New Police Administrator Hired

BY LANDON JAMES

The University of Mary Washington campus police hired Mark Sandor as the executive director of police and security services, a new position within the campus police force.

Sandor serves between Chief of Police James Snipes and Assistant Vice President for Public Safety and Community Services Susan Knick.

Sandor was hired in late December 2008, and officially began his duties on campus Jan. 12.

Sandor is in charge of security and planning for all University-owned property, including the Mary Washington campus, the Mary Washington Graduate School, Brompton, and the Dahlgren campus.
“I’m the strategic thinker, long-range planner and concept guy,” Sandor said.

Sandor, who has served as a Commanding Officer of Security in the Harbor Defense Command Unit in the Navy, as a Virginia State Trooper, and as Chief Law Enforcement Ranger for First Landing State Park, demonstrated the necessary experience to bring exactly what the University was looking for in this position, according to Knick.

Knick has been trying to fill this position since she arrived at the University over two years ago.  She said that it was perfect timing, due to current budget conditions, to fill a position that will focus on security and planning.

Knick emphasized that the new position is strictly “for planning police and security services University-wide.”

“The common thread through all of my security and police experience is customer service and community policing,” Sandor said.

Still relatively new to the position and its services, Sandor said he is trying to make the campus more secure and user-friendly.

“We are a customer-service organization, and we must be responsive,” Sandor said.

Sandor, a single father raising two children, often takes walks on campus, and strongly encourages students to come walk and talk with him.

He said that he strongly believes in the benefits and success of community policing. He hopes students will come and voice their concerns or just talk to him, whether he is on Campus Walk, in his squad car, or in his office.

Sandor hopes that opening the line of communication between students and campus police will help the police do their job better and get an idea of what needs to be done.

“I need to get a good overall assessment of where we are before I can accurately say where we need to go,” Sandor said.

Despite the structure of the position, Knick said Snipes’ responsibilities will remain the same, and that the police chief and Sandor will work together to make the campus safe and secure.

“Our mission is to make sure you that you are safe and having a good day,” Knick said.