SFSU police chief joins California Campus Sexual Assault Task Force

San Rafael resident Kimberly Wible to help assess how colleges respond to sexual assault

San Francisco State University’s longtime police chief was recently tapped by Gov. Gray Davis to sit on the newly created California Campus Sexual Assault Task Force.

Kimberly Wible, 45, brings extensive law enforcement experience and expertise in campus sexual assault policies and enforcement to the task force as well as a law degree. Established last year by the state legislature, the 15-member task force will assess how California’s college and university campuses respond to incidences of sexual assault.

“The governor chooses the best and most qualified person for the position,” said Amber Pasricha, deputy press secretary for Gov. Davis. “Ms. Wible fits those qualifications, is very active in the community and understands the issues.”

Wible, who lives in San Rafael with daughters Ashley, 11, and Ali, 6, is the only police officer on the task force.

The task force’s goal is to design a uniform system for gathering information pertaining to sexual assaults and create a set of guidelines to address sexual assault issues at colleges and universities.
“I hope to help create a plan that will not only be useful but also mandated at all California college campuses,” said Wible, who was the youngest-ever police chief in the California State University system when appointed in 1988. “We need to do everything in our power to ensure the safety of all students, faculty and staff. We need to create policies that will ensure that there are prevention and education programs on all campuses, provide strong support for victims from the entire campus community, and ensure perpetrators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Wible oversees the collection of data by the campus to comply with the Jeanne Cleary Act, which requires colleges and universities nationwide to publish a detailed annual report that contains three years worth of campus crime statistics and certain security policy statements.

SFSU’s sexual assault policy includes a Sexual Assault Response Team consisting of representatives from campus police, Student Health Service, Office of Student Affairs, Counseling and Psychological Services, and the SAFE (Sexual Abuse Free Environment) Place. Once a sexual assault is reported, the team meets to begin investigating the case and provide support for the victim.

Wible, who was born and raised in Tracy, has presented SFSU’s policy at professional conferences and it has become a model for other campuses. She believes some elements of the University's policy would fit well in the statewide model.

“A plan should not only include members of the campus’ police department,” said Wible, who joined the SFSU force in 1980. “Programs to encourage victims to report sexual assault should also be developed.”
In addition to her police chief duties, Wible serves as the police coordinator for the 23-campus California State University system. She’s also a member of the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administration, the Women Peace Officer Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the California Campus Police Chiefs and the California Peace Officers Association.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from CSU Chico and a juris doctor degree from San Francisco School of Law.

One of the largest campuses in the CSU system, SFSU was founded in 1899 and today is a highly diverse, comprehensive, public and urban university.

NOTE: For a photo of Kimberly Wible, contact Matt Itelson of the SFSU Office of Public Affairs at (415) 338-1743 or matti@sfsu.edu.