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Title image: CUPD Deputy Chief Tom Matlock, in red, with LEBA class, summer 2020.

University of Colorado Police Department (CUPD)’s new deputy chief, Tom Matlock, loves his job, �鶹ӰԺ’s outdoor lifestyle and the can-do attitude of the department’s chief, which he says allows commissioned officers and staff alike to feel safe suggesting ideas for programming and initiatives that will benefit students and lead the department well into the future.

Matlock was promoted to deputy chief on Monday, April 11. It’s a new leadership position at CUPD and one he feels ready to fill after a two-decade long career spent protecting students, faculty and staff and engaging with campus communities. Matlock spent 17 years serving at the University of Kentucky Police Department, before moving to CUPD in April of 2019. 

Tom Matlock being sworn in as commander at the �鶹ӰԺ Courthouse in April 2019. Photo courtesy of the CUPD.

“After my interview, chief (Doreen Jokerst, who had been on the job for six months) walked me to the elevator, talking about the department’s goals, plans and progressive initiatives. I felt an instant connection,” Matlock remembered. 

He immediately fell in love with the CU �鶹ӰԺ campus and the wider �鶹ӰԺ community. An avid cyclist, Matlock rides his bike to work every day (mountain bike in winter and spring, road bike in summer and fall). His passion for biking translated into getting more officers out of their cars and onto two wheels, both on bicycles and motorcycles, increasing face-to-face interaction with everyone on campus. 

“A key part of our mission at CUPD is to reduce crime and the fear of crime,” Matlock said. “One good way to do that is to ensure our officers are approachable and engaged with our community.” The added bonus of biking? It can be quicker to get around campus on a bike than from behind the wheel of a car.

Through Matlock’s instruction, several CUPD Officers, residential services officers and community safety officials are now certified through the . In the past three years, he’s also spearheaded the department’s motorcycle officer program, which now boasts two officers certified through the .

And Matlock’s wheels are turning, as he fleshes out ideas for possible future CUPD programs, such as an emotional support dog, self-defense courses taught by officers and offered to the campus community and a citizen police academy. Student engagement ideas such as these are in line with the department’s mission, core values and operating principles of being stakeholder-focused. 

“The students are the reason we’re here. Nurturing public trust through respect and listening is important. It allows us to do our jobs better,” Matlock said. “I take that to heart.” 

CUPD Chief Doreen Jokerst says Matlock’s passion and energy for university policing, along with his ideas to further boost community engagement, bring a lot to the table. “I value Deputy Chief Matlock’s experience and judgment, and I’m excited to see what the future holds,” she said, adding that he will stand in for her as acting chief when she is unavailable. 

Jokerst said she also is looking forward to Matlock’s ability to support and lead those within CUPD. He is a graduate of the , a professional development program open to police leaders nominated for their leadership potential and abilities. Matlock currently serves as the second vice president for the Rocky Mountain Chapter, and will lead the chapter next year.

Born and raised in California, with an undergraduate degree in education and kinesiology from the University of Kentucky and a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Western Kentucky University, Matlock has now put down roots in Colorado. “I came here for a bike race on the Monarch Crest Trail in 2018 and decided Colorado was calling my name. I feel very fortunate to be able to serve in this capacity at CU �鶹ӰԺ.”