Hampton Cantrell, who has spent more than 35 years working in higher-education public safety and security as well as in sworn law enforcement, has been named Caltech's chief of campus security and parking services. He will begin his tenure at the Institute on August 22.
Cantrell is currently the executive director of public safety at Saint Mary's College in Moraga, California, where he oversees security services, safety compliance, emergency management, and parking and transportation services.
Prior to his appointment at Saint Mary's, Cantrell was the associate vice president of public safety at Loyola Marymount University from 2008 to 2019. He joined LMU after a 26-year career in sworn law enforcement, 24 years of which he served in the Inglewood Police Department in Southern California. During his time in Inglewood, Cantrell rose to the rank of senior police captain and oversaw all three major bureaus: patrol operations, detectives, and administration. He also spent two years serving the Compton Police Department as a patrol officer.
"Hampton has spent many years in Los Angeles, has partnerships here, and considers this his home," said David Kang, associate vice president of facilities, in a memo announcing Cantrell's appointment. He later added: "His work in higher education has taught him the importance of building community, engaging with students, faculty, and staff, and serving as a mentor, a vision and philosophy that are exactly in line with Caltech's needs. All of this came across clearly in our conversations with Hampton."
A native of the Bay Area, Cantrell received his BA in political science from UC Irvine and his JD from Southwestern University School of Law. He is a licensed attorney in California and provides consulting on public safety issues in the state. Cantrell is also the immediate past president of the California College and University Police Chiefs Association (CCUPCA), a member of the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA), and a member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE). He has been a member of Rotary International for over 20 years.
"I am honored and humbled to be selected as the chief of campus security at Caltech," Cantrell says. "I believe strongly in collaboration and consultation with campus stakeholders on a variety of safety and security issues. I look forward to meeting with students, faculty, staff, and others, including my security team, to ensure our department is delivering excellent service to the Caltech community."
Written by Lori Oliwenstein-Kluger