COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY POLICE CHIEF RESIGNS

Note to Editors: A statement from Interim President Tony Frank is at the end of this release.

Colorado State University Interim President Tony Frank today announced that Dexter Yarbrough, chief of the CSU Police Department and associate vice president of Public Safety, has resigned from the university. Yarbrough provided his letter of resignation to Dr. Frank this afternoon.

Frank discussed the findings of a recent personnel investigation and the overall status of the CSU Police Department with Yarbrough earlier in the week, and as a result, both mutually agreed that Yarbrough’s resignation is in the best interest of the police department and the university. Yarbrough, who also taught law enforcement courses at Colorado State, will not return to the university as an instructor.

Yarbrough has been on leave from the university since December 19 during the duration of the investigation into personnel allegations.

The university will soon begin a national search for a new police chief. Acting Chief of Police Frank Johnson will continue to lead the department as interim chief of police during the transition.

Frank also announced today that he is eliminating the associate vice president of Public Safety position previously held by Yarbrough. The units under the public safety division — CSUPD, Parking Services and Environmental Health Services — will now report as separate entities to the vice president of Administrative Services.

To assure continued emphasis on the safety and security of campus, the university’s public safety functions will now be managed directly out of the President’s Office by the chief of staff and an executive committee of the Emergency Management Team. The Emergency Management Team is made up of public health, safety and related staff representing all departments and divisions on campus. This group has successfully worked together for many years to continually improve campus security operations.  

Frank said that the university will seek an experienced, respected law enforcement leader to lead the campus police department, working as part of a team concerned with the education of students and the rights and welfare of all in the community. Frank stated that he encourages all members of the campus community to participate in the open search process for the new chief of police.

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Statement from Colorado State University Interim President Tony Frank:

The university’s personnel investigation of Dexter Yarbrough is now complete. Earlier this week Mr. Yarbrough and I met and reviewed all of the findings of the investigation as well as the overall status of the CSU Police Department. As a result of our discussion, Dexter Yarbrough, chief of the CSU Police Department and associate vice president of Public Safety, this afternoon resigned from the university, effective immediately.

Mr. Yarbrough and I agree that his resignation is in the best interest of the Colorado State University Police Department and the university.

We will soon begin a national search for a new police chief. I will charge the search committee with identifying a law enforcement leader with integrity, and I expect this individual to work as part of a team concerned with the education of students and the rights and welfare of all in the community. We of course will seek and find a leader with a strong commitment to running a high-quality, professional campus police department.

I want to thank the CSUPD, Parking Service and Environmental Health Services, as well as the investigative team, for their professionalism and patience throughout this process. I feel it is important to state that I am proud of the character of our police officers and the commitment they have shown for many years to running a department that is grounded in integrity, teamwork and respect for the law. Colorado State’s campus has made important progress in the last five years in terms of improving security and emergency preparedness, and the welfare of our students, staff and faculty will continue to be a top priority.