Leadership of the University Police Department

To:                Students, Faculty, Staff

From:            Soraya M. Coley, President

                     Christina Gonzales, Vice President for Student Affairs

Date:             April 21, 2021

Subject:        Leadership of the University Police Department  

We write to share the news that Chief Dario Robinson has announced his intent to retire from the University and his leadership role of the University Police Department (UPD).  An alumnus of Cal Poly Pomona (’91, behavioral studies), Chief Robinson has led UPD since January 2016, overseeing a range of important campus safety initiatives. Notably, in the context of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, he led the university’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and campus-wide security efforts and also managed logistics related to the Mass Vaccination Hub hosted on our campus. We offer our thanks and gratitude to Chief Robinson for his dedicated service to our community over the last five years.

Prior to the conclusion of the 2020-21 academic year, we will assemble a search committee with representation by students, faculty and staff. The search committee will be finalized this spring so that recruitment for candidates can proceed over the summer for consideration at the start of the 2021-22 academic year. We aim to identify a permanent Chief of UPD by January 2022.

To assure continued leadership of UPD during this period of transition — especially as Cal Poly Pomona prepares for a phased safer return to in-person campus activities — we are pleased to announce that Captain Scott G. VanScoy, who currently serves as Commander of Professional Services and Police Operations at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), will serve as Interim Chief at Cal Poly Pomona, effective June 1, 2021. Captain VanScoy recently served as Acting Chief of Police at Humboldt State University in Fall 2020, in preparation for the selection of a new, permanent Chief of Police.    

Given his experience with community engagement, we are especially pleased that Captain VanScoy brings the appropriate knowledge and expertise to contribute to the essential and ongoing work of the Police Advisory Task Force (PATF). The PATF is charged with providing guidance and recommendations regarding community policing and the composition of a police advisory board, which will strengthen communication with students, faculty, staff and leadership. 

Please join us in thanking Chief Robinson for his leadership and welcoming Interim Chief VanScoy to Cal Poly Pomona. We look forward to keeping the campus updated on the confirmed membership of the search committee.