By Isaac Piper
Paul Willingham has been appointed as Cuyahoga Community College’s new Chief of Campus Police. Willingham’s leadership approach will be focused on community engagement and transparency while mixing in more modern policing practices.
Willingham, in a recent interview, described his policies and approach. “[They] will be grounded in professionalism, fairness, transparency, and service to the Tri-C community.” His goal is to create an environment that is safe for students, faculty, and staff. Allowing all parties to focus on their learning and work.
One of his key philosophies is influenced by the Peelian Principles of Policing. These stress the importance of cooperation and trust between the public and police. Willingham’s philosophy is extended to campus officers. Under this idea, they should feel as if they were part of the community rather than try to separate themselves from it.
“I want our officers to be engaged with the campus community. When students and staff know their officers as people (not just uniforms), it builds trust.”
The college campus is a unique environment. As Chief of Campus Police, Willingham has acknowledged this. Education and discipline intersect and both learning and safety takes priority. He feels that educational approaches can be more useful for minor student offenses.
“When appropriate, we will work with student services and other campus partners to resolve issues in ways that support learning and personal growth.” Keeping this in mind, Willingham still ensured that serious incidents and harm will require a full response from law enforcement.
Another central component to Willingham’s philosophy is accountability. He plans to implement regular policy reviews, strong supervision, and early intervention systems to identify potential officer performance issues.
“Every use-of-force incident will be documented and reviewed through reports, supervisory oversight, and body-worn cameras to ensure actions are lawful and consistent with policy.” Following this, he stressed that communication and de-escalation were the priority. Force should be the last resort.
Any officer violating this policy will be met with thorough and fair investigations which will result with any appropriate disciplinary action. “Accountability and fairness must both be part of maintaining community trust.”
The involvement of students, faculty, and staff in shaping campus policing policies was also highlighted. Willingham plans to hold meetings and forums to address issues while also ensuring he maintains a visible presence across all campuses. “I want students, faculty, and staff to feel comfortable sharing their ideas and concerns…Listening to the community helps us build better policies and stronger relationships.” To further encourage direct communication, Willingham provided his email. “I also want people to know they can always reach out to me directly with questions, ideas, compliments, or concerns. Email me at paul.willingham@tri-c.edu.”
Willingham’s leadership brings expanded training for officers. De-escalation, mental health response, sexual assault investigations, and active threat preparedness will all be focused on.
A victim-centered approach to crimes was emphasized, particularly in relation to crimes such as sexual assault and stalking. He notes that officers will work closely with the Title IX staff and support services ensuring both care and justice for any victims.
This specialized training and coordination will also be used towards mental health crises. There will be a focus on connecting students to support, such as coordination with counseling services.
Surveillance technology is gaining a growing role in policing. Willingham has ensured that its use will remain lawful, transparent, and respectful of privacy. How data is collected, assessed, and stored will be clearly defined to ensure trust is not compromised.
Willingham’s overall goal is for “the Tri-C Police Department to become a model for professional, community-focused campus policing.” Between accountability, transparency, and collaboration, this goal will be worked towards while ensuring safety and strengthening trust.
