My experience at Bridgewater was great. I wouldn’t change it for the world. It got me to where I am today.
Today, Robert Stephanian, ’13, is the chief of police at MassBay Community College, but it wasn’t that long ago that he was just starting out and trying to navigate his career path at Bridgewater State University.
“I was the first in my family to go to college. I came to Bridgewater State and essentially checked a box to major in criminal justice, but really, I had no idea what I wanted to do,” he said.
That changed during his freshman year when he took an introductory criminal justice class. He soon discovered he liked his chosen major and found the coursework rewarding and challenging.
As a sophomore, he put himself through the police academy, attending part-time, and secured a job as a dispatcher for the town of Plymouth.
“I couldn’t tell you how I did it. I was working the midnight shift and writing papers at 2 a.m.,” Stephanian said.
The experience helped him develop the discipline that's necessary for a career in law enforcement.
After graduating from BSU, Stephanian continued to serve in the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office in a variety of roles, including captain of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
Additionally, he was appointed to the International Association of Chiefs of Police Communications and Technology Committee in 2023. He chairs the Annual Report subcommittee and serves on the committee’s Artificial Intelligence Subcommittee.
Stephanian was sworn in as MassBay’s chief of police on Aug. 10, 2026.
“It’s an honor to serve in this position. It’s a major milestone that a lot of people in my field work towards. It’s pretty incredible to be here,” he said. “From the president down, there is 100 percent support to uphold the ideals of a community-first perspective. It makes the work meaningful.”
He looks forward to working with the campus community, collaborating with faculty, students and staff to foster a culture of safety, trust and mutual respect.
Looking back, he’s glad he chose BSU and took a leap of faith by choosing to study criminal justice.
“I built a network there, including relationships within the BSUPD. BSU helped me prepare for the academy, dispatching and, through some solid leadership lessons, I was given the perspective that there is more to policing than simply policing. It’s about the people,” he said. “My experience at Bridgewater was great. I wouldn’t change it for the world. It got me to where I am today.”
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