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2008 National Campus Security Summit
Speaker Profiles
Darren
Mitchell
Director of the Office of Emergency
Management and Planning
Northern Illinois University
Department of Public Safety
 Lieutenant
Darren Mitchell serves as Director
of the Office of Emergency
Management and Planning for the
Northern Illinois University
Department of Public Safety. His
office is responsible for the
University’s Emergency Operations
Plan, Avian Influenza and Public
Health Emergencies Plan, critical
incident management, and all related
training and exercises. He also
supervises the Special
Investigation’s Unit, Traffic Unit,
and K-9 Unit.
Lt. Mitchell started with the
Department of Public Safety as a
patrol officer in 2000. He was the
department’s first African American
promoted to the rank of sergeant in
2002, and in 2005, he was promoted
to the rank of lieutenant. As a
lieutenant, he was assigned to
supervise the Emergency Management
and Planning (EMP) Division, a newly
created division at the Department.
Under his leadership, the size and
responsibilities of the EMP Division
grew, and in 2007, he was appointed
Director of the Office of Emergency
Management and Planning. He also
served as Interim Chief of Police
while current Chief Donald Grady was
on special assignment in Iraq from
2006-2007.
Lt. Mitchell serves as a
Commander for the Department’s
Critical Incident Response Team. He
is also a member of the State of
Illinois’ Type 4 Incident Management
Team.
Lt. Mitchell has received
numerous accolades during his years
of service in law enforcement. In
2001, he received three Letters of
Commendation, each for exceptional
performance. In 2002, he received
the Outstanding Supervisor Award for
his success in helping to decrease
campus crime by 59.3%. In 2002, he
received the Chief’s Award for his
commitment to the goals and mission
of the Department. In 2007, he
received the Distinguished
Performance Award for his exhibited
leadership and the success of the
EMP Division.
Lt. Mitchell serves on numerous
boards and committees including the
NIU-Virginia Tech Review Committee,
American Red Cross Board of
Directors, DeKalb County Emergency
Preparedness Task Force, NIU and
City of DeKalb Communiversity
Committee, and the DeKalb County
Crime-stoppers Board, among others.
He is a member of the International
Association of Chiefs of Police,
National Organization of Black Law
Enforcement Executives (N.O.B.L.E.),
and the DeKalb County Law
Enforcement Administrator’s
Association.
Lt. Mitchell received a Bachelor
of Arts degree in Political Science
and a Master of Science degree in
Adult Continuing Education from
Northern Illinois University. He is
a graduate of the advanced police
management institute at Northwestern
University’s School of Police Staff
and Command, and he has attended the
National Crime Prevention Institute
at the University of Louisville. He
is certified as a Hazardous
Materials Technician and Emergency
Medical Technician (EMT).
Lt. Mitchell has served NIU for
14 years. Other university
experience includes being an
Assistant Director for Educational
Services and Programs, and teaching
undergraduate courses at NIU.
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