March 7, 2018 — The formal swearing-in ceremony for new CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Police Chief Michael Morris is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday, March 16 at the Bell Tower East Courtyard.
CSUCI President Erika D. Beck will administer the oath of office to Morris who has been serving as Acting Police Chief since September of 2017. Former Chief John Reid transferred to CSU Chico in September of 2017 to fill in as Police Chief on a temporary basis that became permanent at the end of January 2018.
“Mike Morris possesses the vision, professionalism and experience to lead the CSUCI Police Department and ensure its reputation as a highly-respected, collaborative and integral part of our campus community continues into the future,” Beck said.
Morris said he’s proud to accept this position, but also feeling the weight of responsibility that comes with the job.
“I want to make sure our department grows appropriately with the campus and University Glen,” he said. “In the next few years, University Glen will almost double in size and our student population will grow by an estimated three percent a year.”
Morris has served as the second in command for 11 years, and says he plans to maintain the campus philosophy cooperation and partnership.
“When the police know the community and the community knows the police, the police and community can work together,” he said.
It’s a recipe that earned CSUCI the designation as one of the top 10 safest campuses in the nation from a higher education statistics company called CollegeStats.org.
Working on a college campus is one of the most rewarding jobs in law enforcement, Morris said, because you’re not dealing with crime and disorder as he did during the first eight years on the job working for a city police force in the San Joaquin Valley.
“When I switched to university policing, it’s a much more positive experience,” he said. “The negativity comes up every once in a while, but everybody on a college campus is here to improve their lives and we all work closely together.”
His responsibilities have increased, but Morris said he plans to make time for one of his favorite parts of the job, meeting with students during casual events such as “Coffee with the Cops” and “Cocoa with the PoPo,” in which students get a chance to chat one-on-one with the officers who keep them safe.