Gary Moxley named RIT's director of Public Safety

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A. Sue Weisler

Gary Moxley

Rochester Institute of Technology has named Gary Moxley, who has more than 20 years of police experience, director of its Public Safety department.

Moxley, who had been assistant director of the department since coming to RIT in 2016 after retiring as a captain from the Rochester Police Department, replaces Christopher Denninger, who became RIT’s director of Threat Management Services.

“I’ve really enjoyed the past 14 months at RIT, learning and becoming part of the community,” Moxley said. “In my new role, I look forward to continue fostering relationships with all aspects of the RIT community.”

He now oversees approximately 35 men and women in uniform and approximately 15 additional staff members, including managers, investigators and support staff.

In his previous role, Moxley oversaw the department’s policy, procedure and training for use of firearms, in an effort to protect individuals on campus. Some Public Safety officers began to have access to firearms in the event of a need for an armed response to contain an active violent threat until local law enforcement arrives at the scene.

“I’m proud of the things we’ve been able to accomplish in terms of the policies, procedures and training that I’ve had the opportunity to implement and oversee, and I look forward to continue to do the things necessary to help keep RIT a safe and secure environment for students, faculty and staff.”

He credits Denninger for providing a smooth transition in his new role and for “bringing the department where it is today.”

Moxley, a native of Rochester, graduated from Aquinas Institute and enlisted in the Army, where he worked as a military analyst. He received a bachelor’s degree in management and economics from St. John Fisher College and his master’s degree in criminal justice from Keuka College. He’s also a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va., which only selects 3 percent of the world’s police and military personnel to attend.

He was on Rochester’s SWAT team for 12 years and served as an instructor and its assistant commander. And he has 17 years of teaching experience in classroom and practical settings, training hundreds of police officers.

When he was a captain in Rochester’s police department, he was responsible for the supervision of daily patrol operations of five shifts of supervisors, investigators and patrol officers.

Moxley also was involved as a board member with RPD’s Police Activities League and volunteered with the department’s initiative with the Rochester City School District’s literacy program where he read and interacted with elementary school students.

He is currently president of the Western New York chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.

He and his wife, Tiffani, reside in Penfield with their two children, Brianne and Michael.