Michael Newton will step into the role of Iowa State police chief come early April.

Newton, who was the second candidate to interview for the position in January, emphasized community, collaboration, communication and transparency during his presentation.

Inside Iowa State reported the hiring Thursday.

Newton has been involved in higher education law enforcement for about 18 years and served most recently as a captain at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Newton is also the president of the Wisconsin National Alliance of Mental Illness, NAMI.

He earned a criminal justice degree from Mount Senario College, Ladysmith, Wisconsin; a master’s degree in administration of justice from the University of Louisville, Kentucky; and a Ph.D. in business administration from Northcentral University, Prescott Valley, Arizona. 

In his role as captain at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Inside Iowa State reported, Newton oversaw the field services division, which included approximately 100 officers and employees. 

“Michael brings strong experience in community collaboration and emergency response to Iowa State,” Kate Gregory, senior vice president for university services, said in Inside Iowa State. “We had a diverse, broadly experienced and talented group of candidates from across the U.S., and the search committee had a very hard job.

“ISU has an outstanding police force and Michael’s background and experience will make it even stronger.”

The police chief position, which has been headed by interim police chief Aaron Delashmutt since 2015, was previously filled by former police chief Jerry Stewart.