TC3’s new director of public safety puts emphasis on open-door policy

Dryden native Chris Austen has more than 20 years of experience working for municipal and college campus police departments.

Austen’s collected skill set led to him becoming the new director of public safety/campus police at Tompkins Cortland Community College in June.

“It’s been very good so far,” Austen said. “Things carry over (from past roles), so it’s just more about learning the way that TC3 runs their operations. It was a fairly easy switchover.”

Austen began his career as an officer at the Brattleboro, Vermont Police Department, where he served for more than six years. He then served for eight years with the New York State University Police at Cortland, where he was promoted in 2016 to lieutenant. 

“I come with a whole host of backgrounds because I’ve worked at municipal departments, state police departments and universities,” Austen said. “I have a lot of tools that I bring in my backpack with me.”

TC3’s public safety department consists of seven officers, including a sergeant and an administrative assistant. 

In terms of his leadership style, Austen said he’s an “open and honest book” for the campus.

“I have an open-door policy,” he said. “It’s a small department, so everyone gets to know each other. I hope our students and staff feel comfortable coming in and talking to me about anything.”

One of Austen’s goals is to bring his department’s services at TC3 on a level he thinks fits best.

“I have that ability to come in and push some of those other parts where the campus has been lacking a little bit,” Austen said. “It’s the way I can make sure everything is up to where I expect it to be.”

Austen is also making upgrades in his department, noting a new police vehicle has been ordered. He is also transitioning the department’s computer system to one that is similar to the systems that a village or municipal police department would use.

Aside from some tweaks to policies and procedures, Austen is a firm believer in “maintaining (TC3’s) atmosphere” and taking advantage of the “extra resources” that the college provides.

“We’re making sure we can meet our student body and our staff at the level we need to be at in order to provide them the best service,” Austen said. “When it comes down to it, that’s who we are in this industry. It’s our job to enforce the laws, regulations and rules – but do it in a way the community expects us to do it.”

Even with TC3 being a “smaller community college,” Austen said it still has amazing students.

“We have some amazing stories and because we tend to get different students as compared to one at a four-year university, they bring a lot of background and, in some cases, life experience with them,” he added. “Sometimes, I sit there in awe listening to their stories. They’re motivational.”

Austen said through TC3’s public safety department, he has been assisting in various law enforcement initiatives. It includes showing support for the Special Olympics, working with other police departments in Cortland and Tompkins counties and participating in behavioral intervention sessions with prospective students.

A Dryden High School Class of 2000 graduate, Austen is pleased that his new role gets him close to home.

“I appreciated the opportunity to come and serve my campus and community,” Austen said. “To have attended school in this area and come back as head of campus police is pretty heartwarming in that regard.”

TC3 holds ‘MADE’ event

Tompkins Cortland Community College held the Manufacturing and Development Expo (MADE) at its campus last Thursday, Oct. 10.

According to Dara Riegel, TC3’s assistant director of employer relations and experiential learning, MADE is a collaborative program “with the goal of educating high school students in the region about what is made in our region, by whom and how it is made.”

“The event is also geared toward helping students gain a deeper understanding into the wide variety of types of roles that exist in the manufacturing field,” Riegel said. “It is an exploration event rather than a recruiting event and students are by and large there to engage in the interactive activities at each table, rather than necessarily making professional connections.”

Riegel said that manufacturers presented fun activities at their respective tables, shared information about their businesses and detailed the various roles that keep businesses “running smoothly.”

“Since the students are not necessarily looking for jobs, we really focus on educating them about advanced manufacturing as a field,” Riegel said.

The companies that participated in MADE include Albany International Corp., BorgWarner, Byrne, C&D Assembly, Inc., Carpenters Union Local 277, Imperium3 New York, Inc., International Union of Painters & Allied Trades, Intertek, Ithaca Area Economic Development, Laborers Local 785, Menlo Microsystems, Inc., Micron, Precision Filters Inc., Pyrotek, Seven Valley Specialty Cables, Southern Tier Building Officials Association, Stork H&E Turbo Blading, Inc., The Raymond Corporation, Therm, Inc., UA Local 81, Wagner Hardwoods and Zufall Communications.

The event was presented as a collaboration with Alliance for Manufacturing and Technology, Cayuga-Cortland Workforce Development Board, Cortland Works Career Center, Ithaca Area Economic Development, TC3, Tompkins County Workforce Development Board, Tompkins Workforce NY and TST BOCES.

Dryden Dispatch appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.