Trevecca Nazarene University announced that retiring Mt. Juliet Police Chief James A. Hambrick has been named the school’s new chief security officer. He will lead Trevecca’s campus security team, working closely with Trevecca Security Director Greg Dawson, and will play an integral role in helping keep the University’s students, faculty and campus safe.
Hambrick is a Nashville native and graduate of Northwestern University’s Police Staff and Command School. He is a well-known figure in Middle Tennessee law enforcement for his 28 years of service with the Mt. Juliet Police Department, where he rose from dispatcher to the chief of police for the growing city. Hambrick holds a B.A. in Christian education, a master’s and doctorate in psychology and Christian counseling. He also recently took on the role of pastor at First Missionary Baptist Church in Franklin, Tennessee.
“We couldn’t be more pleased to have Chief Hambrick as an integral part of the Trevecca family,” President Dr. Dan Boone said. “He brings a wealth of law enforcement knowledge and experience to the Trevecca campus. His servant attitude and engaging leadership style will be an incredible asset to Trevecca and the community around us.”
“I am excited for this new opportunity and next chapter,” Hambrick said. “I love what Trevecca stands for and look forward to furthering the mission. After much prayer, I believe this is a perfect fit and it is the right time for this next step that so richly combines my faith, my passion and my law enforcement training.”
Hambrick is a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He has taught courses in church leadership and criminal justice as an adjunct instructor with Union University, and is the author of two faith-based books. He is involved in several local civic organizations and serves as a board member for Restoration Community Outreach, Wilson County Youth Ranch and Volunteer Behavioral Health. He is also a member of the National Christian Counselors Association.
“I look forward to engaging with students and their parents,” Hambrick says. “I’m also eager to work with the capable and dedicated officers who are part of Trevecca’s security team.”
Hambrick is a father of five, a grandfather of fourteen and a great-grandfather of two. He and his wife Denise live in Mt. Juliet.
