The University of Utah Department of Public Safety just added eight new members to its team—filling departmental vacancies and some newly created positions.
Several of the new hires come from the 30 campus safety recommendations put forth by an independent review team's findings in 2018. One of those suggested hiring a detective specializing in interpersonal violence crimes.
Detective Suzanne Williams joins the Department of Public Safety with experience working in domestic violence and special victims units. She also trained at the FBI Academy in domestic violence investigation.
Also included in the list of new hires is Jamie Justice. With over a decade of experience in the behavioral/public health field, she joins the team as the new victim advocate.
“Having these positions embedded in the department will be a great benefit,” said Police Chief Dale Brophy. “Victims will already be familiar with someone early on who can help them navigate the system and provide access to resources available to them.”
Read more about Williams, Justice and the other experienced staff members who recently started at the Department of Public Safety below:
KELDON ARRINGTON
TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST
Keldon Arrington comes to the University of Utah Department of Public Safety after 12 years of service in the West Valley City Police Department. He was a detective for over seven years and has specialized training in several different investigative disciplines. Some of these trainings include advanced interview and interrogation, trauma victim interviewing, forensic interviewing techniques and force-science training.
Arrington has been in patrol, vice narcotics, special victims and major crimes units during his career. He provides experience, expertise and investigative skills specific to technology and open-source case investigations to the University of Utah team.
LT. TERRY FRITZ
PATROL—COMMUNICATIONS
Terry Fritz comes to the University of Utah Department of Public Safety after retiring with 30 years of service from the Salt Lake City Police Department as assistant chief of police in 2016. He spent a year in the private sector security with Goldman Sachs in downtown Salt Lake City, then returned to public service with the North Salt Lake City Police Department as a field commander. During his time with the Salt Lake City Police Department, he either worked or was the commander of patrol, detectives, special operations and professional standards.
Fritz obtained his education from Eastern Oregon University and during his career, obtained advanced leadership skills and training from the West Point Leadership program, FBI National Academy, Anti-Defamation League and the Major Cities Chiefs Police Association. He provides leadership in the U’s Department of Public Safety with the specific assignment of the patrol division and dispatch communications.
LT. JASON HINOJOSA
INVESTIGATIONS
Jason Hinojosa comes to the University of Utah Department of Public Safety after retiring with over 20 years in law enforcement, leaving the Layton Police Department after achieving the rank of lieutenant. During his time with the Layton Police Department, Hinojosa worked as the patrol division commander, investigations division commander and the coordinator for the Davis County Child Abduction Response Team.
After retiring from Layton, Hinojosa spent just over a year in the private sector with Williams Pipeline as a regional security manager where he was responsible for the physical security of gas infrastructure, and also conducted internal investigations in support of HR and employee relations for the company. He obtained his education from Weber State University and is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy.
Hinojosa has a proven track record of innovation and leadership, coupled with experience. As a recent addition to the University Police Department, he will be leading the investigations division.
JOHN HODSON
EVIDENCE
John Hodson retired in 2018 following a 16-year career with the security department in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For five of those years, he was the director of the North America Division, during which time he also served as co-vice chair of the Faith-based Security and Communications Advisory Committee, a subcommittee of the Homeland Security Advisory Council.
Prior to his work with church security, Hodson completed a 26-year career as a lieutenant with the Salt Lake City Police Department, served one year as East Carbon City chief of police, and three years as an officer with the San Diego Police Department. During his time with SLCPD, he either worked for or was the commander of detectives, special investigations, internal affairs and patrol.
He received a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration from Columbia College and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.
JAMIE JUSTICE
VICTIM ADVOCATE
Jamie Justice comes to the University of Utah Department of Public Safety with over a decade of experience in the behavioral/public health field. Most recently, she was the director of the Salt Lake Area Family Justice Center where she coordinated multi-agency partnerships and provided direct services to crime victims. She has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Arkansas and a bachelor's degree in psychology from Utah State University.
DAN METCALF
COMMUNITY RELATIONS—PR
Dan Metcalf comes to the University of Utah after more than four years as a public relations specialist for the city of Cottonwood Heights. Prior to Cottonwood Heights, he spent most of his professional career working in news media, including print, online and broadcast. He worked for eight years as executive producer of online media for KTVX (Channel 4). He also recruited, trained and supervised college interns at Channel 4.
Metcalf has a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from the University of Utah and a master’s degree in political science from Utah State University.
REUBAN TORRES
PATROL
Reuban Torres started his law enforcement career with the Salt Lake City Police Department and was there for more than 21 years. He worked in various assignments with SLCPD, ranging from the Gang Unit, the SWAT team and the Training Unit, where he trained new recruits and veteran officers. Reuban also worked undercover in narcotics and vice and was involved in the Robbery/Violent Crimes Unit for the past seven years. For two of those seven years, he was assigned as a task force officer with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, where he filed federal cases and took violent felons off the streets of Utah.
Reuban is a Marine and proud of his military heritage.
SUZANNE WILLIAMS
DETECTIVE
Suzanne Williams started her law enforcement career with the Salt Lake City Police Department in 1995. One of her favorite assignments was working with the Domestic Violence Unit and the Special Victims Unit. She trained at the FBI Academy in domestic violence investigation and graduated from the West Point Leadership Academy.
Williams provides experience, expertise and investigative skills specific to interpersonal violence cases in the investigation division with her to the university public safety team.