Swearing In

Members of the campus, community, family and friends gathered on Friday, Feb. 10, for the swearing in of Cal State Fullerton's newest police chief, Dennis DeMaio.

Paul Miller, director of disabled student services and police chaplain, served as master of ceremonies. Bill Barrett, interim vice president of administration and finance/chief financial officer, also welcomed DeMaio to campus.

Caption: Joining University Police Chief Dennis DeMaio at his swearing in are, from left, his daughter, Deanean Vogel, and her husband, James; grandson Gavin; wife, Deborah; and granddaughter Savannah Rose. Photo: Matt Gush

Judi King, who joined the campus in 1999 as the California State University’s first female police chief, greeted her successor and gave a brief overview of the police department, noting the differences between serving in a city and on a college campus. She then she provided a light moment, teasing DeMaio about his gift of gab.

“Dennis will have no problem greeting everyone who comes up to him,” she said. “On a college campus, everyone knows who the chief is so there will be no need to wear your uniform.”

Willie J. Hagan, interim president of the university, administered the oath of office to DeMaio. The new chief’s wife of 26 years, Deborah, pinned the chief’s badge to his uniform.

“We’re happy to have you as part of the family at Cal State Fullerton,” Hagan said.

“I am very excited today and can’t thank the search committee enough for giving me this opportunity to serve,” said DeMaio, who joined the campus in January after serving for eight years as airport operations division commander/chief of airport police services at John Wayne Airport. “I am dedicated to making the students and those who work on campus feel safe.”

Feb. 13, 2012