Chief James Watson will retire at the end of June. He has served as Fresno State’s Chief of Police since June 1, 2020 and has over 13 and a half years of service on campus, having served as a lieutenant, acting chief of police, and interim chief of police. During his tenure, he hired five new officers, promoted two sergeants and five corporals, increased the diversity of the public safety team, and implemented improvements in the parking permit purchasing and refund processes. Chief Watson also oversaw the department’s successful accreditation (twice) by the International Association of College Law Enforcement Administrators.

Our campus is one of the first five CSU campuses to receive this accreditation designation which is a very distinguished recognition for our police department. His dedication and commitment to community policing and his partnerships with local law enforcement agencies has been a tremendous asset for our campus.

Join us for Chief Watson’s retirement celebration from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, June 29 at the Smittcamp Alumni House. An electronic invitation is available here. If you have any questions, contact Amy Luna at amyluna@csufresno.edu.