Director of Public Safety

SUNY Adirondack - Queensbury, NY

Full-time

Queensbury, NY

Educational Services

About the position

The Director of Public Safety acts as the principal campus safety official and provides strategic guidance and planning to promote a safe campus environment and ensure a proper atmosphere for the pursuit of the educational mission of SUNY Adirondack. The position is responsible for the management, supervision and effective operation of the Department of Campus Safety and is responsible for developing and recommending policy and procedure relative to safety issues. The Director is ultimately responsible for successful program planning and supervision of department personnel. The Director ensures that department programs and operations are consistent with principles of community policing and are sensitive to the student and employee population that the department serves. The Director is also responsible for the development and maintenance of an effective emergency operations framework to ensure the protection of life, the environment and property in the event of a campus emergency.

Responsibilities

• Establishes departmental strategic goals, project management, and monitors results.
• Deploys a community policing system that promotes safety on campus, administers policies, procedures and programs that build trusting and positive relationships with students.
• Establishes a departmental training program inclusive of Peace Officer training; Security Guard training; fire-arm training; and diversity, inclusion, equity and anti-bias training.
• Leads the response to complex safety or security incidents on campus and determining the best course of action to promote student success and safety.
• Formulates and recommends campus policy relative to safety and security issues.
• Develops, approves and implements departmental Standard Operating Procedures and ensuring they remain current relative to College policy and best practices in the field.
• Supervises the production and accuracy of all department regulatory filings and other reports including maintaining records associated with department operations in compliance with record retention policies.
• Ensures adequate incident reporting and management and works closely with the Dean of Students, Director of Residence Life and other student affairs administrators as needed.
• Works with colleagues and external constituents to plan and deliver safe campus activities.
• Maintains SUNY Adirondack's DCJS Security Guard Training School program.
• Addresses all matters with sensitivity to a college environment and in a manner consistent with the high expectations for confidentiality.
• Serves as the Chair of the college's Campus Safety Advisory Committee and the Emergency Management Team.
• Acts as liaison with outside law enforcement agencies.
• Conducts security assessments, manages all security related assets, equipment, tools and systems, and makes recommendations for improvements or enhancements to physical and personal security.
• Assists the Director of Facilities with campus-wide Fire Safety responsibilities including conducting fire drills, monthly and annual inspection of fire alarms and extinguishers and fire code compliance.
• Recommends an annual budget to the Vice President and managing department expenditures responsibly within that allocated budget.
• Carries out managerial assignments as assigned by the Vice President.
• Ensures compliance with college and SUNY policies and regulations as well as local, State, Federal and profession-specific legal and regulatory compliance.
• Informs and updates the Director of Facilities of campus conditions in the event of inclement weather.
• Ensures department properly notifies the Facilities staff in the event call in emergencies of maintenance/grounds staff are needed.

Requirements

• Associates Degree in Criminal Justice or a similarly related field from an accredited college or university and 10 years of progressively responsible experience in community police-related law enforcement with a minimum of one year in a supervisory capacity; or
• Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice or a similarly related field from an accredited college or university and 8 years of experience in community police-related law enforcement with a minimum of one year in a supervisory capacity.
• Meets the qualifications to be a sworn Campus Peace Officer.
• Eligibility to obtain a firearms license pursuant to Section 400 of the New York State Penal Law.
• A valid New York State driver's license.
• Separated from prior law-enforcement related service in good standing.
• Demonstrated experience in the current trends and developments in community-based policing, traffic management, crowd control, property access control, and crime prevention.

Nice-to-haves

• Proficiency with Department of Criminal Justice Services.
• Certified Firearms Instructor with DCJS.
• Security Guard Training School Director Certification.
• Previous experience Directing a Public Safety department in a higher education setting.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a complex operation in a union/civil service setting.
• Leadership and administrative experience in a higher education setting.
• Working knowledge of college student development and a demonstrated understanding of supportive practices in behavior management for the principal population served by the department.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of supervision and administration in a campus-based safety and security setting.
• Prior successful completion of all NIMS Training courses appropriate for an Incident Commander is preferred and experience as an Incident Commander on a college campus is highly desired.
• Experience with strategic and operational planning and department budgeting.