Chief Soto retires after 31 years at PSU

After 31 years of serving Portland State, Campus Public Safety Office Chief Michael Soto announced his plan to retire on Friday. Phillip Zerzan, a retired lieutenant from the Oregon State Police, will serve as interim chief until a permanent replacement is found.

“Saying goodbye to [my colleagues] was like saying goodbye to my family,” Soto said.

According to Vice President of Finance and Administration Lindsay Desrochers, Soto will remain at PSU through the end of June. Although his last official day was Sunday, Soto will work on compiling a report that will include a list of university contacts and the issues affecting CPSO and PSU. The report, which is to remain confidential, will help with the transition, Desrochers said.

After Soto served two years in the military police in the late 1970s, he took a position as the security manager at the PSU Bookstore. Over the course of the next two decades, Soto climbed the ranks as a CPSO officer and lieutenant, until he was eventually promoted to chief in 2003.

“He has definitely served our university with the utmost dedication and responsibility,” said Dean of Student Affairs Jackie Balzer. “His dedication to student success and student welfare has been ongoing.”

Soto said he was initially attracted to PSU’s college environment and the longevity of the position. In addition, Portland reminded him of his hometown of Monterey, Calif.

When asked to describe his relationship with the campus community, he said, “It’s always been…a very strong relationship.”

According to Desrochers, who is also retiring at the end of June, the new vice president of finance and administration will head the search committee. She said that the search will probably take four to eight months.

Commenting on what he plans to do during his retirement, Soto said, “I plan to take it easy for a while—relax and work on my home.”

In the future, Soto said that he might consider taking up another part-time or full-time position. Additionally, he plans to become active in PSU’s Native American community.

“But right now my focus is on relaxing,” he said.

Before coming to work for CPSO, Zerzan spent 30 years with the Oregon State Police and worked at Oregon State University for five years.

“[Zerzan] is very familiar with university and community policing,” Desrochers said. “I have great confidence in his abilities.”

Balzer, who worked with Zerzan at OSU, said that she expects Zerzan to bring a lot of new ideas, commitment and energy to PSU.

“His community policing and safety approach was nothing but superior,” Balzer said. “I believe the [CPSO] force and PSU are lucky to have him.”

Zerzan said he grew up in southeast Portland, but eventually moved to Corvallis to study at OSU, where he received a liberal studies degree. ?