Point Park’s Chief of Police Jeffery Besong will begin serving as both Carlow University’s and Point Park’s Chief of Police this semester, according to Point Park’s Leadership Report published in November.
“I am honored to take on the responsibility of leading the police departments at both Point Park University and Carlow University,” Besong said. “This joint leadership role is an opportunity to enhance collaboration, strengthen safety measures and create a unified approach to public safety in the Pittsburgh area.”
Carlow and Point Park will still continue to have separately staffed and budgeted police departments, according to Lou Corsaro, assistant vice president of public relations.
“Chief Besong has long been a proactive and innovative leader in campus policing, and we are confident in his ability to effectively run both departments,” Corsaro said.
Corsaro added that Besong will split his in-office times between Carlow and Point Park. When Besong is not available, Lt. Matthew Mays serves as the next highest ranking officer.
Besong has served as Point Park’s assistant vice president of public safety, or chief of police, since 2009, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Besong previously served as Chief of Police at Carlow University from 2002 to 2009 before coming to Point Park.
He was also awarded a YMCA Racial Justice Award in 2016.
Besong’s compensation for his joint roles is unknown, as Point Park policy withholds faculty pay amounts from the public.
“My commitment in making Point Park a safe and welcoming place is still my top priority, and I am excited to apply our successes to Carlow,” Besong said. “This agreement allows us to share best practices and resources, creating a model for effective safety in higher education.”
President Chris Brussalis has championed shared administrative resources between Pittsburgh colleges since Sept. 2023, when his consulting firm Hill Group found that local schools could save over $20 million under that model.
“We are always looking for innovative ways to grow the university and share our expertise with others,” Brussalis wrote in the aforementioned Leadership Report.
“This collaboration enhances campus security for both institutions. His proactive and innovative leadership in campus policing assures me that he will continue to excel and be an asset to both universities,” Brussalis said.
