Valdosta State University has named Ronald Seacrist director of public safety and chief of police.
Seacrist will succeed Oswell “Oz” Armour, who was appointed interim director of public safety and chief of police at VSU on Feb. 18, following Scott Doner announcing his retirement from the university, reported Valdosta Today.
Seacrist previously was director of public safety from October 1989 to August 1994. During that time, he developed and implemented a 24-hour communications center, a crime prevention program, a field training officer program, a student security and parking enforcement program, an environmental health and safety program, and a criminal investigations division, said Valdosta Today.
Seacrist is a Vietnam War veteran, with numerous roles with the Tampa Police Department. He earned an Associate of Arts in political science and administration from Hillsborough Community College and Bachelor of Arts in education from the University of South Florida, both in Tampa, Fla.
He also was assistant director of security for Tulane University in New Orleans, La, director of public safety position at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Fla., director of risk management for Manatee Memorial Hospital in Bradenton, Fla., executive director of business administration at the University of Texas in San Antonio, Texas, director of public safety at California State University in Northridge, Calif., chief of police at the University of West Florida in Pensacola, Fla., and chief of police for the Texas Tech University System.
