Doug Tripp, Department of Public Safety associate director, has replaced Kevin Williams as director of DPS at the University. The change was effective Monday, March 9, University spokesperson Julie Brown said Friday.
Frances Dyke, senior vice president for finance and administration, said in an e-mail that Tripp’s promotion is part of a reorganization of DPS.
Neither Williams nor Tripp could be reached for comment Friday. Dyke did not respond to interview requests.
Williams has been director of DPS since Aug. 31, 2007. He worked for two years before that at the Lane County Sheriff’s Office and brought Tasers into the Lane County jails. Williams also advocated bringing Tasers to the University campus, a position many campus and community members protested. Before moving to Eugene, he worked for 20 years as a police officer in Los Angeles.
Tripp has been associate director and assistant chief of DPS for 1 1/2 years. During his 22-year career in university law enforcement, he has worked on several campuses. He was director of DPS at Milwaukee Area Technical College.
Tripp has also worked at Medical College of Wisconsin, University of Denver, Marquette University and University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.
As director of DPS at the University, Tripp will be responsible for strategic planning, coordinating with campus emergency management and making contact with the Eugene Police Department.
Williams will continue to work for the University as the senior campus security planner in the Department of Campus Operations. He will advise George Hecht, associate vice president for campus operations, on security issues for campus facilities.
Brown could not give a reason for the change in DPS leadership. She also did not know how long Williams will remain in his new position.
Check the Emerald news blog at blogs.dailyemerald.com/news for updates on the situation during finals week and spring break.
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