Bob Cepeda joins Linfield in hopes of a better relationship with those he guards

Septembre Russell
For the Review
Interim Director of Campus Safety Bill Curtin will return to retirement after finals week when Bob Cepeda, associate director of campus public safety and security at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash., will follow in his stead.
Cepeda was born and raised in New York City.
“I went to college and then entered the military shortly after that,” he said. “I was concurrently working in the military, in special operations and law enforcement for 25 years,” he said.
Cepeda said he has spent time working at the municipal, county and federal levels; his last law enforcement assignment was as Homeland Security Adviser for the Spokane Police Department.
Cepeda began working at Gonzaga University in 2004. In the five-year period that followed, the
student body population expanded from roughly 3,000 to 7,000 because of a plan the university’s president created, as well as the basketball team’s national recognition. For that reason, he said, coming to Linfield will be different, but he looks forward to it.
“I felt a disconnect from the students at Gonzaga and from myself; I like the ability to be connected,” Cepeda said. “I used to be able to know a majority of the students by name — constantly exchanging them all over campus, but the campus grew from 89 acres to 135.”
Leaving Gonzaga was a hard decision to make, Cepeda said. He is a
founding member of the Universty’s “Bridge program,” in which students are brought from diverse backgrounds into the Gonzaga culture.
“[These students] became an additional family on top of the Gonzaga family for me,” he said.
There were other factors, such his family, that influenced Cepeda’s decision to leave. The
opportunity to spend time with them was atop the list; his decision will provide him with the flexibilty to do so.
“I also want to get closer to the student body,” he said. “They’re my number one
priority.”
At Gonzaga, Cepeda said he made sure students and safety officials knew one another by name and assured students that they could talk to officers for any reason, not solely because of trouble.
“During the interview process and especially at the open forum, those issues were raised in terms of what I personally construe as tensions between the department and the student body,” Cepeda said.
There are no cookie-cutter solutions to campus-related issues, he said. Understanding what is at the root of them comes from a dialogue with both the staff and the community, he said.
“Communication is a big factor in this, and it’s not just listening, it’s hearing,” Cepeda said. “I’m going to need to converse with a lot of different folks to hear their thoughts and concerns.”
In terms of taking the reins, Cepeda said it will probably take a week or so. He said he will be on campus for commencement May 31.
“I love the campus,” he said. “Growing up in Harlem, I’m from the concrete jungle, so having a beautiful campus is just phenomenal. Everybody seemed relaxed, and I love that.”
Cepeda was a recipient of the Outstanding Service in Support of Mission Award that recognizes those who exemplify the ideals of Gonzaga University’s five mission areas: service, faith, leadership, justice and ethics.
“The Spirit,” Gonzaga University’s faculty and staff newsletter, highlights Cepeda as a “true mentor to Gonzaga students, through fireside chats and personal counseling, who is committed to ensuring the safety of our students, faculty and staff.”