Two contenders for the vacant police chief position will be on campus next week to interview and speak with students and faculty at open forums.
The possible candidates are Eric Plummer, chief of police at Southern Arkansas University, and Brian Joschko, lieutenant at Marquette University.
“We’re looking for someone with outstanding leadership qualities who can define what’s next for the university in strategic planning,” said Executive Director for Residential Living and Leadership Nathan Thomas. “We want someone who is going to come in and work with the students, faculty and staff and excel within the environment.”
Thomas said they were not looking at internal candidates for the position, but the police force has done well during the interim.
“Lt. [Troy] Eeten has done a tremendous job leading the police force,” Thomas said. “We didn’t have any issues. But we are looking forward to having a chief of police in place because then the progression of moving forward can happen.”
Thomas said the university employed a national search firm to locate police chief potentials.
“They essentially went out and sought candidates through a network of people,” he said. “They then gave us a number of people that we have talked to along the way.”
Plummer has been chief of police at Southern Arkansas since 2007. Prior to that, he had experience as a sergeant and detective for the Florida Highway Patrol and intelligence analyst for the army.
Joschko has been a senior lieutenant at Marquette since 2006 and has been part of the Marquette police force since 2000.
The candidates will each be on campus for two days to speak with students, faculty and staff in the Hartmann Center.
Plummer will be meeting with students from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Monday and 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. He will meet with faculty and staff from 2 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Monday and 11 a.m. to noon Tuesday.
Joschko will meet with students from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday. He will meet with faculty and staff from 2 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Thursday.
“I would definitely encourage people to attend the open sessions,” Thomas said. “Their opinions will be valued in the process.”
The timing for a final candidate decision and when the new police chief will start the job both have yet to be determined, Thomas said.
Complete resumes for both contenders are available at www.bradley.edu/chiefsearch/.
