July 22, 2004
Finalists named for director of public safety
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Three finalists for Southern Illinois University Carbondale's Director of Public Safety are visiting the campus over the next week.
The three finalists are Jeoffrey P. Jenkins, director of public safety, Wheaton College; Albert D. Chesser Jr., chief, Police and Public Safety Department, Governor's State University, University Park; and Todd D. Sigler, captain, SIUC Department of Public Safety.
The three finalists were chosen from 43 applicants. Each will spend a day on campus and participate in candidate forums open to the campus community, beginning this week. Jenkins' visit is Friday, July 23; Chesser will visit Tuesday, July 27; and Sigler will visit Wednesday, July 28.
The three finalists are looking to succeed Samuel L. Jordan, who retired in December after 11 years in the post. Kay W. Doan, a lieutenant with the department since 1989, has been serving as interim director. She is not a candidate for the permanent position.
The department has 34 active sworn officers and 17 office staff, which includes parking division employees.
"We are extremely pleased with the caliber of the finalists," said Robert H. York, SIUC's executive director of human relations and support.
"Based on the information we have received about them, we have a wonderful group of three finalists to select from," he said. "Each of them seem to have stellar credentials and we look forward to having the opportunity to interview them.
"I believe the University will be extremely well served by the individual who is ultimately selected," said York.
York said he hopes to make a final decision on the department's new director "within a reasonably short period of time" after the completion of interviews. York will make the decision in consultation with others. The appointment is subject to ratification by the SIU Board of Trustees.
The open forums for each candidate are: Jenkins, 11 a.m. to noon, Friday, July 23, Student Center Vermillion Room; Chesser, 11 a.m. to noon, Tuesday July 27, University Museum Auditorium; and Sigler, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Wednesday, July 28, University Museum Auditorium.
Jenkins has 32 years experience in police work dating back to 1972 when he started as a patrol officer in Elk Grove. He served nine years as patrol supervisor for the department until 1998 when he became chief of public safety for Wheaton College. Jenkins oversees a department of 13 full-time and 20 part-time officers.
Jenkins earned his bachelor's degree in management in 1995 and a master's degree in business administration in 2000 from California Coast University in Santa Ana, Calif.
Chesser has been police chief at Governor's State University since April 1999, and currently oversees a force of nine full-time and 11 to 14 part-time officers. He was police chief at Chicago State University from May 1990 to April 1999.
He started his law enforcement career as a trooper with the Illinois State Police in 1975. His experience also includes serving as a personnel investigator and internal affairs investigator with the Chicago Police Department, and he is an adjunct professor in the college of arts and sciences and college of business and public administration at Governor's State University.
Chesser earned a bachelor's degree in marketing and business administration from Eastern Illinois University in 1977. He earned a master's degree in public administration from Roosevelt University in Chicago in 1980, and a master's degree in criminal justice from Lewis University in Romeoville in 1989.
Sigler began his law enforcement career in 1979 as a member of the Saluki Patrol during his student days. He joined the department full time in 1985, and worked as an investigator with the Illinois Secretary of State Police from October 1988 to May 1990, when he returned to SIUC. Sigler became a corporal in August 1991, sergeant in June 1993 and lieutenant in February 2002. Sigler became captain and commander of the Uniformed Patrol Division and Organization Development and Support Services in July 2003.
In addition to supervising SIUC police officers and the Saluki Patrol program, he oversees the training program, pressure point and control tactics program, field training officer program and the disaster preparedness program. He is also commander of the department's tactical response team, crisis management team and explosive ordinance disposal unit.
Sigler holds a bachelor's degree in administration of justice and a master's degree in public affairs, both from SIUC, and is currently a doctoral candidate at SIUC in educational administration and higher education.