Notre Dame College has named former Berea, Ohio, Police Chief Joseph Grecol to head its campus police department.
Grecol served as chief of the Berea Police Department since 2014 and had been member of that department since 1993. He began his tenure at Notre Dame on July 15, 2019, with an official swearing-in, at which he affirmed an oath to uphold the Constitutions of the United States of America and the State of Ohio and all local statutes of the community and the College.
He succeeds former Notre Dame Police Chief Jeffrey Scott who is now the executive director of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy.
In addition to the overall safety and security of city residents and visitors, Grecol’s responsibilities as chief of police in Berea ranged from management of hiring and promotional procedures and all budget and monetary decisions for the department to scheduling and staffing requirements for the various duties and management of civil outreach and engagement programs with various organizations within the city.
As chief, Grecol founded the Safe Passages Initiative in which the Berea and Olmsted Township police departments partner with the Police Assisted Addiction Recovery Initiative to facilitate the entry into treatment for those addicted to heroin and opiates. He also created the Community Engagement Unit to formalize outreach to community leaders and improve police services.
Prior to being named chief of the Berea Police Department in 2014, Grecol worked as a sergeant and patrol officer for the city and as a hostage/crisis negotiator with Cuyahoga County SWAT.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Cleveland State University and completed his Ohio Police Officer Training Academy certification through the University of Akron.
July 2019
About Notre Dame College
For almost a century, Notre Dame College has educated a diverse population in the liberal arts for personal, professional and global responsibility. Founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1922, the College has grown strategically to keep pace with the rapidly changing needs of students and the dramatic changes in higher education. But it has never lost sight of its emphasis on teaching students not only how to make a good living but also how to live a good life.
Today, the College offers bachelor’s degrees in 30 disciplines plus a variety of master’s degrees, certification programs and continuing and professional development programs for adult learners on campus and online. Notre Dame College offers NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletic programs for men and women and is located in a picturesque residential neighborhood just 25 minutes from the heart of Cleveland. Hallmarks of the Notre Dame experience include stimulating academics, personalized attention of dedicated faculty and staff, and small class sizes.
Notre Dame College is located at 4545 College Road in South Euclid. For further information contact Brian Johnston, chief communications officer, at 216.373.5252 or bjohnston@ndc.edu.