Campus News
By Peter Melahn, Staff Writer
The Xavier University Office of Risk Management announced today that Assistant Chief Aaron Jones of the Cincinnati Police Department (CPD) will take over as the new Chief of Police for the Xavier University Police Department (XUPD).
Jones was selected out of a pool of 53 applicants. His hiring follows the departure of the former Chief of XUPD and Director of Public Safety, Robert Warfel.
Jones received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Xavier and received his J.D. from the Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University. He attended Southern Police Institute’s 121st Administrative Officers Course at the University of Louisville. He has extensive law enforcement and legal experience in Cincinnati, having served in CPD for several decades.
In his time with CPD, he served as a beat officer in Evanston and as an investigator for the department’s Internal Investigation Service. He was promoted to lieutenant, captain and colonel throughout his time with the CPD. As a captain, he served as District Three Commander, then District Two Commander in Cincinnati’s east side. In 2023, Lieutenant Colonel Jones was selected to be an Assistant Chief for CPD. He will transition out of that role in order to lead XUPD.
At three open forums last week, students, faculty and staff were able to ask questions to the potential chief of police candidates and share their thoughts on who they wanted for the role. Aaron Jones was selected by the Office of Risk Management after the forums were completed.
Last week, open forums were held where Jones and the two other finalists for this position spoke about their experience and fielded questions from members of the Xavier community.
During his forum, Jones emphasized the importance of being part of the community in his time at CPD, especially as District Two Commander.
“District Two is where I was born, where I was raised, it’s where I went to high school – every memory I ever had in life is pretty much here… and the connection I could make with my community… that’s where I (was) most fulfilled,” Jones said.
Jones also spoke about his indebtedness to the community he formed here as a student. Jones, a first-generation college student, ran into issues paying his tuition as an undergraduate student. He met with the Office of Financial Aid, who helped him figure out a way to afford college. He calls this an experience he will never forget.
“I was a person in need; I needed help. They could have just brushed me aside like I was a number, but didn’t. The interaction we had fundamentally changed my life and truly taught me what it means to be part of this community,” Jones said.
Jeff Coleman Director of Risk Management Jeff Coleman, who oversaw the selection process, said the selection team valued both Jones’s commitment to community and commitment to Xavier.
Jones has been an adjunct professor for Xavier’s criminal justice department since 2018. Coleman highlighted Jones’ ties to the Xavier community.
“If you look at soon-to-be Chief Jones, he bleeds Xavier blue. He’s tied to the Xavier campus,” Coleman said. “The values and mission of Xavier are closely aligned with his personal values. He truly believes in the mission… he feels like he can make a difference.”
Jones and Coleman stressed the importance of community-oriented policing and engaging with and getting to know the students.
“He’s coming with a very clear vision of engaging with the student body on a regular basis, and I think (the students) need to hold him to that,” Coleman said.
Jones is expected to finish his transition from CPD to Xavier within the next two months.
