John Thompson joined the Arizona State University Police Department in 2005 after spending ten years in the Marine Corps Reserve, where he obtained the rank of Sergeant. Upon completing his undergraduate degree at ASU, he joined the ASU Police Department and attended the Arizona Law Enforcement Academy in Phoenix, AZ where he became a sworn police officer.
John is an Assistant Chief in the ASU Police Department, where he is responsible for the law enforcement initiatives in the division where he is assigned. John has held a variety of assignments within the department to include: Field Training Officer, Detective, Asset Forfeiture Manager, Terrorism Liaison Officer, Honor Guard Member, Patrol Sergeant, Criminal Investigations Bureau Sergeant, Patrol Commander and Support Services Commander.
Some of John's greatest accomplishments include his work in creating the department's Special Victim's Unit (SVU), the creation of the department's Community Response Unit bike team, expanding police services on the Downtown Phoenix Campus while serving as the campus Commander, expanding outreach to the unsheltered population by creating a Community Outreach Officer position, and expanding the use of technology to ehance the department’s operational capabilities by creating the department’s Real-Time Analysis Center (RTAC).
John is a member of ASU's Student Assistance Coordination Committee, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the FBI National Academy Associates, the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, the Arizona Terrorism Liaison Officer Association, and a former member of both the Arizona Homicide Investigators Association and the National Association of Field Training Officers.
John holds a Master Degree in Public Administration from ASU and is a graduate of the 283rd Session of the FBI National Academy. Aside from his duties in the police department, John enjoys teaching the next generation of professionals as a Faculty Associate in ASU's School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and has formerly taught at the Arizona Law Enforcement Academy.
John is a Sun Devil at heart and an avid supporter of Sun Devil Athletics and Sun Devil Nation.
Go Sun Devils!
