Elon Chief Joe LeMire Retiring April 3; Doug Dotson Interim, Search Planned

Joe LeMire, chief of Elon University Campus Safety & Police, will retire effective April 3, 2026, concluding five years as the university’s top campus safety official. LeMire led a department that includes 21 certified police officers, a 24-hour dispatch center and a team of community service officers who handle parking enforcement and building and environmental security, and he served as a member of the Finance and Administration leadership team.

Following LeMire’s departure, Interim Chief Doug Dotson will manage Elon University Campus Safety & Police until a successor is named. Dotson has loyally served the university for 30 years and has served as assistant chief; he will assume operational responsibility for the department after LeMire leaves. Dotson said the news left him and the department “both happy and saddened by the news,” and he wrote, “His leadership helped shape a culture of professionalism, accountability, and service that will continue after his retirement.” Dotson added, “We are grateful for his commitment, his mentorship, and the lasting impact he has had on this department and our community. We wish Chief LeMire and his family the very best in this next chapter. He will be missed.”

Vice President for Business and Finance Janet Williams notified faculty and staff of LeMire’s decision in an email, praising his campus leadership and partnerships. Williams wrote, “I will very much miss Joe’s depth of knowledge and his dedication to campus safety,” and said his success as a chief “centers on building trust and collaboration with student organizations and enhancing relationships and safety understanding with faculty and staff.”

LeMire described his tenure as a period of rebuilding for campus law enforcement. “I came in here at a time when the law enforcement staffing was pretty low, and we've been able to build the department back up,” he said. Reflecting on personnel, LeMire also said, “Even though I'm leaving, one thing I'll always remember is that the department really has some good individuals at work here — all the officers, all the CSOs, the dispatchers.” In university materials, LeMire is shown in uniform with four stars on each collar, a name tag and a police badge.

Elon University has announced that a national search will soon be launched to identify the next chief of police. Until that search produces a successor, Dotson will oversee the 21 certified officers, the 24-hour dispatching services and the community service officers who perform campus security functions. The transition places a long-tenured internal leader at the helm during the search period and keeps operational control within the Finance and Administration leadership structure after LeMire’s April 3 departure.