Dennis Jeffrey speaks to the media outside Blankenship Hall on Wednesday. Credit: Bailey Johnston | Lantern Reporter

Ohio State has named Ohio State University Police Department Deputy Chief Dennis Jeffery as its new police chief.

With 27 years of law enforcement experience, Jeffrey will become the 12th Ohio State Police Chief effective Friday.

“(Jeffrey) has three decades of law enforcement experience and has worked in support of the Ohio State community for most of his career, both with OSUPD and in various roles while with Columbus Police,” Monica Moll, acting police chief and deputy deputy. chairman of the Ohio State Department of Public Safety, said in an Oct. 24 statement press release. “He is well-positioned to lead OSUPD and continue the important partnerships we have with local, state and federal agencies that help keep our campus safe.”

Jeffrey will replace Kimberly Spears-McNatt, who he said helped teach him about the importance of accountability within the police department. Now, he said he hopes to carry that value into his new role.

“We always want to be responsible,” Jeffrey said. “So (Spears-McNatt) really kept that at the highest level. We know we really do provide a service and we want to make sure that service is of the highest standard and we want our officers to be accountable. So if I’m not doing something – maybe right, or something we can improve – I definitely want to know that and work on it.”

Jeffrey said his career in law enforcement began as a police officer for the Columbus Police Division, where he worked in “Area Four,” or the University District. He then served 11 years as a sergeant before being promoted to lieutenant for another eight years.

Jeffrey completed his last two years at CPD as commander of the department’s homicide bureau before joining OSUPD in 2022.

“So as the commander of Area Four, I had a lot of ties to Ohio State,” Jeffrey said. “We had some common issues that we would tackle together and we really enjoyed working with them. So when the opportunity came up, I really thought it would be a natural fit for me to kind of transition.”

In addition to his previous experience with Ohio State through his time with CPD, Jeffrey said his familiarity with the university goes back several decades, as he and most of his family members are alumni.

“I grew up in the shadow of Ohio State, I went to Ohio State; two of my three kids went to Ohio State,” Jeffrey said. “My wife went to Ohio State.”

Jeffrey said his connection to the university has given him a deep understanding of how safety impacts students’ lives on and off campus. It also allows her to connect with parents who may have concerns while their children are away from home.

“I think it gives me a unique perspective because not only as a (former) student, but as a parent, I understand when parents have certain concerns and I don’t want them to feel like they don’t understand that. Jeffrey said. “So that’s really what I want to get across; I have that perspective and I kind of get it.”

Jeffrey said that while off-campus crime is a big challenge for OSUPD, the department will continue to work with CPD to ensure student safety through its joint patrol and crime interdiction programs.

“We’re looking at: How much could we help with that policing for (off-campus) areas and really be a collaborative partner with CPD?” Jeffrey said. “We don’t want it to feel like this is an issue across the street. We want to say, “These are our students. We should also have some responsibility.”

As Ohio State’s police chief, Jeffrey said he will encourage students to be vigilant while traveling on and off campus by eliminating distractions and being aware of their surroundings.

“I know it sounds cliche, but really, be careful,” Jeffrey said. “I think a lot of times we’re preoccupied with cell phones and headphones and don’t really look around us. Sure, crime is sometimes just sporadic – you can’t control it – but a lot of times if you understand your environment and maybe see a threat before it happens, you have an opportunity to get rid of it before it happens. “