A former carpenter, a retired Philadelphia Police detective and U.S. military member are just some of the newest members to join Temple University’s Department of Public Safety (TUDPS). 

“Our newest police officers will be a strong asset to both the Temple and North Philadelphia communities,” said Jennifer Griffin, chief of police and vice president for public safety. “They are joining a highly dedicated professional team and will help strengthen the excellence of Temple’s police department.”

Of those six, four police officers who are joining TUDPS graduated from the Temple University Police Academy on Friday, Oct. 10. 

A fifth police officer joined TUDPS after serving as an officer in Delaware County for 20 years. 

Additionally, a police detective joined TUDPS’ Investigations Unit after a 36-year-career with the Philadelphia Police Department. 
Director of Tactical and Professional Development Chris Willard added that being a Temple police officer is both meaningful and deeply rewarding. 
“There is no doubt about it: Temple Public Safety has become a force for positive change in North Philadelphia. Our new police officers will continue our mission of making our communities safer and stronger.” 

Meet the four graduating police officers

Chris Feder, 50, of Delaware County, made a career change to become a police officer to follow a lifelong dream after a successful 30-year career in fire and emergency services. 
“I left my role as director of rescue and rope access services so I could give my attention to Temple in this career change,” Feder said. “The best job I ever had was as a public safety officer at a private college back in 1997. I loved the intersection of students, staff and faculty and I’m excited to start learning everything there is to becoming a great police officer.”
In his previous role in industrial safety, technical rescue and rope access services, Feder oversaw a department of nearly 50 technical rope rescue and rope access technicians. Additionally, Feder dedicated much of his career to public service, serving as a lieutenant with the Trappe Volunteer Fire and EMS Company and volunteering for more than 30 years with the Penn Wynne-Overbrook Hills Fire Company, where he rose to the rank of assistant chief. In addition, he served on both the Montgomery County Hazardous Materials Response Team and the Urban Search and Rescue Team. Feder is a proud member of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard with a background in emergency management and safety. He spent about eight years in the Army before transitioning to the Air Force. In 2008, he was deployed to Afghanistan as part of a security forces platoon. 
Feder is also a published author, having written articles regarding tactical rappelling in several police and fire publications, including Police Magazine and S.W.A.T. Magazine. He wanted to join TUDPS after reading that the department is striving for the gold standard of accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
“Working towards that accreditation changes everything in the department, from professionalism to training, transparency and beyond that,” Feder said. “It means that this is a department that takes accountability seriously. I want to be a part of that.”

Kevin Santana, 21, of Trenton, New Jersey, is trading in his tool belt for a Temple Police uniform. The former carpenter and electrician worked in trades for four years before deciding he wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement. 

“Being a carpenter was a great career, but I didn’t see longevity there,” he explained. “I always wanted to be a part of the policing community and help people feel safer. So I’m looking forward to continuing building trust between law enforcement and the people we serve.”  
Santana was drawn to Temple because of the department’s strong reputation for community policing.

“I’m looking forward to connecting with the Temple and North Philadelphia communities equally,” he said. “Law enforcement is here for a source of guidance and reassurance. I think it should be seen as a beacon—a light people can turn to when they need help. I’m excited to be a part of that.” 

Santana is also interested in pursuing a degree in criminal justice through Temple’s tuition remission program as well as continuing his career development. 

Daniel White, 22, a Bucks County native, always wanted to become a police officer.   
 
“Growing up, I admired the police within my community,” White said. “Ever since I was a child, I knew I wanted to wear the badge and make a difference in people’s lives.”

White was drawn to TUDPS because he wanted to be involved in a department that he said is respected for its active role in community engagement. 

“Policing is a rewarding career,” White said. “I’m looking forward to helping others, and I’m excited to continue building bridges between Temple Public Safety and those who we serve.”
Before joining Temple, White worked as a correctional officer at the Bucks County Correctional Facility and spent two years in private security. He holds an associate of arts in criminal justice from Bucks County Community College and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree at Temple, utilizing the university’s tuition remission program. 

TUDPS' new lateral police officer 

Nicholas Diberardo, 56, joined TUDPS in August, bringing with him over 30 years of law enforcement experience after recently retiring from the Delaware County Park Police. The father of two is excited to be part of the Temple family and is eager to support students as they start a new academic year. 

“I became a police officer to help people,” he shared. “I want students to know they can come to me if they ever need assistance.” 

Officer Diberardo is also looking forward to his own children becoming Owls themselves in the future. 

For current police officers who want to join TUDPS, the department is hiring lateral police officers. 

For those wanting to become new police officers, the department will pay for their training in the Police Academy. After graduation, each new officer will be assigned a field training officer and will receive hands-on experience before moving on to patrol. Following the completion of both training and probation, the starting salary for Temple police officers is $74,193. Police officers also receive $2,500 sign-on bonuses. 

TUDPS’ Investigations Unit

Tom Boyd, 58, joined TUDPS’ Investigations Unit as a police detective after retiring from the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) after 36 years of service. 

“I’m familiar with the North Philadelphia community because it was near my first beat as a police officer with PPD for seven years, so this feels very much like a homecoming,” he said. 

Boyd said he spent the majority of his career with PPD as a detective, adding that he has a passion for solving crimes and offering people assistance. 

Now doing the same work at TUDPS, Boyd said he’s excited to be a part of an organization that has cutting-edge technology. 

“I saw on the news earlier this year that Temple Public Safety made major upgrades to its dispatch call center and operates more than 1,400 security cameras. There are a lot of other bells and whistles as well, and it is all about 21st-century policing. I’m excited to be a part of that,” he said. 

He also explained that working at Temple, for him, is now a family affair: His wife works for Student Health and “she is absolutely in love with the university,” he said. 
 

TUDPS’ New Deputy Police Chief

Gaetano Sava, 52, has recently been named as TUDPS’ newest deputy chief, bringing two decades of law enforcement, teaching and leadership experience to the role.

Sava began his career in 1995 with Bristol Township Police Department as part of President Bill Clinton’s national community policing initiative. The program provided funding for new officers to strengthen local departments. 

“We were a big class back then, we had almost 200 people. It was a really proud moment to be among them on the White House lawn during a special graduation ceremony,” Sava recalled.
Over the next 20 years, he rose through the ranks at Bristol Township, serving as a detective, lieutenant and patrol commander, and even acting chief before retiring as a lieutenant. Along the way, he developed a reputation for problem-solving, leadership and a commitment to community-oriented policing.
Education has been just as central to his career. Sava holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and an MBA with a concentration in public administration from Holy Family University. He went on to teach both undergraduate and graduate courses in subjects ranging from police management and human resource management to introductory law enforcement. “I absolutely loved teaching,” he said. “It’s probably one of my favorite jobs.”
After retiring from policing, Gae also found success as an entrepreneur, running a business with more than a dozen employees for the past decade. To him, policing and business aren’t as different as they might seem. 

“Truthfully, they’re both customer service. In both, people deserve a level of service that gives them confidence,” he explained.
Despite his success outside law enforcement, his passion for policing never wavered. Returning to public safety felt like coming home, he said. 

“Everything about this job is exciting,” he said. “A big reason I’m here is the team that’s already in place. For instance, Chief Griffin has a great reputation for getting things done. It’s an honor to be a part of that.”
Gae also has a personal connection to the university: His son is a 2019 Fox School of Business graduate. 
As he steps into his new role, Deputy Chief Gae brings not just experience, but also enthusiasm for Temple’s future in progressive policing, community engagement and innovation in public safety.