Lawson named Police Chief of the Year in southeastern U.S.

March 29, 2019

Regina Lawson is presented her award by NCSU Chief Jack Moorman

Wake Forest University Police Chief Regina Lawson was honored as the Southeast Region Police Chief of the Year at the March 28 regional conference of the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) in Raleigh.  The region includes the southeastern United States.

Lawson has been chief of the Wake Forest Police Department since 1992.  She joined the department in 1989.  During her leadership, the department has received recognition on a number of occasions for its achievements.  Lawson, who has held numerous national and state-level leadership roles in IACLEA, has been recognized, previously, by various groups for her accomplishments as a law enforcement leader.

The department is also accredited by IACLEA; it was among the first to achieve the accreditation.

“There is no higher honor than being recognized by your peers,” Lawson said. “This means a lot to me.”

Referring to her law enforcement peers nationwide, Lawson added, “I think all of us would agree that it is all about keeping our campuses safe. That is what is really important.”

Lawson encourages others in her profession to get involved with IACLEA in any way they can.

“For those who are newer to IACLEA, I encourage you to get involved and lead where you are,” said said. “You do not have to be a regional director. You can serve on committees or task forces, host training and webinars and meetings, volunteer to assist at conferences and more.”

In the three decades since she came to Wake Forest, Lawson has been, essentially, the face of the University Police Department, as she has spoken to countless student groups, participated in innumerable University events, and led police department efforts to establish and maintain strong connections to the entire campus community.

IACLEA’s mission, as described on its website, is to advance “public safety for educational institutions by providing training, research, advocacy, accreditation, education, and professional services.”  IACLEA has members at more than 1,000 colleges and universities across the United States and in 15 countries.