‘Student-focused’ record, desire for feedback landed Michael Bunker DPS chief job
SU named Michael Bunker head of its Department of Public Safety in July. Bunker is eager to bring informed methods of community policing from past college safety roles with goals to meet with and learn from campus affinity groups. Beomsu (Peter) Shin | Contributing Photographer
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After Michael Bunker’s first day as Syracuse University’s head of the Department of Public Safety in July, he said he was nervous to meet the thousands of students during his first freshman year move-in the next month.
Bunker soon realized there was “something special” about SU after watching DPS officers connect with students and parents throughout move-in, helping them move furniture out of their cars at the culs-de-sac of Day and Flint halls.
“It’s pretty cool to think you can move in 4,300 students and no one’s mad,” Bunker said. “We’re fun here, and that’s been my favorite thing so far.”
Bunker, officially titled Associate Vice President and Chief of Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services, replaced his predecessor, Craig Stone, after he retired at the end of July. The university announced Bunker’s appointment in May.
While he has only experienced a week of SU’s academic year so far, Bunker said he’s eager to implement informed methods of community policing.
Bunker said hearing from students, especially those with particularly traumatic experiences involving their hometown police, is essential to community policing on college campuses.
“A lot of students will bring in trauma from law enforcement in their communities and when they first see us they immediately go back to what they’ve witnessed at home,” Bunker said. “That’s why I think the community engagement is the most important piece, you have to know that we’re different.”
Bunker’s emphasis on student bonding is what made him stand out during the recruitment process, SU Senior Vice President and Chief Student Experience Officer Allen Groves said in a statement to The Daily Orange. Groves initially recommended Bunker to Chancellor Kent Syverud.
“He has an energetic and engaging style and has made a great effort to meet students, faculty, and staff since arriving on campus,” Groves said.
Bunker most recently served as University of Denver’s chief of campus public safety. Before that, he climbed the ranks of Georgetown University’s campus police department and served for 14 years in the United States Coast Guard.
During his time working on college campuses, Bunker said he led initiatives to connect with student groups through a variety of initiatives, including welcoming students during move-in or hosting dinners with student groups like universities’ Black Student Unions and Queer Student Associations.
Bunker said he plans to hold these same meetings with affinity groups on SU’s campus later this year.
“I’ve always been student-focused,” Bunker said. “I’ve learned more from students’ communities than what they’ve learned from me.”
As Bunker’s direct supervisor, Groves said he’s grown fond of Bunker’s relationship with other DPS officers.
“(He has a) participatory leadership approach, seeking the input of his command staff when making decisions,” Groves wrote.
Bunker envisions community engagement across the department, he said, not just by singular officers. He added that he wants to bridge the gap between the campus and the Syracuse Police Department, as DPS is a dually-accredited agency serving as both city and campus police.
In an email to The D.O., SU Dean of Students Sheriah Nixon said she’s collaborated closely with Bunker since his hiring.
“We have been discussing trends I have observed over the years regarding campus incidents, previous training my team has conducted for DPS, and strategies for future implementation,” she wrote.
Nixon and Bunker serve as co-chairs of the Threat Assessment and Management Team, which plans responses to potential physical threats to the campus community.
“Chief Bunker’s extensive experience and knowledge are invaluable,” Nixon wrote. “I am eager to continue working with him.”
Because law enforcement has developed a relatively negative public perception in the past few years, Bunker said he hopes DPS officers will take the experience of students who’ve had a “scary” interaction with police into account when responding. In 2024, 51% of Americans reported having confidence in the police, according to a Gallup News study.
“I tell my officers one thing: don’t be a jerk,” Bunker said. “If they remember that when they’re walking out every day and treat everyone fairly, everything is going to be fine.”
He added he plans to further improve the department’s response protocol for mental health crises and increase DPS officer retention rates.
Bunker said his commitment to chief law enforcement comes from integrity and his love for service, whether he has to stay on call throughout the night and on vacation.
