Announcement: Emerson College Police Department Leadership

Dear members of the Emerson community,

After nearly 11 years of invaluable service to the Emerson community, Chief Robert Smith will be leaving Emerson for a well-deserved retirement. Chief Smith’s last day will be Friday, June 9. 

Chief Smith joined Emerson in July 2012, and over the years has led ECPD to continuously and markedly improve public safety on the Boston campus, as well as on our LA and Netherlands campuses. Most recently, the Chief was instrumental in bringing to closure the collective bargaining agreement with the ACOPS union; he successfully implemented the requirements of the Police Reform Act; conducted numerous threat assessments for our buildings; overhauled our guard service for each of our buildings; and helped lead our security camera replacement and upgrade project. Each of these initiatives has continued to strengthen Emerson’s security profile within the community and has led to stellar safety statistics annually reported as part of the Clery Act. Chief Smith has also been influential in building a positive relationship, on behalf of Emerson College, with the City of Boston and the various public safety and policing entities that we interface with on a daily basis.

We are grateful for the many years of service that Chief Smith has given to Emerson College, and his role in building a strong leadership team, including Deputy Chief Robert Casagrande; Lieutenants Robert Bousquet and Joseph Downing; Sergeants Mackenzie Slocumb, Enrique Rosario, and Sal Mirabella; and Detective Robert Miller. The Chief has always made it a priority to maintain a strong officer and dispatcher team, which Emerson has been fortunate to benefit from during the Chief’s tenure.

Prior to joining Emerson, Chief Smith served as the Chief of Police for three colleges: Smith, Mount Holyoke, and Hampshire, and prior to that, he served in numerous capacities within the Massachusetts State Police for more than three decades.

In addition, I am also pleased to announce that Deputy Chief Robert Casagrande will formally take over the department as Interim Chief, beginning June 9.

Please join me in thanking Chief Smith for his years of service and invaluable contributions to Emerson College. 

Sincerely,

Paul Dworkis,
Vice President for Administration and Finance