Updated: June 30, 2019 at 11:31 a.m.

A School of Engineering and Applied Science alumnus will be the next associate vice president of safety and security, officials announced Thursday.

Scott Burnotes, the associate vice president for university operations at St. Edwards University, will lead the Division of Safety and Security effective Aug. 1, according to a University release. He will head the University’s public safety efforts, including Health and Emergency Management Safety, crisis preparedness and communications and GW Police Department patrols, the release states.

“I love higher education, and I am excited to give back to GW and work with students, faculty and staff to embed safety and security into everything we do,” Burnotes said in the release. “We want to create an environment that allows the community to really be able to learn, teach and work while feeling safe and comfortable.”

Burnotes will replace Dorinda Tucker, the assistant vice president for ethics and data privacy officer who has served as interim senior associate vice president for safety and security since Darrell Darnell quietly left the post earlier this year. University spokeswoman Maralee Csellar declined to answer more than a dozen questions in March about Darnell’s departure and the Division of Safety and Security.

University spokeswoman Crystal Nosal said Burnotes will be involved in the process to find a permanent replacement for Interim GWPD Chief Mary Paradis. Paradis has served in the position since Darnell stepped down.

Burnotes – who worked as a GWPD officer while he earned his master’s degree in engineering management – will report to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Mark Diaz, the release states. Burnotes previously worked in campus safety and emergency management roles at the University of Miami, Miami Dade College and Miami-Dade County, according to the release.

Diaz said in the release that Burnotes will be tasked with developing the relationship between GWPD officers, student leaders and external law enforcement officers and with supervising all safety plans, procedures and trainings.

“Scott has an impressive track record as a well-respected leader in his field and values the critical connection between ensuring safety and building community and a positive culture and experience for all,” Diaz said.

This post has been updated to reflect the following correction:
The Hatchet originally reported that Burnotes worked at Florida State University. Burnotes obtained his bachelor’s degree at FSU and worked at the University of Miami. We regret this error.