UW names new campus police chief

The University of Washington Police Department's new chief says he won't tolerate any racial or sexual discrimination in the department, noting a lawsuit filed last month alleging such behavior.

The UW announced Thursday it has chosen 37-year-old John N. Vinson, the undersheriff for the Isabella County Sheriff's Department in Mount Pleasant, Mich., to be the new chief.

Last month, six current and former employees, including four sworn officers, filed a civil-rights lawsuit against the university, alleging a hostile work environment rife with racial and sexual discrimination. The suit alleges that former Police Chief Vicky Stormo, who left the department in January, engaged in inappropriate behavior and failed to respond to complaints.

"From what I understand, the UW Police Department has had some challenges," said Vinson, referring to the lawsuit. "However, I believe they are still doing a good job of providing service to the community."

Vinson has 15 years of law-enforcement experience, including 10 years in supervisory and administrative roles. At Isabella County, with a population of about 65,000, he is second in command. When he starts his new job at the UW in February, he will be paid $160,000 annually.

He said his more than eight years of work for the Central Michigan University (CMU) police department — from 1996 to 2004 — gave him an opportunity to understand the needs of students and what was necessary for them to succeed at a university.

Vinson has another thing in common with students: He has spent lots of time studying, earning a doctorate in public administration from Western Michigan University. That makes him unusual in law enforcement, he acknowledged. He said he studied in his spare time when working at CMU.

At the UW, he will head a department of about 50 commissioned officers and 100 total staff, serving a population of 67,000 students, faculty and staff members.

Most campus crimes tend to involve drunken behavior, theft or property damage, Vinson said, although there is always the potential for more serious, violent crimes.

A number of violent crimes have occurred near the UW campus over the past year or two. Most of those have fallen under the jurisdiction of the Seattle Police Department.

"I think it's going to be absolutely critical to work with the Seattle Police Department to address any problems relating to student issues," Vinson said.

Information from the University of Washington and The Seattle Times archives is included in this report.

Nick Perry: 206-515-5639 or nperry@seattletimes.com