Vanderbilt University has appointed Tommye Sutton as chief of police and assistant vice chancellor for public safety. Sutton, who has been serving as interim chief of police since August and has more than 23 years of law enforcement experience, will lead the university’s police department and oversee public safety operations across campus.
Sutton joined Vanderbilt with a distinguished record at institutions including Northwestern University and the University of Chicago, where he built community-centered public safety programs, led equitable hiring and training initiatives and strengthened emergency preparedness. At Vanderbilt, he has been a steady presence in operational leadership, helping advance priorities in training, campus engagement and coordinated emergency response.
“Tommye is a thoughtful and experienced leader who has earned the trust of our campus community,” said Darren Reisberg, vice chancellor for administration. “His commitment to service, his collaborative approach, and his deep understanding of higher-education public safety will continue to strengthen Vanderbilt’s safety infrastructure and support the well-being of our students, faculty, staff and visitors.”
As chief of police and assistant vice chancellor, Sutton will provide strategic leadership for VUPS including police patrol operations, investigations, security technology, emergency preparedness and communications, threat management, and enterprise-wide safety and security planning—with sustained collaboration and engagement with local, state and federal partners. Sutton will also lead a newly developed Behavioral Threat Assessment Team, designed to advance proactive threat mitigation and enhance the overall security posture of the university. His portfolio will include oversight of security operations for Vanderbilt’s campus in New York City—as well as for future expanded campus operations. In addition, Sutton will convene a new Vanderbilt Public Safety Advisory Board, which will launch later this academic year to enhance communication, transparency and partnership in shaping campus safety initiatives.
“I am honored to serve this community and to work alongside such a dedicated team,” Sutton said. “Our department remains committed to providing professional, compassionate, community-focused service and to ensuring that every member of our university feels safe, supported and prepared.”
A native of Greenville, Mississippi, Sutton earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and a master’s degree in criminal justice from Tennessee State University. He is also a graduate of Northwestern University’s Center for Public Safety – School of Police Staff and Command and the police academy of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Sutton began his career in campus public safety in 2008 and has since built a broad portfolio of experience across multiple higher-education environments.
Sutton succeeds longtime VUPS leader August Washington, who transitioned earlier this year to serve as senior adviser to the vice chancellor for administration.
