Ohio State University Police promotes two officers, fills deputy chief slot

Daniel Smyth
Fri, 26 Aug 2016 21:54:17 +0000
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Family members pin University Police Deputy Chief Kimberly Spears-McNatt’s new badge during a ceremony held Aug. 26. Credit: Dan Smyth | Lantern Reporter

Ohio State University Police has internally promoted two officers, one to deputy chief and another to lieutenant. A formal pinning ceremony was held at Blankenship Hall on Friday afternoon.

Kimberly Spears-McNatt was promoted from the rank of lieutenant to deputy chief while Officer Brandon Yankanin has been promoted from officer to lieutenant. Both are OSU graduates.

Since Chief Craig Stone was promoted from acting chief to chief of the University Police over the summer, the deputy chief role has had to be filled.

“I’m so thankful I have somebody that is going to help me,” Stone said to those in attendance at the ceremony.

During the ceremony, Stone went on to explain how rigorous the application process was for the position of deputy chief. In total, four applicants were brought in.

“After conducting a national search it was clear that the right choice for deputy chief was Lt. Spears-McNatt,” Stone said in a news release for the event. “She is an exceptional law enforcement professional who has been committed to Ohio State for more than 20 years.”

Spears-McNatt joined University Police in 1994.

“I started my career at Ohio State and have enjoyed coming to work every single day for the past two decades,” Spears-McNatt said in the release. “It is truly an honor to be named deputy chief and to continue making safety a priority for our diverse population of students, faculty, staff and visitors.”

Family members help pin Lt. Brandon Yankanin’s new badge during a ceremony held on Aug. 26. Credit: Dan Smyth | Lantern Reporter

Yankanin has been involved with multiple projects with University Police, including the expansion of the division’s headquarters, the rape aggression defense team, the bike patrol and the special response team.

In 2008, Yankanin won officer of the year at the department.

“I’m going to do my best for my officers, agency, and university,” Yankanin told the crowd.

Meanwhile, Spears-McNatt was awarded the Valor Award in 2002 after saving multiple individuals from an apartment fire on Lane Avenue.

“I have so many mentors and people who are the wind at my back,” Spears-McNatt said when she took the podium.

In attendance at the ceremony were members from each of officer’s families as well as members from the Columbus Division of Police, the Columbus Division of Fire and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

“Chief, help is here,” Spears-McNatt said.