New Director Of Public Safety Appointed At Queens College
Photos: Queens College|Wikimedia Commons Flushing, NY, June 2, 2026—Vincent Sinclair has been appointed director of public safety for Queens College of the City University of New York (CUNY). With nearly two decades of experience in law enforcement and criminal justice, he brings community-oriented perspectives to public safety. “We are very pleased to welcome Chief Vincent Sinclair to Queens College,” said President Frank H. Wu. “His extensive knowledge of public safety, his commitment to maintaining our welcoming and safe campus, and his experience in training and leading law officers are invaluable assets to our college community.” Sinclair holds an associate’s degree from Nassau Community College and a BA in culture and deviance studies from John Jay College of Criminal Justice CUNY. In addition, he earned a master’s of public administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. Prior to Queens College, he served as an officer of and instructor for the New York State Court Officers Academy. He was a sergeant, then was promoted to lieutenant in senior court security training. As a captain, he went on to lead teams statewide in the development and implementation of training programs, strategic policy initiatives, and innovative units that affected more than 4,000 uniformed officers and 2,500 non-uniformed peace officers. With expertise in wellness and trauma-informed practices, he holds instructor-level certifications in police general topics, fundamental crisis intervention, procedural justice, and implicit bias. Sinclair also served as statewide coordinator for the New York State Courts Ceremonial Unit and the Community Engagement Initiative. He was executive advisor to the courts’ first Law Enforcement Explorer Program, where he mentored aspiring law-enforcement professionals. Outside the court system, as founder of LEO Hearted Cares, Inc., he worked to bridge public safety and community needs through advocacy and partnerships. In 2023, Sinclair was appointed to the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission, the nation’s first court-based commission dedicated to racial and ethnic fairness in the courts. He worked closely with judicial and administrative leaders to embed fairness and cultural competency in the justice system. In 2021, he was commended by Chief Judge Janet DiFiore for his role in designing a new community affairs program. In 2026, Sinclair was honored by the Tribune Society with a Special Recognition Award for leadership; the Tribune Society, an African American organization of judicial and non-judicial court employees, is the oldest fraternal organization in the New York State Unified Court System. At Queens College, Sinclair will enforce all college and university security policies and be responsible for the safety and security of the campus, college property, faculty, staff, students, and visitors. He directs the work of the college’s peace officers, including both field operations and administrative work. He also performs other work important to college safety and security, including community relations, crime prevention, maintaining emergency management plans, ensuring compliance with the Family Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Clery Act, compiling criminal and security-incident statistics, and contributing to a CUNY-wide report system on incidents. Among his areas of responsibility, he maintains a working relationship with the New York City Police Department and coordinates with outside law enforcement when necessary. Deborah Huggins, who formerly served as interim director of public safety, has been named deputy director of the department.
Black News 
Photos: Queens College|Wikimedia Commons
Flushing, NY, June 2, 2026—Vincent Sinclair has been appointed director of public safety for Queens College of the City University of New York (CUNY). With nearly two decades of experience in law enforcement and criminal justice, he brings community-oriented perspectives to public safety.
“We are very pleased to welcome Chief Vincent Sinclair to Queens College,” said President Frank H. Wu. “His extensive knowledge of public safety, his commitment to maintaining our welcoming and safe campus, and his experience in training and leading law officers are invaluable assets to our college community.”
Sinclair holds an associate’s degree from Nassau Community College and a BA in culture and deviance studies from John Jay College of Criminal Justice CUNY. In addition, he earned a master’s of public administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.
Prior to Queens College, he served as an officer of and instructor for the New York State Court Officers Academy. He was a sergeant, then was promoted to lieutenant in senior court security training. As a captain, he went on to lead teams statewide in the development and implementation of training programs, strategic policy initiatives, and innovative units that affected more than 4,000 uniformed officers and 2,500 non-uniformed peace officers. With expertise in wellness and trauma-informed practices, he holds instructor-level certifications in police general topics, fundamental crisis intervention, procedural justice, and implicit bias.
Sinclair also served as statewide coordinator for the New York State Courts Ceremonial Unit and the Community Engagement Initiative. He was executive advisor to the courts’ first Law Enforcement Explorer Program, where he mentored aspiring law-enforcement professionals. Outside the court system, as founder of LEO Hearted Cares, Inc., he worked to bridge public safety and community needs through advocacy and partnerships.
In 2023, Sinclair was appointed to the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission, the nation’s first court-based commission dedicated to racial and ethnic fairness in the courts. He worked closely with judicial and administrative leaders to embed fairness and cultural competency in the justice system.
In 2021, he was commended by Chief Judge Janet DiFiore for his role in designing a new community affairs program. In 2026, Sinclair was honored by the Tribune Society with a Special Recognition Award for leadership; the Tribune Society, an African American organization of judicial and non-judicial court employees, is the oldest fraternal organization in the New York State Unified Court System.
At Queens College, Sinclair will enforce all college and university security policies and be responsible for the safety and security of the campus, college property, faculty, staff, students, and visitors. He directs the work of the college’s peace officers, including both field operations and administrative work. He also performs other work important to college safety and security, including community relations, crime prevention, maintaining emergency management plans, ensuring compliance with the Family Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Clery Act, compiling criminal and security-incident statistics, and contributing to a CUNY-wide report system on incidents. Among his areas of responsibility, he maintains a working relationship with the New York City Police Department and coordinates with outside law enforcement when necessary.
Deborah Huggins, who formerly served as interim director of public safety, has been named deputy director of the department.
