On Aug. 26, Lewis & Clark announced that former Multnomah County Deputy Sheriff James Eriksen had been hired as the new director of Campus Safety. Eriksen resigned from the role on Sept. 2, one day before the start of the semester.
In a now archived webpage, Eriksen was introduced as a remarkable candidate for the job. The position became available at the end of spring semester when former Director of Campus Safety Jay Weitman resigned after less than a year.
“After an extensive search among campus safety professionals, James emerged as an exceptional fit for both our community and the Campus Safety team,” Associate Vice President of Student Life Operations and Strategic Initiatives Bill Curtis announced in an email introducing Eriksen. “As a local resident, he is excited to join us on campus and looks forward to supporting our community. Please join me in extending a warm welcome to James as he begins his time with us.”
Eriksen’s background includes nine years spent as a police sergeant for the city of Stayton, Oregon, where he served as a patrol sergeant, detective, school resource officer, DARE officer and patrol officer. Then, in 2003, he moved to the Multnomah County sheriff’s office. He took on positions including professional standards inspector, lieutenant of the training unit, sergeant of the transit police division and detective, ultimately working his way up to the position of chief deputy.
“Throughout his career, James has handled a wide range of responsibilities, including managing major crime scenes, conducting investigations, addressing personnel issues, training deputies, and serving as an incident commander for major events,” states Eriksen’s hiring announcement. “He has a proven track record in enhancing critical operations, leading projects focused on recruitment and retention, wellness programs, community engagement, and advancing technology strategies within the patrol division.”
The role of the director of Campus Safety involves overseeing the entire office, which presides over all three LC campuses. Upon Erikson’s resignation, Curtis assumed the role of interim director of Campus Safety. The search for a new, permanent director continues.
“The Director of Campus Safety is a very important position for all three of our campuses. While James Eriksen’s departure was disappointing, I remain very encouraged that we will fill this position soon,” Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Dr. Evette Castillo Clark wrote in a statement. “While we continue the search process, safety and security operations are unaffected. I have all the confidence in our Campus Safety team of officers and dispatchers who will continue to keep our community safe and respond to community needs. I thank Bill Curtis for his continued leadership and commitment to the L&C community during this transitional period serving as our Interim Director of Campus Safety.”
The circumstances surrounding Eriksen’s resignation remain unclear. Neither Eriksen nor the college has provided an official explanation for his abrupt departure, and Erikson did not respond to requests for comment regarding his resignation.
Despite the vacancy, Curtis remains hopeful that Campus Safety will still function as an established aspect of campus life, serving the community as usual.
“We wish him all the best in his future endeavors and have quickly refocused on the search for a new Director,” Curtis said in a statement. “In the meantime, I will continue serving as Interim Director, supporting both Campus Safety operations and the broader campus community. Our Campus Safety officers will also remain engaged through their meet and greets with students at the Bon and their ongoing liaison efforts with Campus Living.”
Leave a Reply