Emerson hires new Public Safety director

The College has hired a new director of public safety. Bob Smith will begin his duties on July 9.

Currently, Smith is director of campus police for Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith colleges, where he leads a campus police division for all three campuses. Prior to that, he devoted 26 years to the Massachusetts State Police Department. He was promoted multiple times; he retired as lieutenant colonel in charge of the 1,800 troopers assigned to the Department’s Division of Field Services.

Smith has a bachelor’s degree from Suffolk University, a master’s in criminal justice from Anna Maria College, and a master’s in public safety administration from Framingham State University. He has also attended a number of professional development courses at the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command, the FBI National Academy, the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police held at Boston University, and Harvard University’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative.

According to an email sent to the Emerson community from Christine Hughes, vice president and general counsel at Emerson, Smith “will help develop and communicate public safety initiatives, which play a crucial role in campus life. He will lead Emerson’s team of public safety officers and maintain the College’s relationships with the Boston Police Department as well as other City and State public safety departments.”

Hughes, who chaired the search committee, thanked her fellow committee members: Michael Weiler, associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies; Alexander Ates ’13 and Rebecca Isenhart ’14; Michael Arno, college conduct coordinator; and Gloria Noronha-Peschau, program director for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. President Pelton, Dean of Students Ron Ludman, and Associate Vice President of Government and Community Relations Peggy Ings also participated in the search.

Hughes also offered special thanks to Deputy Chief Scott Bornstein, who served as interim director of public safety during the search effort.