Benjamin Newman named public safety director

September 12, 2013

Benjamin Newman named public safety director

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Benjamin Newman, a lieutenant with the police department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will become the new director of the Department of Public Safety at Southern Illinois University Carbondale on Oct. 9.

His appointment follows a national search to replace current DPS Director Todd Sigler, who is retiring Oct. 15 after 30 years of service to SIU.

“Ben brings to SIU highly relevant experience as a police officer and administrator on a large, complex campus,” Chancellor Rita Cheng said in announcing the appointment. “He also brings a commitment to community-based policing, a collaborative approach, and strong communication skills that will serve him well as he works with students, faculty and staff. We look forward to his leadership.”

Newman joined the UW-Madison police department as an officer and evidence technician in 1999. He was promoted to sergeant in 2003 and lieutenant in 2008. Currently, he manages policy development and implementation, supervises personnel, oversees aspects of the budget, and conducts training and investigations for the department.

He is a 2005 graduate of the police management program conducted by the Southern Police Institute at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Francis Marion University in Florence, S.C., and a master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

“I am excited to be part of a university that is rich in tradition and filled with new energy,” Newman said. “Leading the Department of Public Safety will be both challenging and rewarding. I am honored to guide the highly professional women and men sworn to provide safety and security at such a beautiful, family friendly campus.”

The SIU Carbondale police department is charged with protecting the university and its students and staff, educating the campus community about safety and security issues, preventing crime and responding to and investigating reports of criminal activity. The department also oversees campus parking and emergency response.