Police: On the rise

With over 20 years of leadership experience and 14 years at the executive level, MSU brought in an impressive candidate as the hunt for a new Chief of University Police continues. The national recruitment for a new chief began in December. After a long day of interviewing, John Vinson faced a meet-and-greet in the Huffman Building on Friday, Feb. 21. This event allowed students, community members and officers to question Vinson about his background and hopes for his potential career at MSU.

Vinson comes to MSU from Seattle, where he has worked for the past year as the Assistant Vice President for Campus and Community Safety at the University of Washington. Vinson believes the sheer quantity of professional experiences under his belt makes him an exceptional fit for this job. He has also worked for 10 years as the Assistant Vice President for Student Life/Chief of Police at the University of Washington, as well as at Central Michigan University as a Police Sergeant. In addition, he has been involved in a great amount of community service.

“I aspire to enhance the great work that has already been done at MSU,” said Vinson. If his career takes off at MSU, he plans to be an active listener for his employees and fellow officers for his first 120 days to shape where the university police department should head. Vinson is excited at the possibility to work within a smaller university so that he can be better engaged and more proactive within the community. Vinson has already grasped certain issues while on campus, such as parking. As the Chief of University Police, Vinson identifies it as crucial to interact with students to ensure the success of the university. He insists on doing this by reaching out regularly to the student body, student groups and organizations and Greek life.

After three years on the job, the current Police Chief, Frank Parrish, is retiring at the end of May. Parrish revealed that his most significant achievement while being at MSU has been the relationships he has created with various people and departments. As Parrish prepares to leave MSU, he promises to work with the new chief of police in order to ensure a smooth transition.

For more information on John Benson and to view his extensive resume, visit: https://www.montana.edu/assets/uploads/calendar/Vinson%20resume%20%281%29.pdf