ABIGAIL JACOBSON
Staff Writer
The empty office for the chief of police in Gregory Hall has welcomed Gordon Carpenter Jr.
His office is adorned with a blue gift basket with Fredonia merch and a picture of him and his wife on his desk.
Carpenter is 52-years-old. He grew up outside of Washington, D.C. in a town called Beltsville, Maryland. He went on to graduate from High Point High School in 1989.
After graduating, Carpenter went to Prince George’s Community College for two years. He then transferred to the University of Maryland, where he graduated in 1994 with a degree in political science with a concentration in public administration.
Carpenter has had many different jobs throughout the years, including a police officer, a detective in multiple fields, a defensive tactics instructor, a lieutenant and more.
While he was a detective, he covered various matters, ranging from property crimes to violent crimes.
After Carpenter’s promotion to lieutenant and while working as a watch commander, he met his wife.
He decided to leave his job and move upstate to be with her. Carpenter has four daughters, as well as a maltese bichon mix named Piper.
Carpenter likes to work out, watch football and spend time with his first newborn grandchild, Marlowe.
On his days off, he loves to do handy work around the house, whether it be for him or his wife.
Carpenter also mentioned his grandmother, who shaped him into the person he is today.
“She is an inspiration to me, because she [was] hurt because my grandfather had died, but was able to take care of herself and us,” Carpenter said.
Carpenter said his grandmother had an incredible work ethic and was a gentle soul, a teacher and had a drive in determination.
“She would read to students in the local library and she would dress up [as] Mother Goose,” Carpenter said.
After graduating college, Carpenter worked upstate at M&T Bank for two years, then worked as a lieutenant at Roswell Park. He was eventually promoted to captain and then the chief of public safety. He worked there for seven years.
Carpenter then came to SUNY Fredonia this year, to become the new police chief.
Carpenter hopes to bring a level of professionalism and unity to Fredonia. He wants the faculty, students and police department to work together.
“We can’t do it without…the students [and] the employees,” he said. “So I always like to say [if you] see something, say something. Let us know, let us take care of it.”
He talked about how some people may not have had good experiences with police officers and he wants to change that.
“We [want] you all to be comfortable with us [and] for us to be comfortable with you,” he said.
For only being here for a week, Carpenter said he loves it.
“[I] love it…the people are great,” he said.
Carpenter wants to let students know that he’s “here for everybody and [I] want to be able to provide the services [we need].”