In July 2023, Connecticut's 12 previously independent community colleges merged to create Connecticut State Community College (CSCC), making it the fifth-largest community college in the country.

Six months prior to the official merger, Christopher Chute was hired as CSCC's chief of police, tasked with establishing uniform policies, procedures, and preparedness across the various campuses. While the challenges of merging a dozen campuses are plentiful, Chute, a 2025 Campus Safety Director of the Year finalist, was ready to face those challenges head on.

In this interview, Chute shares:

• A general overview of the merger (0:35)
• The many challenges he faced in the first few months on the job (10:40)
• What he is most proud of when reflecting on the last two years (15:04)

NOTE: The 2025 Campus Safety Director of the Year winners will be announced at this summer’s national Campus Safety Conference, happening July 21-23 in Austin. Visit https://campussafetyconference.com/ for more information.

CAMPUS SAFETY SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

• Facebook: https://facebook.com/CampusSafetyMagazine
• X: https://x.com/CampusSafetyMag
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CampusSafetyMag
• LinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/1836305
• YouTube: @Campussafetymagazine