OU community celebrates Chief Lucido as Outstanding AP of the year

By Katie Land, news editor

Police Chief Lucido has been named the 2010 Outstanding AP of the Year.

The campus community joined together to celebrate 2010 Outstanding Administrative Professional of the Year Police Chief Samuel Lucido at a reception in his honor this June.

The announcement of this distinguished award is seen as a fitting recognition by many familiar with the chief and his work, including Captain Mark Gordon of the Oakland University Police Department.

“During my 21 years in law enforcement, I have worked for a total of six police chiefs in two police agencies,” he said. “However, I have never worked for a more dedicated professional than Chief Samuel Lucido.”

Gordon added that Lucido presents a positive and knowledgeable outlook for the Oakland University community and has many times over proven himself a “go to” leader.

Since joining the force in 2002, Lucido has become a visible symbol of the professionalism and excellence of the OUPD.

He has helped modernize operations through the implementation of more than a dozen public safety education programs and grants. He also has overseen an array of improvements to OU’s emergency response plan, including the addition of emergency text messaging, installation of outdoor loudspeaker systems and the development of a comprehensive emergency preparedness website.

Capt. Gordon, Chief Lucido, John Beaghan and Lt. Mel Gilroy stand together at the chief's AP reception.

Constantly searching for new ways to develop OUPD’s presence, the chief has secured multiple grants to expand emergency preparedness training and has authored the university’s Emergency Response Plan.

This spring, the chief oversaw a full-scale emergency training scenario that included hundreds of representatives from local, state and federal agencies.

“Chief Lucido is very well respected on campus by all; students, faculty, staff, visitors, and within his own department,” said John Beaghan, vice president for Finance and Administration.

“In my years as a vice president at two universities, I have had three police chiefs report to me and Chief Lucido is hands down the very best that I have ever worked with.”