Vanderbilt University Public Safety announces the addition of three new senior leaders, marking an important step in the department’s continued evolution and commitment to strengthening safety, preparedness, and organizational excellence across campus.
Elijah “Tony” Crawford has joined VUPS as Director of Operations, Lise Lang as Director of Enterprise Threat Assessment, and Sara Sloane as Human Resources Director. Together, these leaders bring deep expertise across public safety operations, threat assessment and prevention, and people-centered organizational leadership—key focus areas outlined by Chief of Police Tommye Sutton in his recent state of the department address.
“These roles are critical to how we continue building a modern, integrated public safety organization,” Sutton said. “Each of these leaders brings experience, judgment, and a collaborative approach that will strengthen how we serve the Vanderbilt community every day.”
Strengthening Operational Leadership
As Director of Operations, Elijah “Tony” Crawford serves as the Chief of Police’s strategic and operational partner, supporting a complex, 24/7 organization of more than 400 sworn and non-sworn personnel. In this role, Crawford helps translate departmental priorities into action, oversees cross-functional initiatives, and ensures alignment across police operations, security services, emergency management, communications, and administrative functions
Crawford brings more than 20 years of experience supporting senior leadership in public safety, emergency management, and higher education. Most recently, he served in Vanderbilt’s Office of the Chancellor, where he led operational coordination and supported executive-level initiatives.
Prior to Vanderbilt, Crawford spent more than a decade with the District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, supporting large-scale events, emergency operations, and periods of organizational change.
In his role, Crawford will play a central role in advancing VUPS initiatives related to policy development, accreditation, performance measurement, and organizational effectiveness—areas Sutton has emphasized as essential to the department’s long-term success.
Advancing Enterprise Threat Assessment and Prevention
Lise Lang joins Vanderbilt as Director of Enterprise Threat Assessment, where she will chair and direct the university’s multidisciplinary Behavioral Consultation Team (BCT). As the enterprise subject matter expert in threat assessment and management, Lang leads Vanderbilt’s efforts to identify, assess, and mitigate potential risks to the safety of the university, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Vanderbilt Health at One Hundred Oaks
Lang’s background includes extensive experience designing and leading behavioral threat assessment programs focused on workplace violence prevention and safeguarding people, facilities, and organizational reputation. She has advised Fortune 500 companies, universities, and healthcare organizations, and brings expertise across crisis management, protective services, and complex investigations.
In addition to overseeing threat assessment case management and reporting, Lang will lead campus training and awareness efforts to help community members recognize concerning behaviors and understand how to report them. Her work supports VUPS’s broader emphasis on prevention, early intervention, and coordinated response—key pillars of the department’s evolving approach to safety.
Supporting People and Talent
Sara Sloane has joined VUPS as Human Resources Director, providing executive-level leadership and oversight for all HR functions within the department. Working closely with the Chief of Police, Sloane oversees recruitment, employee relations, compliance, workforce planning, and professional development for VUPS’s sworn and non-sworn employees
In her new role, Sloane leverages more than a decade of HR experience. Her background includes prior service with the State of Tennessee, where she supported a range of operational teams, including sworn officers in Tennessee State Parks. Since joining Vanderbilt, she has already begun partnering with leaders across VUPS to strengthen HR operations, enhance the employee experience, and support a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and equipped for success.
Her role aligns closely with VUPS’s focus on organizational health, leadership development, and accountability – ensuring that the department’s peoplestrategies evolve alongside its operational mission.
Continuing the Evolution of VUPS
Together, these appointments reflect Public Safety’s ongoing commitment to building a public safety organization that is proactive, data-informed, and grounded in collaboration across the university.
For more information about Vanderbilt University Public Safety, visit publicsafety.vanderbilt.edu.