Michael Thompson (left) and Jim Hardina were promoted to assistant chiefs over the summer. (Photo by Jessie Wardarski)The ASU Police Department is implementing new policies and ideas beginning with the promotions of Assistant Chiefs Jim Hardina and Michael Thompson.
Former Cmdrs. Hardina and Thompson assumed their new positions in July and have begun developing their individual plans for the upcoming year.
Hardina, who works in patrol operations, said he plans to focus on reducing bike thefts by at least 15 percent and tracking and addressing campus crime.
The department assigned day and night supervisors to analyze crime reports, which they will use to solve the most prevalent safety issues, Hardina said.
Thompson, who works in the administrative division of the police department, said he plans to focus on increasing the number of bike registrations.
Thompson said the department plans to move radio equipment on the West campus to avert radio and other technical conflicts.
Thompson worked for the Mesa Police Department for 20 years before joining the ASU force in 2008.
He most recently served as commander for the West campus.
Hardina, an ASU alumnus, initially joined as a police officer in May 2000 after working as a city officer in California for eight years.
He said he decided to work for ASU because a bigger university provides a different environment with unique responsibilities.
“We are one department working for the University with a unified goal: education and research,” Hardina said.
Thompson said working for a university police department reminds him of the constant need for educating students and promoting safety.
Business freshman Miranda Lieb said she finds it reassuring that the police department works so thoroughly to ensure students’ safety.
“Their promotions are reminders that the police are constantly present, making it easier to enjoy school events,” Lieb said.
Each year, students are given resources to learn about campus safety, reminding Thompson that even officers are educators on campus.
“It seems like yesterday that we were teaching last year’s freshman, then a new batch comes in and the cycle repeats,” he said. “It’s very rewarding.”
Hardina and Thompson have accrued individual and joint accomplishments while working for the University.
Thompson also helped form and facilitate the ASU Police Honor Guard.
He said the purpose of the Honor Guard is to represent the ASU Police Department at the University’s events.
“ASU has an internationally accredited police department and we want to represent our agency by bringing the best of the best to the Honor Guard,” Thompson said.
Hardina said his best accomplishment has been continuously developing relationships with people from all four campuses.
“We are not just one isolated entity, but a crossover of accomplishments,” Hardina said. “This network of University faculty helps each other get their jobs done.”
Thompson said being goal-driven is their strongest asset and recognizes that there are many parts aside from working on the field that the police department is responsible for.
“The police department cooperates as a team,” Hardina said. “Without the team, the University can’t accomplish its overall mission.”
Reach the reporter at mkthomp5@asu.edu
