The Rochester City School District has hired Rochester Police Department veteran James Sheppard as its Director of Security Operations, a new position. He was appointed by the Board of Education at its meeting tonight.

“Mr. Sheppard’s experience, proven leadership ability, interpersonal skills, and background in public safety make him a perfect fit with our expectations for this new position,” said Rochester Superintendent of Schools Jean-Claude Brizard. “We welcome him and look forward to his leadership of the District’s safety program.”

 “Jim Sheppard has had an extraordinary career with the Rochester Police Department and has been an outstanding leader,” said Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy. “His appointment is a huge loss for the RPD and a tremendous gain for the Rochester City School District and for the safety of our children. Jim is the consummate professional and a tremendous addition for the RCSD.”

“Jim’s leaving the Rochester Police Department is a tremendous loss for us. He has served the RPD for the past 27 years very capably in many capacities,” said Rochester Police Chief David Moore. “I will feel the loss professionally and personally as Jim had a significant impact on my transition into the RPD.”

Chief Moore went on to say, “The Rochester City School District has gained a huge asset with the appointment of Jimmy as Director of Security. I believe that this appointment will allow for a smooth implementation of our current initiatives with the District. The addition of Jim to the highly committed staff of the City School District will only serve to benefit the city as a whole.”

Prior to accepting the position with the District, Sheppard was Deputy Chief, Operations Bureau of the Rochester Police Department. In that position, he directed the day-to-day activities of 514 police officers and 36 civilian support staff members. He also oversaw all criminal investigations including drug cases, homicides, and child abuse, and managed law enforcement aspects of the city’s Neighborhood Empowerment Teams (NET).

In his 26 years with the RPD, he also served as S.W.A.T. Team Assistant Commander; Sergeant, Special Criminal Investigations Section; Sergeant, Tactical Section; Captain, Professional Standards Section; and Commander, Patrol Division East. He began his career as a police officer in the Highland Section and holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice/Community Service from SUNY Empire State College.

As Director of Security Operations, Sheppard oversees the District’s security personnel including school sentries and will design, plan, and implement security procedures and operations for District facilities. He will also coordinate school security and emergency preparedness efforts with City and County agencies; serve as liaison to the Rochester Police Department; oversee distribution of School Resource Officers in schools; develop and conduct training programs for security personnel; and conduct investigations and security audits of all District facilities.