Mercyhurst College’s Police and Safety has been changing recently.
The biggest change has been Robert Kuhn becoming chief of Police and Safety at the start of this academic year.

As police chief, Kuhn has upgraded the titles to two of the men working for him.

Sergeant Roy Ridondelli will be promoted to deputy chief and Corporal Matthew Platz will be promoted to lieutenant.

Ridondelli is a retired West County police chief. He has worked for Mercyhurst Police and Safety for about 12 years.

Some of Ridondelli’s job responsibilities include being in charge of the officers, reviewing parking tickets and citations and writing criminal reports.

“I can’t even keep track of everything I do,” he said.

Platz has worked for Police and Safety for seven years. He graduated from Edinboro University with a major in communication. He worked as a cook prior to coming here.

“This is my first real job,” Platz said.

As corporal, Platz’s job responsibilities include being the technical adviser for the officers. He works with the cameras, radios and other technological equipment.

“Being a little younger, I’m more familiar with the technology,” Platz said. “I inform these guys what the options are.”

Besides working with technology, Platz is in charge of the work study students and general patrol on the Mercyhurst campus. Platz will now be third in command.

Ridondelli’s job will not change, but Platz will take on more responsibilities.

This will make Platz more involved in the “day-to-day operation,” he said. “I’ll be doing anything else that these guys ask me to do, too.”

These changes in titles and responsibilities for the two officers do not come with a salary raise.

Kuhn explained the reasons behind the title changes.

They are “due to merit,” he said. “These guys deserve this. They put their heart and soul into this school.”

A need for structure is another reason for the title change.

“There was no structure here,” Kuhn said. “We didn’t have a chain of command before.”

The new title changes will add structure because the chain will start at the top with chief and go down to deputy chief, then lieutenant.

“The title changes are more consistent with how other stations run,” Platz said. “Sergeants and corporals wouldn’t normally be doing the things we are required to do.”

These title and responsibility changes will take effect on Friday.