College of The Albemarle is pleased to announce that Joseph DeStefano has accepted the position of Director, Campus Safety and Security.  Mr. DeStefano has been with the college for over eleven years and has served as the Division Chair, Health Sciences and Public Services; Program Coordinator, Criminal Justice Technology; and School Director for the Basic Law Enforcement Training Program.  Previous experience also includes ten years with the Suffolk Police Department as a Police Sergeant and military experience in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Military Policeman.  Mr. DeStefano received a Master of Public Administration from Troy State University, a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Old Dominion University, and an Associate in Applied Science – Administration of Justice from Tidewater Community College. 

When asked his top 2 or 3 priorities for the college in his new role, Mr. DeStefano stated, “My first goal is to immediately assist the president and her team in providing a safer environment for our students, employees, and visitors to any campus of COA.  To this end I am currently evaluating our present security arrangements at all of the campuses and will make short term adjustments to ensure that we (security) provide the safest possible environment for all persons on campus.  My second goal involves advising the president on different safety and security models that the Board of Trustees may want to consider so we can continue to improve in this area as the college grows.  To this end I am working on the Crisis Management Plan with the leadership team and will be making recommendations to them in the coming months.”   

To ensure the safety of our students, faculty, and staff, Mr. DeStefano provided a couple of suggestions as to our daily behaviors.  Secure your possessions, to include not leaving valuables in a vehicle where they can be seen - use your trunk or cover them up.  When leaving classes at night, try to walk in a group and have your keys in your hand so you don't have to find them in your bag or jacket pocket when you arrive at your vehicle. 

Mr. DeStefano states, “I think that recent events, locally and across the country on school campuses, clearly shows that no location is immune to threats to the safety of individuals working or studying there.  I know I’m just beginning in this new role, but I believe that we will have steady progress towards the college president's goal of providing as safe an environment as possible at all locations served by the college.”