Campus Police Chief

Employment Type: Full Time

Institution Type: Public Four-Year Institutions

Job Details

Portland State University seeks a Campus Police Chief
Click here to view position profile:
Location: Portland, Oregon

The Position:
The Campus Police Chief administers, plans, and directs all services provided by the Campus Public Safety Office as a model of 21st Century community policing. This position requires a visionary leader with a strong ability to collaborate with faculty, staff and students in creating a culture of community for a modern urban university campus. Reporting to Associate Vice President of Risk Brian Roy, the Police Chief supports a safe and welcoming environment on campus through management of police officers, public safety officers, dispatchers and physical safety personnel. The Campus Police Chief will supervise approximately 30 employees, some of whom are represented by a police union.

Responsibilities:

Administration

• Plans and directs the service delivery of the Campus Public Safety Office in a collaborative manner that reflects a model of 21st century policing and continually builds community trust and police legitimacy.
• Ensures that all members of the Campus Public Safety Office perform in a manner consistent with this vision.
• Develops departmental structure and staffing plan that maximizes the safety impact given the available resources.
• Interacts and communicates with both internal and external partners to ensure that the function and vision of the Campus Public Safety Office is in alignment with the community.
• Provides leadership to restore community well-being and trust during emergencies and critical events.

Management

• Ensures accountability and internal legitimacy by providing oversight to internal controls.
• Oversees spending and budgeting in a manner that demonstrates fiduciary responsibility and strong financial skills.
• Directs and develops departmental personnel, providing strategic mentorship, optimizing team performance, and ensuring a culture of professional accountability and ethical conduct through timely, constructive feedback.

Engagement

• Be visible, accessible and responsive to the campus community.
• Be seen as part of the community through engagement, appearances and participation in forums, meetings and university events.
• Must build trust between the community and the Public Safety Office.
• Engagement and coordination with local and state law enforcement and safety partners.

Incident Management Team
The role of the Incident Management Team (IMT) is to provide support to incident field operations through communication, coordination, and resource management functions. The IMT activates in cases when the standard operating procedures of campus departments become insufficient to respond and/or recover from an incident, and/or when an incident’s impact spans multiple departments, thereby creating a need for greater coordination.

C.A.R.E. Team/Threat Assessment Team
C.A.R.E. stands for Coordination, Assessment, Response, Education. The C.A.R.E. Team is a multi-disciplinary leadership team convened in order to foster essential information sharing and collaboration. The C.A.R.E. Team’s purpose is to monitor, assess, intervene, consult, and refer regarding barriers to student success and well-being. The Threat Assessment Team is an extension of the C.A.R.E. Team that assesses risks and creates response plans for specific threats.

University Public Safety Oversight Committee (UPSOC)
The University Public Safety Oversight Committee (UPSOC) is a representative group of faculty, staff and students charged by the PSU Board of Trustees with providing oversight, counsel and advice to PSU’s Campus Public Safety leadership in order to improve campus safety.

Outside Agencies
Collaborate and network with law enforcement and other agencies within the metro area-District Attorney’s Office, Portland Police Bureau, etc.

FADM Operations Team
Collaborates with and provides consultative input to the FADM Operations Team (Risk Management, Construction & Real Estate, Information Technology and Human Resources) to ensure alignment and effective coordination of CPSO polices and operations needs with institutional support functions.

Qualifications:

Required

• A four-year degree from an accredited university, preferably in law enforcement, criminal justice, public administration or a related field.
• Progressively responsible experience and leadership in a public safety/law enforcement role.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience leading a diverse and inclusive workforce and community in examining the impact that policies and practices have on different communities.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with collaboration between law enforcement and mental health providers in developing a compassionate and effective response to persons in crisis.
• Experience working with police unions.
• Basic, Advanced, and Supervisory Police certification from the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training within the past five years, or an out-of-state equivalent recognized by Oregon DPSST and the ability to re-activate certification.
• Strong oral and written communication skills and evident engagement with community.

Preferred

• Graduate from advanced police command training such as the FBI National Academy, Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, or the Southern Police Institute.
• Experience in providing police services in a higher education environment, particularly within a residential community.
• Experience in law enforcement and/or public safety at an urban college or university.
• Experience with incident and threat assessment techniques as well as knowledge of Clery Act. DPSST Management and Executive Police Certification.

About Campus Public Safety:

Our Vision
The PSU Campus Public Safety Office (CPSO) within the Division of Finance and Administration supports the people and place that are Portland State University, an institution committed to impacting the community as a vibrant center for learning, scholarship, research, creativity and community engagement.

