Chief Burba leads California association dedicated to safety on campuses

Randy A. Burba, Chapman University’s chief of public safety, has been selected to serve as president of the
California College and University Police Chiefs Association
.

As president of the statewide organization of campus safety chiefs and security personnel, Burba looks forward to creating professional development programs that will grow the group’s membership and have a broad impact.

“All of us share the common thread of trying to keep our campuses safe,” Burba said.

Campus public safety professionals also face many challenges distinct from those of municipal law enforcement departments, he says. Updating and honing response plans in the event of campus emergencies is an ongoing and key task. But there are many other less-obvious jobs – including that of being less obvious. While high visibility of uniformed officers is valued on city streets, it doesn’t always fit into a campus environment, he said.

“How do you keep a group of people safe who really don’t want a bunch of uniformed officers around? That’s the truth,” he said with a laugh. “I think it’s about building relationships, transparency and trust and helping them understand what you do and why you do it. If they don’t trust you, you can’t help them.”

In addition, Burba said he is eager to share Chapman’s distinctive expertise through his new leadership role. A recent executive workshop organized for the association included a presentation by Esmael Adibi, Ph.D., professor and director of the A. Gary Anderson Center for Economic Research, who discussed California’s economy and budget-planning strategies for public safety departments.

Burba has worked at Chapman for eight years. He also serves as Mountain Pacific regional director of
The International Association of Campus law Enforcement Administrators
.