The University of Cincinnati has hired Jason Goodrich to become its next director of public safety and chief of police. Goodrich comes to UC from Lamar University in Texas, where he began serving as Chief of Police in 2011. He will join UC on Nov. 3.
"The role of the director of public safety and chief of police is a central one in continuing our successful efforts to enhance the safety of our campus community. The new chief will be expected to continue to work with the President's Campus Safety Committee to continue our strategic initiatives and make safety the highest priority," said UC President Santa J. Ono.
The University of Cincinnati conducted a highly selective national search to find someone uniquely qualified to lead its public safety efforts.
"I challenged the University's search committee to find someone with a strong criminal justice and campus policing background who values community input and can continue the positive momentum we are experiencing to overcome the safety challenges facing not only our campus, but urban campuses across the country," said Robert Ambach, UCs senior vice president of administration and finance.
As chief of police at Lamar University, Goodrich supervised day-to-day operations including parking services, emergency operations and compliance with the Clery Act. He previously served as a captain for the Vanderbilt University Police Department from 2007-11. At Vanderbilt, Goodrich managed several special units such as K9, traffic, victim services, criminal investigations, pro-active crime team and field training.
"I am very excited to join the team at UC! The opportunity to lead policing efforts at a world-class institution like UC is truly special, and I am humbled to be selected," Goodrich said. "Together, we will continue to develop the University of Cincinnati Police Department into a national model for campus law enforcement."
Since 2008, crime on and around UC's Uptown campus has steadily decreased. This is due, in part, to the many proactive strategies implemented by the university including an increased number of police and security officers, enhanced street lighting and a partnership with the Cincinnati Police Department to provide additional visibility and inter-agency coordination.
Goodrich served as chief of police and director of safety for Indiana University Southeast in New Albany, Indiana, from 2005-07. Before joining IU, he served as a law enforcement management specialist for the University of Arkansas Criminal Justice Institute. From 2000-04, Goodrich served as police chief of Southern Arkansas University and early on in his career, at the University of Arkansas, as a police officer, criminal investigator and sergeant.
Goodrich holds a M.A. in conflict management and a B.A. in criminal justice and has earned over 2,500 hours of law enforcement professional development and training. In 2011, he was awarded the Vanderbilt University Margaret Cuninggim Womens Center Mary Jane Werthan Award for contributions to the advancement of women at Vanderbilt.
