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LOGAN — Utah State University has a new chief of police after naming Jason Brei to the role Thursday, concluding a nationwide search.
Brei comes to the school with 26 years of law enforcement experience — a majority of which was spent working in the University of Arizona's campus police department as a patrol officer, motor officer, corporal, lieutenant, commander, assistant chief and interim chief of police, according to USU.
"Brei offers USU enormous leadership experience in law enforcement in a higher education environment, which can hold unique challenges in policing," Mike Kuehn, USU's executive director of public safety, said in a prepared statement. "We're looking forward to working with him to make our university community as secure as it can be."
The appointment comes after some instability at the position over the last two years.
In late December of 2021, Earl Morris, the university's former chief of police, resigned from the job just days after comments made to the university's football team regarding sexual assault were made public.
In recordings that USU called "reprehensible and unacceptable," Morris can be heard telling players that they live in a "Mormon community" and women may regret having sex after the fact, which could lead to sexual assault reports.
"Oftentimes it's easier to say, 'No, no, no, that wasn't consensual,'" Morris said in the recording.
Following Morris' resignation, Kent Harris was named as interim chief before the university in May announced that it had hired Blair Barfuss after a "rigorous national search," USU said in a release.
In early February, USU announced that Barfuss would be stepping down from his position "due to recent family health issues." Later that month, Barfuss was hired as Riverton's police chief.
Harris will again serve as interim chief until Brie assumes the role on July 1.
"I am truly excited and humbled at being invited into the USU family," Brei said in a statement. "I look forward to this incredible opportunity to engage with the community and serve alongside the exceptional individuals at the USU Police Department."
While at the University of Arizona, Brie oversaw the department's firearms, community service officer and field training programs, said a release from USU.
Additionally, he served on university leadership teams, panels and community functions, including the compliance advisory council and the threat assessment management team. His work has led him to receive awards including Accredited Command Executive from the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police in 2023.
"I bring with me an innate desire to work collaboratively with community and department members to enhance public safety efforts in a spirit of forward action," Brie said.
