Brave men and women in the criminal justice field gallantly risk
their lives to make the world a safer place. Students and faculty
from St. John’s University's College of Professional Studies
criminal justice program are no exception:
“St. John’s criminal justice students aim to serve their
communities and are deeply committed to making our society more
just, safer and consistent with the high ideals of the American
justice system,” says
Thomas Ward, D.P.A., Professor, Founder and Director of the
graduate criminal justice leadership program in St. John’s College
of Professional Studies.
As a former New York City police officer, Director of Public Safety
at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Assistant Commissioner
for the New York City Department of Correction, Dr. Ward brings
over 40 years of criminal justice experience to St. John’s.
“I have previously taught at a number of colleges before joining
St. John's, but there is something special about the criminal
justice program here. I am very enthusiastic about leading this
amazing program.”
From a young age, Dr. Ward says he idolized the police officers in
his Brooklyn neighborhood and the relationships they built with the
people living in his community, “They were very dedicated to
helping people and safeguarding our neighborhood. They especially
looked after local businesses, like my father’s. They became my
role models.”
After graduating with an undergraduate degree in criminal justice
from John Jay College, Dr. Ward says he was encouraged, by his
former professor and mentor, to further his education and obtain
his master’s and doctoral degrees from John Jay College of Criminal
Justice and Nova Southeastern University:
“The late Alexander B. Smith, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of John Jay
College was the person who encouraged me to pursue my graduate
degrees when I was a police officer with the NYPD. To this day, I
try to emulate Dr. Smith and hope that someday my students will
look back and have the same feelings about me that I still have for
him.”
Dr. Ward is currently teaching several criminal justice courses
including criminal justice ethics leadership and American
correctional systems, and says it is a privilege to be in the
classroom.
“My students enrich my life every day! I can unabashedly tell you
that I have an absolute love of teaching; this is not a job to me,
it's a vocation.”
Dr. Ward has received numerous honors and awards as both a criminal
justice practitioner and as an academician. He is most proud of
being the co-recipient of the Professor of the Year by Sigma Phi
Epsilon Fraternity and the H. Craig Collins Award in
recognition of his distinguished leadership in the criminal justice
program at St. John’s University.
He is also a published author of the nonfiction book War
Stories: Behind the Silver and Gold Shields – an introspective
journey through New York City’s criminal justice system.
“Making a difference in someone’s life is what fulfills me the
most. The relationship I have with my students creates this
energizing force that is sometimes difficult to describe, but
wonderful to experience.” If you are interested in this degree
program, please contact Professor Ward.