CWU Police chief joins international association board of directors

Central Washington University Police Chief Jason Berthon-Koch was recently named to the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) Board of Directors.

On October 1, the longtime head of CWU Police and Public Safety was appointed as the director of IACLEA’s Mountain Pacific region, which covers campus police administrators at hospital, university, and corporate campuses across seven states. The international organization facilitates cross-institutional collaboration between law enforcement officers assigned to campuses worldwide.

Berthon-Koch applied for the position after years of involvement with IACLEA, and he is excited about the opportunity to engage more with the organization and his peers.

“I am deeply honored to be appointed to the IACLEA Board of Directors,” he said. “I look forward to collaborating with my fellow board members to enhance campus safety and policing. This appointment presents a unique opportunity to learn from experts across the globe, and I am eager to bring these insights back to CWU to make our campus an even safer and more welcoming environment for all.”

Berthon-Koch graduated from CWU in 2007 with a degree in Law and Justice and in 2022 with a master’s degree in information technology and administrative management. Berthon-Koch was hired as a Police Officer at CWU in 1999, after a stint as a Kittitas County Sheriff’s Reserve and a Corrections Deputy. He was appointed to chief in 2018.

According to Berthon-Koch, campus policing is different from municipal policing in that 25% of a university population turns over every year, requiring an increased emphasis on educating and connecting with the community.

“All policing requires a focus on community engagement, but due to the frequent population turnover on campus, university policing inherently demands deeper integration with the community compared to municipal policing," he explained. "It's not just about responding to calls. One day, you might be helping someone find the financial aid office, and another day you're educating students about safety in their residence halls. University policing is a blend of law enforcement and education, where building relationships and offering guidance are essential aspects of the role.”

As a member of IACLEA’s board of directors, Berthon-Koch hopes to be an informed representative for the region and bring his unique point of view to the table in the interest of moving the organization’s work forward.

“My goal is to reach out to IACLEA members in this entire area to see what unique challenges they’re facing and take those concerns back to the board to try to find answers,” he said. “I want to infuse those decisions with the perspective and experiences I’ve gained here at CWU.”