The Ohio State University Police Chief Craig Stone will leave OSUPD for a position at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as Executive Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police.
Stone served Ohio State for three years and was involved in initiatives focusing on proactive policing and community engagement. Monica Moll, Ohio State’s Director of Public Safety, reflected on Stone as a police chief with “outstanding leadership, particularly during high profile incidents.”
After his departure on June 12, Deputy Chief Kimberly Spears-McNatt will act as Interim Chief of Police, effective immediately. Spears-McNatt has been a member of OSUPD since 1994 and has more that 20 years of experience.
Spears-McNatt is a Buckeye herself, having received her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Ohio State.
In 2014, Spears-McNatt graduated from the Police Executive Leadership college. She is also a member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives as well as the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police. Gov. John Kasich tapped Spears-McNatt to serve on the Ohio Private Investigation and Security Commission beginning in 2015 through 2016.
As of now there is no indication when a permanent replacement for Stone will be named.