Executive Director, Public Safety And Preparedness

Position Summary

Located 45 minutes from the Nation's Capital, nestled in a history-rich community of southern Maryland, The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) is a two-time Aspen Award-winning institution (top 15% of Community Colleges) with academic programs in over 100 disciplines. CSM is among America's top 100 producers of Minority Associate Degrees in twenty categories, according to Diverse Issues in Higher Education. CSM offers excellent health insurance benefits; State Retirement Pension plan; wellness programs; Code Green early closure Fridays in the summer; college closure for spring break and several major holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year; and for several days in March for Spring Break. We are an innovative institution committed to student success and well known for our flexibility to meet student and community needs.

The Executive Director of Public Safety and Preparedness is responsible for overall college security, public safety, crime prevention and emergency management at the College of Southern Maryland. This responsibility is accomplished by strategic planning, project management, developing and coordinating the college's emergency preparedness plans, and establishing and nurturing contacts within and outside the college to proactively create programs in support of safety, security, and emergency preparedness. The executive director will identify, communicate, and update college and department operating policies, and define objectives and responsibilities for the public safety staff to provide optimum support across the La Plata, Leonardtown, Prince Frederick, and Regional Hughesville campuses and other instructional sites.

The College of Southern Maryland conducts background checks in order to ensure the safety and well-being of the College's staff and students. The final candidate for this position will be subject to the following background checks: Criminal History Check and Sex Offender Registry Check.

This position is open until filled. The College of Southern Maryland is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Employs proactive techniques and strategies to improve the safety and security of the college community at the La Plata, Waldorf, Leonardtown, Prince Frederick, and Regional Hughesville campuses and at other locations leased by the college. Acts as the key facilitator in promoting the department's customer-centered public safety approach.

• Initiates collaborative partnerships with internal and external constituencies to identify and reduce potential exposure of members of the college community to internal and external threats to safety and security.

• Develops and implements college policies and procedures, based on best practices, for public safety and crime prevention and response.

• Establishes and maintains written department standards regarding patrol services and other areas.

• Responsible for approving and overseeing the management of all security technology, including but not limited to, access controls, intrusion/burglar alarms, blue light phones, emergency notification systems (CSM.TXT), fire alarms and monitoring, panic buttons and closed-circuit video recording or monitoring.

• Responsible for key access control, purchasing of equipment for and maintaining of key equipment, utilization of locksmiths and lock supply companies, issuing keys and retrieval of keys upon key holder departure.

• Analyzes trends in college incident reporting to identify and develop targeted responses, which may include educational activities, redeployment of officers, and collaboration with local law enforcement or other actions.

• Conducts intermediate and long-term investigations of incidents as appropriate.

• Established, implements, and maintains ongoing professional development programs for department personnel.

• Supervises Public Safety Lieutenant thereby ensuring scheduled patrol services by Public Safety Sergeants and Officers. Ensures proper distribution across campuses of assignments, adequate staffing, and minimization of overtime consistent with department needs. In consultation with the Human Resources department, develops strategies and plans to improve retention and recruitment of Public Safety staff.

• Provides patrol services to the extent required so that all shifts are covered. Decisively responds to calls for service, emergent situations and critical incidents, beyond those that can be handled by Public Safety staff on duty, including returning to campus if needed or requested.

• Acts as a first responder to fire and life safety incidents, beyond those that can be handled by Public Safety staff on duty. Acts as incident commander until incident is resolved, relieved by law enforcement, fire or emergency safety personnel or relieved in accordance with instructions from superior or pursuant to the Emergency Operations Plan.

• Responsible for college-wide crime prevention and personal safety training programs and information on a formal and informal basis to students and employees (where appropriate, in consultation and coordination with Student Affairs personnel and the Human Resources Executive Director).

• Coordinating efforts and plans with local first responder agencies in all three counties.

• Conducting training for all Emergency Action Coordinators no less than annually.

• Conducts life safety drills for employees and students on all campuses.

• Planning, coordinating, supervising, and evaluating emergency drills no less often than every two years (typically alternating between tabletop and mock drills).

• Annually reviewing and, as appropriate, proposing revisions to the Emergency Operations Plan, Winter Weather Plan and related documents.

• Coordinating weather and emergency closing/delayed openings.

• Collaborates with Executive Director of Physical Plant to establish written protocols for use of Physical Plant personnel during emergencies and appropriate cross-training of Public Safety and Physical Plant personnel.

• Serves as a co-chair of the Emergency Management Operations Team and a member of the Behavioral Review Team.

• Responsible for college compliance with the Campus Security Act and Jacob Wetterling Act, including reporting crime statistics to the Department of Education, having the crime statistics and security report posted on the college's internet site, coordinating all timely warnings and maintaining required crime logs. Coordinates with the Human Resources Executive Director and the Registrar regarding dissemination of annual notifications to employees and students.

• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with appropriate personnel in the Charles County Sheriff's Office, Calvert County Sheriff's Office, St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office, La Plata Police Department, Maryland State Police, Maryland Emergency Management Agency, local fire departments and other first responder agencies as deemed necessary.

• Serves as the college's liaison to the Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary's County Local Emergency Planning Councils.

• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with federal law enforcement personnel on an as-needed basis.

• Maintains current knowledge of issues and best practices in law enforcement, public safety, and emergency preparedness

• Serves on and chair college committees as may be assigned.

• Maintains current knowledge of Maryland Special Police Officer certifications and requirements

• Performs other related work as required.

Minimum Education and Training

• Bachelor's degree required (with a concentration in criminal justice, public administration, or related field preferred).

• Eight years of experience in law enforcement, preparedness, or safety, including a minimum of four years of supervisory experience.

Minimum Qualifications and Standards Required

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Experience in or ability to lead a non-sworn public safety department

• Knowledge and/or experience in community education, community liaison, campus or school safety or related activities

• Excellent presentation and interpersonal skills

• Excellent project management skills

• Sensitivity to and ability to work collaboratively in a diverse college environment

• Demonstrated ability to identify and develop written safety and security procedures

• Good written communication skills

• Must be certified on NIMS or become certified prior to the date of employment.

• Must be certified in CPR or become certified in CPR within two months of employment and must maintain certification at all times

• Must be certified in first aid and the use of Automatic External Defibrillators in an American Red Cross course (or the substantial equivalent thereof) or become certified within two months of employment and must maintain certification at all times

• Must possess a valid driver's license and meet all eligibility requirements to drive a college vehicle and be insured under the college's automobile insurance

• Must be able to lift and carry at least 50 pounds

• Must be capable of responding to and traveling to any college facility for unexpected events or emergencies that may occur at any time and any day

• Ability to pass drug screening and background investigation.

• May be required to pass psychological evaluation in the future.

• Successful completion of a criminal background check that includes no felony convictions including guilty pleas or nolo contendere pleas to felony charges or any misdemeanors involving drug or weapons criminal violations, theft or other misdemeanors involving moral turpitude, domestic violence or acts of dishonesty.

• Good basic computer skills (e-mail, word processing)

Physical Requirements:

The work requires exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds of force to move objects.