The Chelsea School District has filled their newly created Director of Safety and Security position with a candidate who brings with him a lot of important experience.

CSD formally introduced Doug Whitsel at the Sept. 9 school board meeting as the new Director of Safety and Security. He’s been on the job for a few weeks now.

CSD Superintendent Michael Kapolka said the district selected Whitsel after a rigorous interviewing process that lasted two months and saw over 70 candidates apply. He said Whitsel has law enforcement and military service experience. He previously served as a police officer in the Battle Creek area and as a U.S. Air Force Security Force team leader.

Kapolka said Whitsel has extensive training in emergency response training and physical safety measures, and he most recently served with the Nuclear Security Facility at the Idaho National Laboratory.

Kapolka said he’s a “really good fit for our district.”

Earlier this summer, Kapolka said this role is a grant-funded position starting the 2024-25 school year. He said CSD will be piloting the role for the next two years and at that end of that time it will assess the role to determine whether or not they should keep it or alter it, or what.

Kapolka said the ideal candidate will be expected to have experience and background in law enforcement or a relate field. Once in the position, the director will develop, implement and manage the district’s safety, security and emergency protocols, and staff training. The director will also oversee the district’s operating plan.

In explaining Whitsel’s qualifications, Kapolka said “Doug’s earlier experience in serving the public came as a police officer where he responded to dispatch calls, collaborated with local law enforcement agencies and conducted interviews and investigations, and his extensive background in criminal justice, his experience in leadership and security and his overall approach just to working and serving others really stood out in the interview process. It was a feedback a lot of people shared with us.”

Going before the school board, Whitsel said it’s an honor to be part of the Chelsea School District. He said he’s been blown away by how respectful and kind students have been.

Whitsel submitted his first report to the school board as well. In it he said under “Safety and Security” that he has and will be:

● Conducting a walkthrough of each building has brought to light some simple changes we can make to facilitate a more secure learning environment.

● In the coming months, I will be attending trainings such as: CSTAG and the Michigan School Safety Academy.

● I will be meeting with the Police Chief and Fire Chief. Fostering these relationships will hopefully lead to many joint training sessions together, offering another opportunity to hear from experts in their respective fields.