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UCCS hires new police chief after former chief and other university leaders left

Diana Cooley
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COLORADO SPRINGS — The University of Colorado-Colorado Springs (UCCS) has hired a new police chief, according to the school's website.

Diana Cooley comes from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Police Department. Cooley has 17 years of experience, is fluent in Spanish and spent the majority of her career with the Aurora Police Department, according to the school's official publication.

Kathy Kaoudis, Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, said the following about Cooley:

“I am thrilled to welcome Diana to campus. She is committed to driving innovation in public safety, enhancing crisis preparedness, and fostering proactive and transparent community engagement – Diana is a fantastic addition to the UCCS family, and I am looking forward to seeing what she accomplishes here.”
Kathy Kaoudis, Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance

Her hiring comes one month after five members of UCCS leadership, including the Director of Housing and Emergency Management and the Police Chief left their positions.

UCCS Police Chief McCarver posted on LinkedIn about his resignation, saying he made the decision to leave to be closer to family in Alabama. A portion of his post reads:

"It has also been very difficult to be the leader I know I should be while being torn between work and family. It is with very mixed emotions that I have decided to completely retire from law enforcement to move back to Huntsville."
DeWayne McCarver via LinkedIn

WATCH: UCCS Police Chief and other university leaders leave five months after campus double homicide

Their departures came five months after a double homicide inside a campus dorm room.

WATCH: UCCS mourns the deaths of two people shot inside dorm room on campus

Chief Cooley's first day will be October 1.

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