SMU Police Department selected its interim police chief to fill the position permanently last week.

Chief Michael Snellgrove, 43, was selected May 29 as SMU’s official police chief after filling the position on an interim basis since Feb. 21.

The university received 80 resumes responding to ads to fill the position. Snellgrove was selected after the field had been narrowed to four candidates.

Snellgrove has worked for the SMU police department since May 1994 and says that he’s happy to be continuing the experience.

“I’m very happy [with the selection],” Chief Snellgrove said. “I think it’s wonderful here.”

Snellgrove enjoys the intimacy of working on a college campus (as opposed to government work) and likes the people he works with.

“You’re not just a number here,” Snellgrove said. “It’s a reasonably small group of people I work with here, and I just like the environment in general.”

Dee Siscoe, the assistant vice president for student affairs and dean of student life, chaired the search committee that reviewed all potential candidates’ resumes.

She is very pleased with Snellgrove’s selection and believes he will do a fine job as police chief.

“I’m very happy Chief Snellgrove got the position,” Siscoe said. “He’s done a great job on the interim and will continue to do so.”

Kristen Simigran is a junior journalism major and covered the police beat for The Daily Campus the past two semesters and worked closely with Snellgrove during that time. She says that Snellgrove is perfect for the job.

“I was rooting for him to get the position,” Simigran said. “He’s a great man. He knows what he’s doing, and he works really well with students.”

Snellgrove has enjoyed his time at SMU and looks forward to more of the same.

“Second to marrying my wife, Lita,” Snellgrove said, “it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”