USU names Jason Brei as new police chief

After a nationwide search, Utah State University named Jason Brei as its new police chief. Brei will begin his service on July 1.  

Brei has worked for 26 years in law enforcement, starting in the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona, and moving to the University of Arizona Police Department (UAPD) in 2000, according to USU’s police chief candidates website.  

While serving at the UAPD, Brei gained several leadership experiences through acting as assistant chief in field operations, corporal, lieutenant, commander, assistant chief and interim chief of police. He also completed the FBI National Academy in 2010. 

The new police chief has received many awards throughout his career, including the Accredited Command Executive Award from the Arizona Association of Chief of Police in 2023.  

“Brei offers USU enormous leadership experience in law enforcement in a higher education environment, which can hold unique challenges in policing,” said Mike Kuehn, the executive director of Public Safety in a Utah State Today article. “We’re looking forward to working with him to make our university community as secure as it can be.” 

One of the first actions Brei plans on taking when he comes to the university is engaging with the student body and listening to their concerns. 

“I want to learn both the department and community culture, you know, you get a glimpse and a snapshot from the time you’re there to when you’re on the ground from discussions with people,” Brei said.  

The police chief also said that he will “look for the areas of need and opportunity” as he starts serving the university.  

While he is excited to begin his service with USU, Brei said he will miss the culture and people at the UAPD.  

“I’ve got a lot of relationships (there); I’ve been there a long time — memories, friends, it’s like a family, so I will miss that,” Brei said.  

After leaving his old family at the UAPD, Brei said that he’s ready to commit to starting a new family at USU and interact with students as much as possible.  

“As people see us, as people engage with us, it continues to foster those relationships and build that familiarity, that trust,” Brei said.