New U. director of security begns work

In an effort to coordinate security services across campus, University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich has created a new position to sit on the Public Safety Department's "management team." Christopher Algard, formerly of the E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company of Wilmington, Del., started work as the new director of security services last week. Although it is still unclear exactly what Algard's position will entail, Kuprevich said he will analyze the security technology currently used at the University and supervise future security projects. Algard said he will be "a resource" within University Police, but said, "what direction we're going to go in is not clear yet." "I'll take a look at what direction we're going in, keeping in mind what the latest security technology is, and looking to see how other institutions are doing technology, in an ongoing search to improve security," he said. He added that his priority would be to keep students and members of the University community clear from harm. "Property protection is one thing, but people protection is a higher state of security," he said. Algard said the first major security program that will fall under his jurisdiction would be dormitory security, which is being moved from Residential Living to Public Safety in December. A University Police officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that Algard's appointment is part of a plan to consolidate all security operations at the University under one central office in the Public Safety Department. Kuprevich said there is no plan to consolidate all security at the University, but added that Algard's appointment "is the beginning to a different approach to security." And, according to Kuprevich, University Police has received many questions concerning Algard and the future of security at the University. Algard will work on security planning and prevention and "will work with the rest of my management team to develop a plan to improve the way we approach public safety," he said.