The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) has selected three finalists for the next chief of police of the system. The search committee, comprised of college, student, and community representatives, has conducted a thorough screening and preliminary interviews with applicants to identify those best suited to lead the MCCCD Police Department with long-term success.
Public forums for the finalists will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The forums are open to students, employees, and the general public and may be attended virtually or in person at:
Rio Salado College
Conference Center–First Floor
2323 W. 14th St., Tempe, AZ 85281
College Map
In alphabetical order, the finalists are:
Blair L. Barfuss
Blair Barfuss brings over two decades of experience as a law enforcement leader, serving as the Chief of Police at Utah Tech University and Riverton City. Known for his data-driven, community-oriented policing emphasis, Barfuss excels at creating safe, inclusive, and supportive environments that serve the diverse needs of campus communities through transparency and collaboration while focusing on current industry and legal best practices and agency accreditation. He is a change agent who has successfully fostered strong cultures of service within his departments that value all students, staff, faculty, and community members on campus.
Barfuss is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration from Columbia College and a master’s degree in human resources with an emphasis on organizational management from Utah State University.
Joel Justice
Joel Justice has over 37 years of law enforcement experience. He served as Chief of Police of Ventura County Community College for eight years, where he was responsible for three colleges, a satellite campus, a fire academy, a district office, and 38,000 faculty, staff, and students, as well as 53 employees. Prior to that assignment, Justice spent 29 years with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), retiring as Captain. While working for the LAPD, he held assignments in investigations, patrol, tactical response, and undercover operations. He also served as Commanding Officer for the LAPD’s Communications Division, overseeing nearly 600 employees across two dispatch centers.
Justice earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix and a master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Louis Scichilone
Louis Scichilone has served the Arizona law enforcement community for over 26 years. His leadership began as a Cavalry Scout and Operations & Logistics Specialist in the United States Army. In 1996, Scichilone joined the Arizona State University (ASU) Police Department.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies from ASU and is completing post-baccalaureate work at Northern Arizona University. Scichilone is a graduate of the Arizona Problem-Oriented Leadership Institute for Chief & Command Executives, ASU’s Mastering Leadership programs, and Northwestern University School of Police Staff & Command.