University Of Utah Announces Retirement Of Police Chief

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The University of Utah  announced the retirement of its Police Chief and Director of Public Safety Dale Brophy.

In an email to the University’s Department of Public Safety distributed today, Brophy wrote, “After 25 years in Law Enforcement, I have decided to retire and pursue other opportunities. I will serve my last day as the director of public safety here at the University on October 15, 2019. This has not been an easy decision, but the timing is right. This move will open a new chapter for me and provide the department an opportunity to continue forward under new leadership.”

Brophy joined the University’s Department of Public Safety in 2013 as deputy chief of police and was named director and chief of police in 2015. Brophy’s 25-year career in law enforcement began in 1994 with the West Valley City Police Department where he served as a patrol officer, detective, sergeant and lieutenant, according to a press release from University of Utah. He lead the department at the time of student Lauren McCluskey’s killing in October 2018. The department faced scrutiny for the handling of the case.

“The timing for him is right to start a new chapter, and it allows the university to do a national search for a replacement, and continue moving forward with a lot of the safety improvements we’ve made on campus within the last year,” said University of Utah spokesman Chris Nelson.