security considerations into campus operations, programs and events.
• Collaborate closely with the Manager of Workplace Safety and Health Operations, IT, and Facilities departments to coordinate safety and security initiatives, emergency preparedness planning, access control, and the implementation of technological security measures.
• Act in a leadership role as a member of the College’s emergency management or incident command structure and assume leadership roles in emergency response, business continuity and campus crisis operations as needed.
• Must perform duties within the framework of federal, state, and local laws and within the framework of College policies, procedures and regulations, and other applicable regulations governing public safety agencies and institutions of higher education. Also, the Director is required to clarify and communicate statements of department policy and procedures to all constituents of the College community as necessary.
• Responsible for developing and maintaining liaison with university professional associations such as IACLEA and with area law enforcement agencies, including federal, state and local agencies, the courts and prosecutors’ offices.

Demonstration of Public Safety Expertise

• Provide oversight for patrol operations, incident response, investigations of security-related matters, emergency preparedness and risk assessment.
• Use data-driven approaches: analyze incident trends, security metrics and environmental risk assessments to inform proactive security planning and resource allocation.
• Lead the development and delivery of training and outreach programs (for staff, students and faculty) in areas such as crime prevention, personal safety, active-threat awareness, emergency response and hazard mitigation.
• Maintain currency with emerging trends, best practices and regulations in campus safety/security, and ensure professional development of department staff.
• Establish and maintain the highest ethical and professional standard for department personnel.
• Responsible for assuring that all department employees, including the Director, participate in appropriate professional development activities that are required to maintain department certificates and professionalism.
• Prepare reports on activity and productivity for the department. The Director shall analyze statistics and trends in order to formulate an effective response to crime and requests for services, as well as the development of strategies for crime prevention.

Departmental Administration and Supervision

• Manage the department’s budget, resources, contracts, technology and equipment to ensure operational effectiveness and efficiency.
• Develop the organizational structure of the division in accordance with professional standards and, by application of sound management techniques and principles, integrate related activities under the control of intermediate supervisors and shall be held accountable for effective conduct of such activities.
• Responsible for the supervision and control of those personnel in the Department of Public Safety.
• Exercise considerable independent judgement and is expected to direct the internal activities of the Department of Public Safety effectively and professionally.
• Responsible for recruiting, selecting, training, special assignments, promotions, disciplinary and all other administrative action regarding personnel under security leadership.
• Perform other duties that may be pertinent.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Thorough knowledge of safety and security best practices, risk management frameworks and security operations in a higher-education environment.
• Working knowledge of relevant federal and state statutes, regulations and case law applicable to campus safety, such as crime reporting, Title IX, the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, VAWA, and their implementing regulations.
• Knowledge of emergency management principles, incident command systems, business continuity planning, and crisis response protocols.
• Knowledge of supervisory, managerial and budgetary practices, including the ability to design organizational structures, staffing plans and professional development programs.
• Knowledge of industry-standard security technologies, surveillance systems, access control (to the extent relevant), and data analytics as applied to security operations.
• Demonstrated leadership ability: skill in motivating and developing a team, promoting a collaborative and inclusive culture, and driving performance and accountability.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills: ability to present clearly to senior leadership, campus constituencies, and external agencies; produce policy documents, reports and operational briefings.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills: ability to interpret incident data, identify trends, assess vulnerabilities and formulate effective mitigation strategies.
• Proficient organizational and project-management skills: ability to manage multiple priorities, oversee complex operations, coordinate across departments and meet deadlines under pressure.
• Ability to build and maintain collaborative working relationships across functional units on campus and with external law-enforcement, emergency services, business and community stakeholders.
• Ability to lead and coordinate response efforts in high-stress or emergency situations, maintain composure, exercise sound judgement, make timely decisions and communicate effectively in crisis.
• Ability to foster a college-wide safety culture: influence others, engage constituents in prevention and preparedness efforts, and act as an advocate for safe campus practices.
• Demonstrated personal integrity, professional ethics and commitment to service and community.
• A commitment to continuous improvement, learning and professional growth in security, safety and higher-education contexts.
• Ability to travel locally and respond to the safety needs of the College.

Minimum Requirements:

• Associate's degree in police science/criminal justice, public or business administration, or a related field.
• Certified Law enforcement officer and OPOTC certified.
• At least ten years of increasing law enforcement responsibility.
• At least 1-3 years of management and administrative responsibility at the command level, in a department of similar size or larger.
• The successful candidate must be able to articulate goals and values of a comprehensive Department of Public Safety in a collegiate setting.
• Experience in a comprehensive law enforcement/security program that includes General law enforcement, Crime prevention, Criminal investigation, Security operations, Pedestrian safety and traffic control, and Facility access

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in police science/criminal justice, public or business administration, or a related field.
• Experience in public safety at a college or university.
• Experience in higher education and union negotiations.

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