SUNY Fredonia names new police chief

Gordon T. Carpenter Jr. has been appointed the new Chief of University Police at the State University of New York at Fredonia, following a national search.

Most recently, Mr. Carpenter was Special Police Chief in the Division of Public Safety at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, NY, where he had been employed since 2016, beginning as Public Safety Lieutenant and later named Special Police Captain.

Prior to coming to Western New York, Mr. Carpenter served for 16 years with the Howard County Police Department in Ellicott City, MD, where as a Southern District Watch Commander he created and implemented a career enrichment and development strategy. He began his tenure in the department as an officer/detective, rising to police corporal, sergeant/squad supervisor, and later sergeant/supervisor in the Internal Affairs Division in the Office of the Chief of Police.

Mr. Carpenter has also been an adjunct instructor in the Criminal Justice undergraduate program at Hilbert College in Hamburg, NY, since 2021. He earned a  Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science/Public Administration from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and a Master of Arts degree in Strategic Leadership from St. Bonaventure University. Prior to joining the Roswell Park staff, Mr. Carpenter worked for M&T Bank in Buffalo for three years as a Banking Officer/Bank Secrecy Act Compliance Specialist in its Financial Investigations Unit.

In accepting the appointment, Mr. Carpenter noted, “I am excited to be chosen as the next Chief of University Police for SUNY Fredonia. I am looking forward to coming to SUNY Fredonia, getting to know the students, faculty, and staff and hearing from the diverse community that makes up this university. I am also honored and humbled to lead this dedicated team of law enforcement professionals and look forward to our team collaborating with the SUNY Fredonia community to continue to achieve a high quality of life on campus.”

SUNY Fredonia Vice President for Finance and Administration Michael Kelly added, “SUNY Fredonia is noted for its safe campus environment, and I am pleased that Gordon will continue to lead that effort with our fully-accredited department and dedicated officers.”

Carpenter will assume his new duties at SUNY Fredonia around mid-September.