- EMERGENCY INFORMATION
- VEHICLE/PARKING INFORMATION
- PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
- DOCUMENTS & POLICIES
- ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY
James T. Gilman is the Director of Public Safety and joined the team in 2021. Director Gilman served 22 years with the Connecticut State Police retiring at the rank of Master Sergeant. Director Gilman then served as the Chief of Police for the University of New Haven (CT) Police Department for three years with a full-time department of 25 sworn Officers. Director Gilman has been in higher education Public Safety since 2017.
Robert Graham is the Assistant Director of Public Safety. He came to Ringling College in 2012 after having served 24 years with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office—21 of them in the Narcotics Unit as the Intelligence Coordinator in charge of electronic and aerial surveillance, anti-narcotics and counter-intelligence operations, and computer forensics. Today, Graham is responsible for our campus-wide video security system, emergency call towers, electronic door access controls, and emergency mass notification system.
Kent Bonifield joined RCAD Public Safety Office in 2020. Before that, he performed quality control for 10 years at both CGM and CSS corporation of Lakewood Ranch, with a focus on authenticating and grading comic books. Bonifield is currently a Patrol Officer and Communications Officer on the evening shift at the main campus. FUN FACT: PSO Bonifield is also an RCAD graduate!
Samuel Benkovitz is an afternoon shift Patrol Officer at the Sarasota Art Museum campus. Samuel joined the Public Safety Team 2023. Prior to Samuel’s arrival he was a home healthcare provider serving seniors and hospice patients in Pittsburgh, PA and Asheville, NC.
Mobile, Alabama native Romey Bumpers served six years in the United States Army as an Administrative Specialist. After leaving the Army, he worked for 10 years as a Security Supervisor for NATO in Germany. Romey joined the Public Safety Team in 2005 and served until 2018, then re-joined the team in 2022; he is currently the Officer in Charge of the evening shift at the main campus.
Pam Bunnenberg started with Public Safety in 2024 after moving to Florida from Ohio. Pam worked as a Deputy Sheriff for 6 years before becoming a stay-at-home mom, then transitioned to a full-time school teacher for 7 years. She is currently a day shift Public Safety Officer at the Sarasota Art Museum campus.
Pam Butler joined Public Safety in 2019 and serves as a part-time Communications Officer on the evening shift at the main campus. She also works full-time as a compliance and certification supervisor for Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
Chris Masucci, a Rome NY native, joined the Public Safety Team 2024. Prior to RCAD, Chris worked 10 years with Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and Desoto County, where he served as Club Director of the Gene Matthews Boys & Girls Club in North Port. Chris holds an AA in Criminal Justice and a BA in Public Safety & Emergency Management; he is currently assigned to the evening shift at the Sarasota Art Museum.
Albany, New York native Paul Dwyer earned a Bachelor of Criminal Justice Administration degree from Skidmore College and a Master of Leadership Studies degree from SUNY Plattsburgh. He served 4 years in the U.S. Coast Guard, followed by 20 years at the Hudson Falls, New York Police Department, retiring at the rank of Police Detective. Dwyer succeeded his years in public service with a prolific security management career in the private sector before retiring again and moving to Sarasota. He joined the Public Safety team in 2012; today, he works as a day shift Patrol Officer and Communications Officer at the main campus.
Shane Febus joined Public Safety in 2015. He is a 20-year veteran of the New York City Police Department (NYPD), where he worked in the Patrol Division and as a Crime Prevention Officer in several precincts. During his tenure at NYPD, Febus received numerous commendations for his service to the city. Today, he is the Officer in Charge for the midnight shift at the main campus.
Chris Owens joined Public Safety in 2019. Before that, he worked 20 years as a Safety and Compliance Specialist for both Cintas and Zee Medical. Owens won the Top Safety & Compliance Specialists award several years in a row. He is an overnight shift Patrol Officer at the main campus.
Illinois native Mark Helpern is an overnight shift Patrol Officer at the main campus. Mark worked for several security companies before joining the Public Safety team in March 2022. Mark holds a BA in Communications and has appeared in two movies!
Jake Hudgeons is a day shift Patrol Officer at the main campus. Before he joined the Public Safety team in June 2024, Jake was a Corrections Deputy for the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. Jake is a Pennsylvania native and has lived in Florida for the past 5 years.
Originally from Michigan, Douglas Kingsley has been in Sarasota since 1994. He was first a security officer and then supervisor at the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art for 12 years before joining Ringling College Public Safety in 2016 as a Communications Officer. Kingsley is currently the Officer in Charge at the Sarasota Art Museum campus.
Kenn Miller relocated to sunny Sarasota from Indiana where he worked for many years in the manufacturing industry. He joined Public Safety in 2021 where he is an evening shift Patrol Officer and Communications Officer at the main campus.
Sean Miller joined Public Safety in 2020. Before that, he worked for 9 years as a Security Supervisor at Manatee Memorial Hospital. Miller is a day shift Officer in Charge at the main campus.
John Pimentel served as a Patrolman and a Detective in the Criminal Records Bureau of the New Bedford Police Department (Massachusetts) for over 21 years. He joined Public Safety in 2015, where he is an overnight shift Communications Officer at the main campus.
Kyle Romadka joined the Public Safety Team in 2024. Prior to his arrival, Kyle served as the Emergency Management Coordinator for a healthcare system in south Georgia. He also worked as a Firefighter/Paramedic for over 10 years and still holds a Paramedic certification. Kyle is a certified CRASE instructor and is currently an day shift Communications Officer and Patrol Officer at the main campus.
Sheila Sullivan started in 2024 with Public Safety following her time as a Sarasota County Sheriff (SCSO) Deputy for over 30 years. Shelia began her Law Enforcement career as a dispatcher, was hired a Sheriff Deputy and eventually promoted to Detective Sergeant. Throughout her tenure, Sheila investigated hundreds of major crimes for the SCSO. Sheila is currently an evening shift Patrol Officer at the Sarasota Art Museum campus.
Donovan Thomas joined Public Safety in 2020. Prior to this, he served as a Peace Officer for the City of New York, Department of Homeless Services for over 10 years and received a unit citation for his work. Thomas is a day shift Patrol Officer at the main campus.
Don Wenger joined Public Safety in 2019 after 31 years of dedicated service to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. During those years, he served in the Patrol Division and Detective Division before retiring as a Detective Sergeant. Wenger is an overnight shift Communications Officer at the Sarasota Art Museum campus.
Wisconsin native Daniel Williams started with the Public Safety team in 2023. Daniel worked in various security positions prior to RCAD, including stadium security for the Green Bay Packers. Daniel is currently assigned to the evening shift main Campus.
