Chief Michael Beckner announced his resignation as the University Police Chief on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. His last day was Jan. 17. 

Beckner has worked for Southeastern for over four years and is resigning after receiving an offer from Oklahoma State University. He said while the decision was difficult, the offer was “too good to pass up.”

After 30 years in law enforcement, four of which have been at Southeastern, Beckner has seen his fair share of challenges but is proud of how his team has handled them. 

“There have been challenges, but everything we have done, the officers have stepped up,” Beckner said. “We went from keeping the campus safe, but now the officers have relationships with students. Over the years, we have become a part of the community.”

The university will appoint someone to the police chief position in the near interim, as it can be difficult to find someone with the experience necessary for university policing around this time of the year. 

“It’s going to be difficult to replace one of the best police chiefs in Louisiana,” said Dr. Eric Summers, vice president for Student Affairs.

Summers announced Beckner’s resignation in a Take Note email on Tuesday, Dec. 10. In the email, Summers commended him for his leadership and for introducing new initiatives to campus, such as the Lion Safe app, the Chief’s Brief and Jula the K9 officer.

Summers also announced Captain Carmen Bray will serve as the interim director for UPD. He’ll begin his tenure on Monday, Jan. 20.

“We wish [Chief Beckner] the best in his new role at Oklahoma State University. All of us appreciate what he has done as Chief here at Southeastern.

As we move forward, The Southeastern Police Department will continue to protect, educate and pursue excellence. We are committed to our campus family and all of our campus partners. Even though a chapter has closed, we are excited to see what the future brings,” Bray said. 

“Captain Bray has a wealth of experience and has twice served successfully as Interim Police Chief. I am confident in Captain Bray’s ability to uphold the professionalism and high standards that define our police department,” Summers wrote.

Beckner said he wants his successor to understand students make mistakes. He also said he wants the department to continue to be direct with the student body, faculty and staff. 

“We have a student body [with] questions and they deserve answers. I’m a firm believer the next person needs to be very transparent and when our students and our faculty ask questions, we need to make sure we are able to give them an answer,” Beckner said. 

As for the student body, Beckner is thankful for the time he spent with them, building new relationships and fostering familiar ones. 

“People also need to remember UPD is their police department, so if they see something wrong or if they feel something is not being done right, they need to speak up so we can make the changes that need to be made to serve the campus better,” Beckner said. 

If you have any questions or concerns, contact the UPD at 985-549-3835 or [email protected].