The former agent-in-charge of the Las Vegas office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has been hired as interim director of public safety at UNLV, Vice President Robert Ackerman announced today.
Edward Verkin, who served 27 years in the ATF, nine of them as agent-in-charge at Las Vegas, will head the campus police department for approximately two months while the search for a permanent director of public safety is completed. He will report to Ackerman.
"I talked with the several top local law enforcement officials and asked them to recommend someone to head UNLV's campus police for the next couple of months," Ackerman said. "They all recommended Ed Verkin."
President Carol Harter said, "We are delighted to have a person with such a strong background in law enforcement lead our department of public safety during this interim period. One of Mr. Verkin's first goals will be to foster an understanding among the university's police officers that they are part of the campus community and work for UNLV."
Verkin attended the University of Detroit and received a degree in criminal justice from the University of Toledo. He served over five years as an officer in the Toledo Police Department.
