University of Rhode Island names Michael A. Jagoda as Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police

University of Rhode Island new Chief of Police

The University of Rhode Island has named University Police Major Michael A. Jagoda as Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police.

Jagoda will oversee the Alarm Division, Emergency Management, Environmental Health and Safety, Fire and Life Safety, Transportation and Parking, University Police, Campus Security and Communications and Technology.

He was selected from more than 30 candidates in a national search. He will succeed Stephen N. Baker who will retire from the position of director of public safety/police chief after 16 years of dedicated service at URI.

In his role as major at URI, Jagoda has provided strategic and operational oversight to 32 sworn police officers, 17 security personnel and six emergency dispatchers; served as the second in command for the police; and supported URI’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion with programs and initiatives focused on community policing in partnership with faculty, staff and local community residents. He has worked with local, state and federal law enforcement in matters relating to homeland security, major criminal investigations and cybercrimes.

Prior to joining URI, Jagoda served in the Connecticut State Police from September 1993 through April 2015, most recently as commanding officer of Troop G, Bridgeport Operations, during which he managed 102 sworn law enforcement and civilian personnel and oversaw police services for 21 towns. He was the commander in charge of the Connecticut State Police command post during the mass shootings at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown in 2012. For his service, Jagoda was awarded the Sandy Hook Elementary School Meritorious Commendation. He received Connecticut’s TOP COP award in 2001.

Jagoda has a master’s degree in public administration from Post University and a bachelor’s degree in consumer affairs from the University of Rhode Island. He is a member of the FBI National Academy and served on Gov. Gina Raimondo’s Working Group for Gun Safety in 2018 and 2019.

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