We write to share the excellent news that Victor Clay, chief of campus security and parking services at California Institute of Technology, has agreed to serve as chief of the Harvard University Police Department. He will begin in his new role on July 26.
At a moment of national reckoning about the relationship between police departments and the communities they serve and protect, we are thrilled to welcome a leader who understands the challenges and opportunities of reimagining public safety. Both at Caltech and at Occidental College, where he served as chief of campus safety, Vic worked to create spaces where people could listen to and learn from one another, enabling changes that improved campus life by strengthening bonds of understanding, respect, and affection. His knowledge of institutional dynamics is complemented by law enforcement experience that includes 28 years with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
We hope you will join us in welcoming Vic to Harvard and in offering him the advice and support he needs as he works to ensure that every member of our community feels—and is—safe and secure. We are deeply grateful to the many people across the University who offered invaluable thoughts and advice over the course of the search. We look forward to working together as a community to bring about thoughtful and sustainable change on our campus.
Sincerely,
Lawrence S. Bacow
President
Katie Lapp
Executive Vice President
