CUNY Bronx Community College’s new Interim Director of Public Safety Angel L. Irizariz had big shoes to fill when he took over in November, 2024 for beloved Saul Fraguada, who has since moved on to work for CUNY Central. “Saul and I worked together at BCC for 11 years, and our ideas and philosophies were aligned, so it has been a smooth transition,” Angel said.  

Now in his 20th year working for the CUNY system, Angel oversees all aspects of campus safety operations, working closely with BCC staff, faculty, and students to maintain a safe and supportive environment. He believes his team’s job is to be the steward of the college and get BCC community members to continue viewing the Public Safety team as the guardian of the institution.  

 “We interact on a daily basis with students,” Angel said. “We’re all about building rapport with the college community. We familiarize ourselves with students, faculty and staff, greeting everyone at the gates and engaging in casual conversation.  

BCC officers participate in mental health & crisis intervention training to be able to identify when students are in crisis and provide appropriate resources. Public Safety works closely with Counseling and the CARES team to ensure that students know about resources available to them. 

Angel has been promoted continuously throughout his career, which he began as a patrol officer at Lehman College, then moving on to John Jay and BCC. He said he has worked hard to lead by example with his wife and two boys, ages 18 and 14. “I tell them that people will not always remember what you say to them, but they will remember how you made them feel.” Similarly to his nuclear family, Angel said he feels in charge of his officers’ care. “I think about their well-being. I want to make sure they make it home safely each night,” he said.  

Throughout the year BCC Public Safety holds or participates in more than a dozen local outreach events across the community, such as special family/recreation days in the summer, community engagement events, and first aid/CPR workshops. Public Safety also partners with area schools on situational training, self-defensive workshops for women, and career days. In the past year alone, Public Safety trained more than 400 community members to become New York State security guards through an all-day once per month Saturday workshop.  

Angel emphasized the need for the community to continue to work together to maintain campus safety. “I believe in cultivating an environment where everyone contributes to their own safety and the safety of others,” he said. “If members of our community observe a hazardous or unsafe condition, we encourage them to report it so that we can address their concerns appropriately”.  Community members should email Public.Safety@bcc.cuny.edu or call 718-289-5390.

In the coming year, Angel and his team have some exciting ideas on how to further build relationships. between BCC Public Safety and the community. Among other things, Public Safety has an active social media presence and is in the process of planning Meet & Greet events for incoming BCC freshmen. 

In his free time, Angel enjoys going to the opera and to Broadway shows.