Spelman Johnson Seeks New Police Chief for Tulane University

Spelman Johnson New Police Chief Tulane University

July 9, 2018 – Higher education recruitment firm Spelman Johnson has been selected to find the next police chief for Tulane University in New Orleans. The search is being led by search associate Heather Larabee.

The school’s previous chief, Joey Bishop, resigned this spring in the wake of a local television station’s revelations that the police department had tried to diminish or cover up excessive force by officers.

“Since the safety and security of the entire Tulane community is of utmost importance to the leadership of the institution, the administration is using this opportunity to conduct a national search to bring in the right individual to effectively lead the Tulane University Police Department,” said Spelman Johnson. “This new chief will be expected to bring strong, positive change to the department, working to elevate the department to the highest level of competence and professionalism.”

The Job’s Responsibilities

Reporting to the senior vice president and chief operating officer, Tulane’s police chief is responsible for providing public safety and related security services to the Tulane University community. The chief manages all administrative, personnel, and financial responsibilities for a comprehensive 24-hour/365 day-a-year department with 80 full-time commissioned officers and 40 security officers, said the search firm. The police department has a $9-million annual budget.

The chief provides leadership and oversight for patrol operations, investigations, community policing, crime prevention strategies, crime statistics and federal compliance reporting, and the maintenance of accreditation requirements for the department, said Spelman Johnson. The position oversees officer recruitment, staffing, training, promotions and retention efforts, and assures compliance with all professional standards/requirements for police officers.


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The chief is expected to ensure the use of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement (CALEA) best practices for private, urban, research universities and may serve as incident commander during emergency response situations, said the search firm. The position has a high public profile and collaborates with a broad array of campus stakeholders, the New Orleans police department and multiple municipal/state/federal agencies to develop and implement comprehensive services and programs for the safety of students, faculty, staff, visitors and property.

Candidate Requirements

The successful candidate will have a bachelor’s degree, and preferably a master’s, in police science, law enforcement, criminal justice, public administration or a closely related field. Prospects must have a minimum of 10 years of federal, state, municipal and/or university police experience, including five years of command staff experience.

The new chief is expected to have demonstrated command and management experience in law enforcement administration, extensive training and experience in community policing, and significant experience in evaluation and assessment of law enforcement policies and procedures, said Spelman Johnson. The position must also meet all requirements for POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training) certification and licensing under Louisiana State Law within one year of hire date. Preferred qualifications include experience in planning and supervising VIP visits including dignitary protection, FEMA certifications, experience with CALEA Accreditation and Louisiana POST certification.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong customer service orientation, excellent human relations skills, excellent oral and writing skills and effective public speaking skills, as well as knowledge and experience using the Incident Command System for major events including sporting venues, said the search firm. Also important is a proven track record of collaborating with campus and municipal community stakeholders to address safety issues and student behaviors, an emphasis on the professional development and training of officers, and the ability to effect best practices in campus law enforcement and community policing.

A Renowned University

The Tulane University Police Department is a full-service law enforcement agency that provides police services to Tulane’s Uptown Campus, the Downtown Medical Center Campus, and the National Primate Research Center located in nearby Covington. The department strives to adhere to best practices, including nationally recognized standards for the delivery of police services, and is accredited by CALEA.

Tulane has upwards of 8,400 undergraduate and 5,100 graduate and professional students from around the country and the world. The school was twice named by Kaplan/Newsweek’s college guide as one of the 25 “Hot Schools” in the nation, in 2002 and 2008. According to U.S. News & World Report, Tulane is among the top national universities in the U.S., ranked 40th among the best national universities and in the top 25 for its service learning programs.

Spelman Johnson is based in Easthampton, MA. Since 1991, the firm has helped hundreds of academic institutions identify professionals, pairing leaders with positions across all facets of colleges and universities. Spelman Johnson, which has an extensive record of finding senior higher education law enforcement leaders, is also seeking a chief for the Three College Campus Police Department, which serves Mount Holyoke, Smith and Hampshire colleges. Hampshire will be departing from the collaborative department in January.

Spelman Johnson’s Ms. Larabee previously served as assistant dean of students and director of campus activities in the division of student affairs at the University of Southern California. Before that, she served as the school’s assistant director for cultural arts and activities. Prior to that, Ms. Larabee worked at Francis Marion University, where she was director of student life in the division of student affairs. She was also program coordinator in the division of student affairs for the University of Tennessee.

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Andrew W. Mitchell, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media

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