FCC Names Homeland Security Bureau Chief

From an FCC Press Release

CHAIRMAN KEVIN J. MARTIN ANNOUNCES HIS INTENTION TO APPOINT DEREKPOARCH PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU CHIEF

Today, Federal CommunicationsCommission Chairman Kevin J. Martin announced his intention to appoint DerekPoarch, a North Carolina police chief, as the FCC’s Public Safety and HomelandSecurity Bureau Chief. Chief Poarch, a native of Lenoir, N.C., is presently theDirector of Public Safety and Chief of Police at the University of NorthCarolina at Chapel Hill. In his newrole, Chief Poarch will oversee the bureau responsible for FCC activitiespertaining to public safety, homeland security, emergency management and disasterpreparedness.

“Publicsafety is one of the Commission’s and my top priorities, and I am very pleasedthat Chief Poarch, who is a highly accomplished and nationally respected lawenforcement officer, has agreed to head our bureau,” Chairman Martin said.

ChiefPoarch assumed the position of Director of Public Safety at UNC-Chapel Hill onSeptember 14, 1998. In this position,Chief Poarch commands a department of approximately 300 full and part-timeemployees providing police, security, emergency communications, parking andtransportation services to a university community of 45,000 persons that hasmore than a million visitors each year.

UNC’s public safetydepartment is one of only 30 college and university public safety agencies inthe country that are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for LawEnforcement Agencies Inc.

Read the original press release here.