Purdue University Police Department welcomes five new officers

(Left to right) PUPD Chief John Cox; Officer Zachary Waltz; Officer Chad Runk; Officer Chandler Cahoon; Officer Anna Saylor; Officer McKenzie Wagner; Carol Shelby, senior director of environmental health and public safety; and Deputy Chief Lesley Wiete posed for a photo after the swearing-in ceremony on Sept. 28. (Photo provided by the Purdue University Police Department)

The Purdue University Police Department (PUPD) held a swearing-in ceremony last week to officially welcome five new police officers. Officers Chandler Cahoon, Chad Runk, Anna Saylor, McKenzie Wagner and Zachary Waltz were surrounded by family and members of the department as they took the oath to serve and protect the campus community.

Cahoon comes to PUPD from the Lafayette Police Department (LPD). He was with LPD for 20 years and served as a patrol officer and evidence technician.

Runk has been in law enforcement for seven years. He began his career at the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. For the past five years, he has been with the White County Sheriff’s Office.

Saylor began her career in law enforcement as an emergency services dispatcher with the West Lafayette Police Department in 2014. She later joined the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, graduating from its police academy earlier this year.

Wagner comes to PUPD from LPD, where she served as a patrol officer since early 2020.

Waltz has served as a merit deputy with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office since 2019.

“We are thrilled to welcome these talented officers to our department,” says PUPD Chief John Cox. “We will rely on their knowledge, skills and experience to help advance the department’s mission to provide a safe and secure campus environment.”

These five new officers will begin field training immediately. They will start patrolling on their own by the end of the semester.