Former Bend PD captain, Sunriver police chief named COCC director of campus safety, emergency mgmt.

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) Central Oregon Community College said Monday it has hired Cory Darling as director of campus safety and emergency management.

Darling brings a 35-year career in Central Oregon law enforcement with a focus on training, crisis intervention, emergency preparedness and community partnerships to the role. Most recently, he served as the chief of the Sunriver Police Department from 2018 until his retirement in 2022. 

“I am pleased to announce Mr. Darling’s hire for this absolutely essential role,” said Dr. Laurie Chesley, COCC’s president. “He joins the college with a wealth of experience and resounding professional endorsements from our key partners across local law enforcement, behavioral health and social service agencies.

"Mr. Darling will ensure that COCC’s relationships with law enforcement continue to be well-delineated, collaborative and subordinate. He will also help us continue to move our campus safety department forward, maintaining safe and secure campuses for students, employees and community members.” 

Jenn Kovitz, director of marketing and public relations at COCC, said it's a new title and realignment for the previous position, director of campus public safety. "The department is now “Campus Safety” and because emergency management is such a central aspect of the role’s areas of responsibility, the college and Dr. Chesley wanted this reflected in the title," she said.

She said the changes resulted from some of the recommendations contained in a report the college received from an outside consultant that led to several changes announced in 2021.

Darling was born and raised in a small farming community in southern Idaho. He moved to Bend in 1984 and began his law enforcement career in 1988.

He holds an Associate of Applied Science from COCC in Apprenticeship in Law Enforcement, a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice from American Military University, and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Class 237.

He served on the Central Oregon Emergency Response Team (SWAT) for 16 years and the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team (CODE) for five years. Cory is currently on the board of directors for KIDS Center, is the state vice president for the Oregon Fallen Badge Foundation and is a board member for the Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police.

“Since my family first moved to Central Oregon, COCC has always been the iconic institution of higher education in our community,” said Darling. “The college serves an important purpose for our local workforce, employers and community partners. I am looking forward to helping ensure that COCC is safe for everyone who comes to learn, teach, work and enjoy everything the college has to offer.”

Darling has held several positions as a law enforcement training instructor. He also holds past positions as president of the Oregon Tactical Officers Association (OTOA), vice president of the Oregon Narcotics Enforcement Association (ONEA), Central Oregon Police Chaplaincy board member, Oregon Association Chiefs of Police (OACP) liaison for the Oregon Terrorism Information Threat Analysis Network (TITAN) Fusion Center, chair of the Deschutes County Crisis Intervention (CIT) Steering Committee and National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI).

Darling begins in his new role at COCC on Monday, April 3.