As part of the evolution of the new Division of Public Safety and Security for the Ann Arbor campus, the university has launched a search for a new chief of police, announced Eddie Washington Jr., executive director of the division.
Current Police Chief Joe Piersante has been named DPSS chief operations officer and director of University Security Services. Piersante will provide leadership oversight for a collection of functions, to include infrastructure management, museums security, coordination of safety and security efforts for major events, contract security and the 911 Communications Center. Along with his new role, Piersante also will continue as police chief until the new chief is selected.
“I’m very appreciative of the many years of successful service that Joe has made to the university and to the police department,” Washington said. “When the new division was formed last fall, Joe willingly took on the additional role to lead the transition. I’m grateful that his leadership will continue to benefit our community through our campus security efforts.”
Andy Burchfield, U-M’s director of emergency management, has been chosen to serve as chair of the police chief search committee. Spelman and Johnson Group, a search firm with a specialty in higher education, will assist with the search.
“It is important that the perspectives of our students, faculty, staff and community at large are reflected in the search for the new police chief,” Burchfield said. “We believe the search committee is a well-balanced group of key stakeholders, whose goal is to ensure a candidate’s skill set and expertise most closely match the needs of our community.”
In addition to Burchfield, the search committee is comprised of the following individuals:
• Greg Bazick, Ann Arbor Police deputy chief.
• Lori Blough, DPSS executive assistant.
• Jeffery Frumkin, associate vice provost in academic affairs.
• Sabrina Garrett-Owens, associate director of labor relations in University Human Resources.
• Bob Heighes, Eastern Michigan University chief of police.
• Crystal James, University Police Department lieutenant.
• Laura Blake Jones, U-M dean of students.
• Emily Lustig, U-M student, chair of the Central Student Government’s Commission of Campus Safety and Security, and a neighborhood ambassador in the Beyond the Diag program.
• Tim Lynch, U-M vice president and general counsel.
• Jeff McDole, DPSS IT planning manager.
• Jeff Moelich, executive director University Audits.
• David Moran, clinical law professor and member of the Police Oversight Committee.
• Teresa Oesterle, DPSS chief administrative officer.
• Tom Peterson, associate director for operations and support services in U-M Hospitals and Health Centers.
• Kate Rychlinski, U-M Risk Management assistant director.
A review of applications will begin Oct. 16. Details about the job posting can be found at www.police.umich.edu.
