After months of scouring the nation, the Oakland University Police Department has finally found its new Chief of Police – and he’s already on campus.

Captain Mark Gordon, who has been working with Oakland for 26 years, will be taking the reins as chief in place of previous Chief Samuel C. Lucido. His duties began on Tuesday, April 1.

“Given Captain Gordon’s broad expertise, diverse experience and deep dedication to the university community, I am confident that the OUPD and public safety on campus will be in very capable hands,” wrote Vice President for Finance and Administration John Beaghan in a press release Tuesday, March 25. “Captain Gordon will replace Chief Samuel Lucido, who is retiring after 11 years with the OUPD.”

Passing down the torch

Gordon said he is honored to be chosen as the next Chief of Police and is excited and ready for the new challenges ahead.

Until a new captain can be found, Gordon said it may be challenging because he will have two jobs to do. He said the transition should still be fairly smooth, however.

“I’m already here – I understand the role the chief has played for the last nine years,” Gordon said.

Some of the ideas Gordon said he would like to look into are implementing a bike patrol program and appointing a liaison officer for the residence halls. His main focus in all plans will be to “continue to further the community relationships that we’ve built”.

Lucido said he is extremely pleased to see his second-in-command go through the process of a nationwide search and be chosen to lead the men and women of the OUPD.

“I’m ecstatic that Captain Gordon will become our new police chief here because I know he’s got the right vision, dedication and professionalism to continue to advance beyond where I did,” Lucido said. “I’m quite confident that the OUPD and the Oakland University community will be well-served in the years ahead.”

“Through all those nine years I’ve been mentored by the current chief, and if you could pick someone to mentor you, you couldn’t pick a better guy,” Gordon said.

A life of service

Gordon said he has worked in both municipality and university policing, and that he enjoyed university policing much more because of the bonds the OU police department shares with the university community.

“It’s kind of like small-town USA,” Gordon said. “It is if you compared it to a city, and the level of environment that we have in our community… it’s a partnership between us and the community which is very desirable when you’re talking about police department relationships with communities.”

Lucido said he experienced “the full range” of police work and has always taught criminal justice courses in both part-time and full-time positions. Working at Oakland University allowed him to combine those into the perfect position.

“I had an absolute, extremely rewarding experience here at Oakland University and it tops off a 42-year career,” Lucido said. “I started when I was 21 walking a beat on the east side of Detroit and it ends here.”

For the future, Lucido said his only plans are to “just teach and be a grandfather”. He will continue to teach in the criminal justice program at Oakland.