The Director of Public Safety, Chief Christopher Santiago, began the Fall semester by announcing the Department of Public Safety’s new Community Resource Officer (CRO) Program.

The launch of the CRO Program is a part of Public Safety’s initiative to better enhance the entirety of Wheaton by focusing on its smaller communities. Officers, sergeants, and SSGs within the Department along with Chief Santiago himself have been assigned to different communities on campus in the following categories: residence hall areas, academic and administrative facilities, and community groups and student organizations.

In previous years, Wheaton students and PS have encountered many roadblocks on the path to cooperation and understanding. This is why the success of this program is crucial to not only the safety of the Wheaton community, but also to the overall mutual respect between the two groups. The efforts of Chief Santiago and the entire PS Department marks a new beginning to improving the image of Public Safety in the eyes of the students.

PS intends to use this program as a way to reach out to all members of Wheaton, from students to faculty. Chief Santiago stressed in his campus-wide email announcement that “the emphasis of the program shall be to enhance the knowledge, communication and overall safety of all within the community.”

The new program’s use of focus on smaller groups to enhance the overall partnership between all sectors on campus will help to make every voice heard. Chief Santiago noted that “students should have multiple CROs based on where you live, where you go to class and what activities you are involved in.” In this way, PS Officers will be able to better connect with the Wheaton community with a more individualized approach.

With such accessibility, the Wheaton community will have a more personal and positive relationship with PS that will foster effective and community-based problem solving.

To take one step further, the CRO program will also provide Crime Prevention and Crime Awareness Education programs in their select areas.

As the new semester unfolds, make sure you familiarize yourself with your CROs!

• Haas Athletic Center & Cole Memorial Chapel – Officer Justin Keene
• Watson Fine Arts, MARS/Meneely, & Wallace Library – Sgt. Mark Oliver
• Balfour Hood Center, Old Science Center & MARS Center for Science & Technology – Officer Skip Knox
• Park Hall, Mary Lyon, & Admissions – Capt. Jackie Michalowski
• Physical Plant/Trades/Business Services – SSG. Jay Blanchard
• Counseling Center & Norton Medical Center – Sgt. Matthew Gorham
• Knapton Hall, Doll’s House & Chase Dining – Officer Jim Domagalski
• BaM Quad – Officer John Melkonian
• EEKSGW Quad – Officer Jonathan Barbosa
• YMC Quad – Officer David Pacheco
• KLMC2 Quad – Officer Christopher Souza
• Theme Houses – Chief Christopher Santiago
• Student Government – Chief Christopher Santiago
• SMART – Sgt. Matthew Gorham
• Center for Global Education & Marshall Center for Intercultural Learning – Chief Christopher Santiago
• Athletics – Officer Justin Keene
• Human Resources & Communications – Chief Christopher Santiago