Search widened for Victim Support head

A regional search to fill the position of Director of Victim Support and Special Services, vacated by Ruth Wells last November, will begin early next month, Universtiy Police Commissioner John Kuprevich said Friday. Wells retired from her position in November, citing her health as the major reason for her departure. The regional search, which according to Kuprevich is "not going to focus simply within the campus community," follows a interdepartmental search that Kuprevich announced in November. "I think there is potential on this campus [for a new director]," Kuprevich said in November. "I think we should look internally." Kuprevich said the November search did not "officially occur" and added he is working with the University's Division of Human Resources and the Penn Women's Center to organize a search committee. Rose Hooks, who replaced Wells on an interim basis, said she will not seek the permanent position. Hooks said she "enjoys" her work and wants to continue working for the department. Kuprevich said the University has tried to make sure that women's services are provided without a Victim Support director. He said that the Women's Center, University Police and the Vice Provost for University Life's office have contributed to the effort. Kuprevich said that the new director must have many attributes which he has set out to define. Among them are police training, and knowledge of criminal justice, investigative procedure and case management. These attributes will add to the overall effectiveness in management, he added. The search is expected to officially begin by the end of this month or the beginning of March and Kuprevich said he hopes to choose the director by the end of the academic year. Kuprevich said he has not decided whether or not to seek a replacement for John Logan, former director of University Police, who left the University in January. He added that he is in the midst of restructuring the Unversity Police department to accommodate not only law enforcement responsibilities, but also to coordinate security efforts on campus and to emphasize the need for community policing.