Paul Berger Sworn in as Deputy Commissioner of State University Police
July 1, 2014
Albany – State University of New York Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher and Commissioner Bruce McBride today announced the appointment of Paul Berger as deputy commissioner of the State University Police, which serves the entire SUNY system. He was sworn in as deputy commissioner in a ceremony at System Administration in Albany.
Deputy Commissioner Berger will assist McBride in the oversight of police and security on SUNY’s 64 campuses across New York. Currently the president of the SUNY Police Chiefs’ Association, a position he was elected to by his peers, he has served in various positions with the University at Albany Police Department for the last 25 years, most recently interim deputy chief of police.
“As the SUNY university police work to ensure that our campuses serve as safe havens for all students, Deputy Commissioner Berger embodies all of the ideals that we look for in a leader,” said Chancellor Zimpher. “He has a deep knowledge of training requirements and opportunities for university police as well as the latest protocols for student safety, homeland security, and crisis intervention. I am confident that his appointment will benefit SUNY students, faculty, and staff across the state.”
“Whether students reside on campus or commute for class, their safety as well as that of the entire campus community is our primary concern, and ensuring that all officers have access to current training and best practices is a vital part of the University Police mission,” said Commissioner McBride. “As deputy commissioner, Paul will ensure that this is the case throughout SUNY. He has been an excellent partner and valuable member of the University Police for many years and I look forward to our closer collaboration as he takes on this new role in service to SUNY’s students, faculty, and staff.”
Deputy Commissioner Berger will be responsible for strategic planning among the SUNY’s University Police, collaborating with the system’s campus police departments and with various staffs such as employee relations, governmental affairs, student affairs, and boards of trustees. He will also serve as a liaison with a number of external stakeholders, including federal, municipal, and state law enforcement agencies, professional law enforcement associations, and state and national training organizations.
“I am excited about the opportunity to work with Commissioner McBride and the chiefs across SUNY to enhance University Policing for the students, faculty, and staff of the State University of New York,” said Deputy Commissioner Berger.
About Paul Berger
Deputy Commissioner Berger has more than 25 years of increasingly challenging professional experience with the University at Albany Police Department. Throughout his career, Deputy Commissioner Berger has demonstrated expertise in law enforcement operations; emergency preparedness; agency administration; supervision; policy development and implementation; and effective team building.
Deputy Commissioner Berger is the current president of the SUNY Police Chiefs’ Association. Throughout his 25-year career, he has served in several positions with the University at Albany Police Department, including interim deputy chief of police for administration, assistant chief of police, and night commander. This year, he earned both the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence and the University at Albany President’s Award for Excellence.
About SUNY’s University Police
SUNY’s University Police provides leadership and support for the police departments on SUNY campuses across New York State. Based at System Administration in Albany, NY, the commissioner and deputy commissioner promote collaboration among campus departments and oversee university-wide efforts in training, operations, standards, employee relations, and campus safety. In 1998, the legal status of SUNY officers was changed to “police officer,” granting them the same training and law enforcement capabilities as municipal police. All University Police departments are full partners in various state, regional, and local crime information sharing and investigative task forces.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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