Carey Named Campus Safety Director of the Year
Buffalo State’s University Police Department (UPD) Chief Peter Carey was named Campus Safety Director of the Year by Campus Safety magazine.
Carey, who has led UPD for the past 10 years, won in the higher education category. Judges noted Carey’s leadership in the department’s state accreditation process and his creation of a bike patrol, among other accomplishments.
“It was a privilege to receive this recognition,” Carey said. “I accepted the award on behalf not only of our police department but of everybody on campus who helps us do our jobs.”
During an awards ceremony July 13 at the Campus Safety Conference East in Philadelphia, Carey was recognized along with winners in the K-12 school district and hospital categories.
When the Campus Safety magazine named Carey a finalist in February 2017, they posted his profile on the magazine’s website and listed his notable achievements.
Amy Pedlow, UPD assistant chief, nominated Carey. In her letter to the selection committee, she lauded Carey for his consistent commitment to community policing, his problem-solving philosophy, and his creativity.
“Chief Carey’s outgoing personality and creativity in community service has made him a well-known and respected member of the campus community,” Pedlow wrote. “Over the years, he has personally assisted numerous students, faculty, and staff in crisis situations going well beyond the call of duty.”
Carey began his Buffalo State UPD service in 1978 when he was a student assistant. He joined the ranks as an officer in 1980 and was subsequently promoted to investigator, lieutenant, and assistant chief before accepting the position of chief in November 2007. For more than 14 years, he also served as an adjunct professor in the college’s Criminal Justice Department.
In addition to earning his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Buffalo State, Carey received a juris doctor from the University at Buffalo Law School in 2001 and operates a private law practice.
Some highlights of Carey’s tenure with Buffalo State include establishing the UPD Bike Patrol in 1996, implementing a formal response to active shooter incidents, and using Internet technology to disseminate crime statistics in accordance with the Clery Act.
Perhaps most impressive has been Carey’s leadership in earning his department’s accreditation from the New York Division of Criminal Justice Services in 2012, a designation that only 25 percent of New York state police departments have.
Michael LeVine, Buffalo State’s vice president of finance and management, wrote an accompanying letter of recommendation in which he complimented Carey’s ability to adeptly handle budget issues. He also notes the chief’s commitment to civic issues, such as the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes fundraiser for Crisis Services of Buffalo and Erie County and the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
“Policing is extremely challenging, yet Peter instills in his police officers a strong work ethic, high morale, and pride in their work,” LeVine wrote. “He brings the right amount of levity when required to balance the gravity found in police work.”
About Campus Safety
Campus Safety magazine and CampusSafetyMagazine.com exclusively serve campus police chiefs, security directors, IT personnel, emergency managers, and executive administrators involved in the public safety and security of major hospitals, schools, and universities in the United States. Campus Safety is a product of Framingham, Massachusetts-based publishing company EH Publishing Inc. The print version is distributed to more than 18,000 campus safety and security professionals nine times per year while CampusSafetyMagazine.com attracts more than 35,000 unique visitors each month.