Our Mission
We serve Portland State University by:

• Keeping students and their success at the core of our work
• Reducing crime, preserving life, and maintaining human rights
• Maintaining stewardship of human, physical, and financial resources
• Addressing safety and livability concerns through problem-solving partnerships
• Developing comprehensive and responsive policies meeting community needs
• Embracing innovation, creativity, and collaboration to address safety concerns

Our Values include:

• Accountability and Transparency in our training, policies, and actions
• Compassion and Respect in interpersonal actions and communications
• Honesty and Integrity in providing services
• Promoting Inclusion and Equity in all aspects of our duties

Campus Police
Campus Public Safety deploys Campus Police Officers, who meet the state requirements for certification and training. Officers are equipped with AXON body cameras and utilize comprehensive data management systems as required by Oregon law.

Campus Police Officers have received training from the University on the following topics:

• Historical Education of Marginalized Populations
• Implicit/Unconscious Bias
• Title IX/Sexual Violence Awareness
• LGBTQ Awareness
• Mental Health Awareness
• PSU Policy
• Disability Awareness
• Microaggressions
• De-escalation Training
• Equity-Centered Response

Campus Public Safety Officers
CPSO Officers provide a visible presence while patrolling the campus and are available to assist students, faculty, staff and visitors. They provide a first response in rendering aid, referring students to resources, and work closely with the Campus Police in keeping the Portland State University community safe.

Campus Dispatch
The Campus Public Safety Dispatch Center is the central hub for Public Safety operations. It is staffed 24/7 by specially-trained staff.

Campus Dispatchers can assist callers in both emergency and non-emergency situations, such as: escort requests, suspicious activity, emergency medical, or officer assistance. Sophisticated telecommunications equipment, local area networks, and two-way radio systems provide the framework for communications. Campus dispatchers work with the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) and the Portland Fire Department (PFD) in response to emergency situations. When telephone calls are received from the campus community, dispatchers obtain the necessary information from the caller to provide an appropriate response. Generally, callers should expect to be asked several questions and to stay on the line as long as necessary.

Security of and Access to Campus Facilities, Including Residences
The University is committed to the safety and security of all members of its community by maintaining the security of its facilities and physical environs. Portland State University utilizes an access card-operated system to control entry into most operational buildings, student housing, computer labs, and some classrooms. This system is administered by the CPSO.

The CPSO Access Control Unit provides direction and oversight to the planning, management, and coordination of access control for the University. The overall goal of access control is to provide a reasonable level of security for the University and, at the same time, allow as much freedom of access as possible to the campus community. While maintaining a welcoming and hospitable campus environment, the University will control access to its facilities in an effort to accomplish the following objectives:

• Promote and maintain the safety and security of University faculty, staff, students and visitors;
• Prevent crime where possible, deter crime that cannot be prevented, and provide tools and information to support investigations and law enforcement;
• Protect University property and assets commensurate with their value;
• Protect and secure University records;
• Protect the integrity and operation of University systems and related infrastructure;
• Protect the integrity of University research projects; and
• Provide governance for access control, safety, and surveillance decisions during normal day-to-day campus operations, campus construction, and remodeling of campus spaces.

About Portland State University:
Portland State University (PSU) is Oregon’s largest urban university, located in Portland, Oregon. PSU enrolls over 20,000 students and offers programs for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. PSU is an internationally recognized university known for excellence in student learning, innovative research, and community engagement. PSU contributes to the economic vitality, environmental sustainability, and quality of life in the Portland region and beyond. Employees describe Portland State University as a vibrant, diverse, progressive place to work and an environment that welcomes process improvement and innovation. Portland State’s 50-acre downtown campus is located in the heart of the city; a hub of culture, business, and technology, and just 90 minutes from mountains and the Oregon Coast.

Portland State is composed of 10 constituent schools and colleges, offering undergraduate degrees in 95 fields, postgraduate degrees in 105 fields, and certificates in 77 fields, for a total of over 250 degree and certificate programs. Academic units at PSU include the School of Business, College of Education, School of Social Work, College of Urban and Public Affairs, College of the Arts, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Combined OHSU/PSU School of Public Health, the Graduate School, and the Honors College. The athletic teams are known as the Portland State Vikings and compete at the NCAA Division I Level, primarily in the Big Sky Conference.

The University’s new strategic plan, Future in Focus, lays out an ambitious agenda to lead in social mobility, become a national model for serving minoritized learners, and drive Portland’s resurgence through innovation, equity, and regional impact.

To Apply:
Confidential review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Applications received by March 23, 2026 will be given full consideration.

To apply, go to:https://theapplicantmanager.com/jobs?pos=su500

Applicants must submit a CV/resume, a letter of interest that details their related qualifications and vision for the role, as well as a statement (one page maximum) that describes their commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion personally and/or professionally.

For more information or to offer recommendations or nominations:
Caitlin Hummel
Senior Consultant
Summit Search Solutions, Inc.
(585) 880-7550
chummel@summitsearchsolutions.com

*Portland State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and seeks candidates who are committed to the highest standards of scholarship and professional activities and a campus climate that supports equality, diversity, and inclusion.*