Rony Charles recently joined the College as the new Director of Campus Safety. Rony brings more than 20 years of law enforcement leadership, investigative experience, and a strong commitment to community engagement and public safety.
Throughout his 24-year career in law enforcement, Rony has been guided by a simple principle: service comes first. He notes: “My career began with the Spring Valley Police Department in 2002, and over the years I have had the opportunity to serve in a variety of roles, including patrol, the Special Investigations Unit, the Tactical Team, the Community Enhancement Unit, and the Intelligence Unit. I have also had the privilege of training and mentoring members of the next generation of law enforcement professionals. While my professional experience has provided me with extensive training in safety, investigations, crime prevention, and emergency response, some of the experiences I value most have come from working directly with young people and families in our community.”
Since 2008, Rony has spearheaded the development and ongoing operation of the Youth Police Program (YPP), a program designed to build positive relationships between young people and law enforcement while helping students make healthy and responsible choices. Over the years, the program has reached more than 3,000 young people. Rony says that experience reinforced something he believes strongly: relationships, communication, and trust are essential to creating safe communities. “I bring that same philosophy with me to St. Thomas Aquinas College,” says Rony. “Campus Safety is not simply about responding when something goes wrong. It is about prevention, awareness, education, communication, and building relationships before there is a problem. My goal is to make sure every member of the STAC community feels that Campus Safety is approachable, professional, and here to help.”
Welcome to the STAC community, Rony!