Nolf named Lehigh’s Officer of the Year

	Lehigh Police Chief Ed Shupp, right, presents the Officer of the Year award to Greg Nolf.

Greg Nolf says he wanted to be a police officer as long as he could remember.
His dream came true in 2007, when he graduated from the Allentown Police Academy’s 89th class and joined Lehigh University’s Police Department.
He came to his new role well-prepared, having earned certifications in crime prevention, terrorism awareness and field sobriety. He also took an interest in community policing, which allowed him to interact personally with members of the campus community.
His efforts have already paid off: Nolf was recently named Lehigh University’s Sixth Officer of the Year, and was honored with a ceremony that celebrated his accomplishments.
The award, which was announced by LUPD Chief Ed Shupp, was the result of a unanimous decision made by a selection committee that also included Tom Dubreuil, associate dean for Campus Living and Student Involvement; Mary Jo McNulty, specialist for Human Resources; and Greg Schulze, director of facilities for Athletics.
“Since Officer Nolf joined the LUPD, he has proven to be a great asset to the department,” Shupp says. “He has a strong work ethic, excellent attitude and is always willing to learn. He is able to take on assignments without hesitation. In addition, Greg has recently been assigned to the Community Police Unit and has been actively involved in the community.”
In addition to his work as a bike officer and community liaison, Nolf also serves as the university’s animal control officer, which coordinates with local agencies such as the SPCA and county government offices. In his off hours, he is a lieutenant with the Dewey Volunteer Fire Company in Hellertown.
“He’s a great representative of Lehigh in the local area,” Shupp says. “After receiving very strong feedback from staff, faculty and students, Officer Nolf was a clear choice for this honor.”
For his part, