» By CHRIS COPPEDGE – ccoppedge@my.apsu.edu
APSU’s new Director of Public Safety Terrence Calloway has a mission in mind for the department: excellence.
“I want this police department to function as one department of one accord,” Calloway said. “My goals include boosting morale, increasing training, putting officers in positions where they can excel and rising above mediocrity.”
Calloway is replacing former Director of Public Safety Lantz Biles, who left the position for undisclosed “personal reasons.”
A search committee headed by Vice President of Finance and Administration Mitch Robinson, Vice President of Student Affairs Sherryl Byrd, Wallace Prescott and Kimberly Morrow began searching for a new director of public safety in the fall 2011 semester.
They reviewed the credentials of 36 qualified applicants, conducted phone interviews with the top eight and then narrowed that number down to four on-campus interviews, which were conducted in early December of 2011.
Calloway beat out applicants Jerrold Johnson, David Dray and Jason Morton for the position. Robinson is pleased with the choice.
“Mr. Calloway was the applicant whose experience, education and background best matched the requirements of the position,” Robinson said. “We are very excited to have Mr. Calloway leading our department of public safety [and] Campus Police and welcome him to the finance and administration team.”
Calloway’s primary goal above all else is to increase interaction between officers, the faculty and students.
“It’s very important that the faculty and students get to know and engage with the police department,” said Calloway.
He believes this increased interaction and social contact will help foster a greater relationship between the police and the campus, which in turn will lead to a safer school.
Calloway has worked in law enforcement since 1995, beginning as a patrol officer in Warrensville, Ohio. There, he created community policing programs such as junior police academies and gang prevention studies, and served in the accident investigation unit, the bicycle unit and as a field-training officer.
Calloway next served as an administrative lieutenant at Cuyahoga Community College, in Ohio. There, he was in charge of administration, operations and security survey; he had 73 police officers, including dispatch and student patrol, working under him.
Before coming to APSU, Calloway was the Chief of Police in Woodmere, Ohio for two years, where he oversaw all aspects of the police department.
Calloway believes he managed to get the job because of his diverse background. “I’ve tackled community and college policing. I have a master’s degree in Justice Administration. I’m a graduate of the FBI National Academy, and I’ve attended the FBI-sponsored Great Lakes Leadership Seminar,” Calloway said.
Calloway also has a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and is certified as a crime prevention specialist.
He plans to do anything he would ask his officers to do in regards to interacting with the college community and that the department will be collaborating with other law enforcement departments and agencies.
“We are going to sign mutual aid agreements with other local police districts up to 25-30 miles away so that we get their assistance if we need it,” Calloway said. “We also want to partner with the FBI and the Clarksville-Montgomery County School District to help educate students about law enforcement.” TAS
