REFERENCE: Cover Letter for Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police Application

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1 March 13, 2015 TO: Valdosta State University FROM: Ronald Seacrist REFERENCE: Cover Letter for Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police Application Please accept this as my application for the position of Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police at Valdosta State University. I have 45 years of law enforcement experience and 33 years as a chief of police in the university environment. I have a Master of Science degree in Sociology with a concentration in Criminal Justice, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education and an Associate of Arts degree in Police Administration. I am a graduate of the 144 th session of the FBI National Academy and designated as a Certified Protection Professional with the American Society for Industrial Security. I am also certified in NIMS and a graduate of the College Business Management Institute. I have managed environmental health and safety functions at two universities and one hospital. University Policing Philosophy: Having worked as manager or supervisor in both municipal and university police organizations, I have reached an understanding of the similarities and differences between the different organizations. Policing in a university environment is unique to the policing profession. University police officers are expected to provide what I call pure police services to the university community as efficiently, or better than a municipal agency. However, when those services are not needed, there is an expectation of the community that the police department will provide what I refer to as a corporate security approach to their university organizational responsibilities. This would include, but not be limited to escort services, building security duties and general public safety services. The key to a successful university police organization is to have a police staff which understands and can perform both pure police and corporate security tactics, and most importantly, know when it is appropriate to apply each. A successful university police manager recruits individuals who understand these two tactics and are will to accept this dual role. I believe that any successful university police officer and be a successful municipal police officer, but not every successful municipal police officer can be a successful university police officer. Given that the majority of time a university police officer is interacting with young adults, many of whom have never been away from home before, it takes a unique approach when dealing in them in certain situations. My personal philosophy regarding managing a university police agency is to identify strengths and weaknesses of the staff and try to place individuals within the organization where their strengths can outweigh their weaknesses. I believe my educational background and professional experience would allow me to contribute to the goals of Valdosta State University. Your serious consideration is appreciated.

2 RESUME Ronald Seacrist EMPLOYMENT Texas Tech University System, Lubbock, Texas October 2004 Present Chief of Police Manage Texas Tech System Police Department for academic institution and medical school with branch campuses in Lubbock, Odessa, Amarillo and El Paso in a culturally diverse community of 32,500 students and 8,000 faculty and staff. The community consists of more than 8,500 residence hall students. The department provides police and security support services to the main academic campus, four satellite medical school campuses and 62,000 seat football stadium. The department consists of 56 licensed peace officers and 34 security and support staff on the main Lubbock campus, 11 licensed peace officers and 37 security and support staff on the satellite campuses. University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida February 2002 October 2004 Chief of Police - Manage University Police Department in a culturally diverse community of 9,500 students and 1500 employees. Department consists of police and security personnel, parking enforcement and support staff. Supervise 55 full-time and part-time employees. California State University Northridge, Northridge, California April February 2002 Director of Public Safety - Manage University Public Safety Department in a culturally diverse community of 31,500 students and 3000 employees. Department consisted of University Police and Security, Environmental Health and Safety, Parking and Transportation and Community Service Officer Program. Supervise 95 full and part-time employees. ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Developed full-time Crime Prevention Program. Decreased overtime cost by $90, a year through personnel management. Created full-time Records Manager position and Dispatch Supervisor position without increasing use of state funds. University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas August April 1999 Executive Director of Business Administration - Managed operations and administration of Police Department, Office of Institutional Compliance, Risk Management, Parking and Transportation and Occupational Health and Safety. Supervised 124 employees. ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Developed and implemented university risk management program. Developed staffing and security plan for newly constructed downtown campus.

3 Valdosta State University, 1500 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, Georgia Page 2 October August 1994 Director of Public Safety - Managed the Department of Public Safety in a state University of 9,200 students. Department consists of 22 state certified security enforcement officers, 20 security and parking enforcement personnel and 13 support staff. Specific management responsibilities include law enforcement, security, parking and environmental health and safety. ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Developed and implemented 24 hour Communications Center, Crime Prevention Program, Field Training Officer Program, Student Security and Parking Enforcement Program and Environmental Health and Safety Program and Criminal Investigations Division. Manatee Memorial Hospital, 206 Second Street East, Bradenton, Florida February October 1989 Director of Risk Management - Responsible for conducting pre-litigation medical malpractice investigations and coordinating medical malpractice issues with legal staff and insurance companies. Managed security operations, environmental health and safety programs and ensured compliance with federal hazardous communications standards, Florida right to know law and Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Organizations. ACCOMPLISHMENTS: developed hospital loss reporting system, risk management program and authored hospital hazardous chemical communication program. University of Central Florida, P.O. Box 25000, Orlando, Florida September February 1988 Director of Public Safety - Direct the operation of the Department of Public Safety in a state university of 14,000 students. Department consisted of certified law enforcement officers, security personnel, parking and traffic operation, fire safety and university vehicle fleet. Managed three budgets in excess of one million dollars. ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Implemented crime prevention programs to include Student Escort Service, Residence Hall Auxiliary Security Patrol, campus-wide computerized fire and security alarm system, Disaster Contingency Plan and Executive Protection Plan. Developed Field Training Program for police personnel and Criminal Investigator Training Program. Tulane University, 6823 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana November August 1982 Assistant Director of Security - Responsible for field operations, fleet management and budgeting. Managed security operations for all campus special events. Supervised uniformed security officers and maintained liaison with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and contract security companies. ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Developed Pre-employment Screening System, Loss Reporting System, Personnel Training Program and Personnel Evaluation System. Tampa Police Department, 1710 Tampa Street, Tampa, Florida April 1970-November 1980 Police Sergeant - Supervised 12 police officers within a department of 800 officers responsible for citywide patrol functions. Elected Police Officer of the year, Police Corporal - Supervision of 20 police officers assigned to junior and senior high schools as School Resource Officers. Crime prevention lecturer at universities and citizen groups. Narcotics Detective - Conducted covert and overt narcotics investigations with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

4 MILITARY Page 3 United States Army January January 1970 Vietnam Veteran Military Intelligence Coordinator with Honorable Discharge ACADEMIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS June 1992 Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Georgia Master of Science Degree in Sociology March 1986 Graduate of FBI National Academy 144 th Session, Quantico, Virginia December 1976 University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education June 1974 Hillsborough Community College, Tampa, Florida Associate of Arts Degree in Police Science and Administration PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION Certified Protection Professional (CPP) - Certification as security expert by the American Society for Industrial Security Certified Risk Manager in State of Florida Graduate of the National Association of College and University Business Officers College Business Management Institute PUBLICATIONS "Dignitary Protection in the Academic Community" - Campus Law Enforcement Journal. September 1984 "A Participatory Approach to Procedure Development" - Campus Law Enforcement Journal, December 1984 "How to Succeed as a University Public Safety Director, Maybe!" - Campus Law Enforcement Journal. June 1994 "The Quiet Hour" - Campus Law Enforcement Journal. August 1994 ORGANIZATIONS ALPHA KAPPA DELTA National Sociology Honor Society American Society for Industrial Security Loaned Executive Management Assistance Program Security consultant and team leader for Loaned Executive Management Assistance Program of the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators

5 TEACHING EXPERIENCE Page 4 University of Texas San Antonio, Division of Social and Policy Sciences Adjunct faculty member teaching Criminal Justice courses. Texas Tech University, Division of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work Adjunct Faculty member teaching Criminal Theory and Introduction to Criminal Justice.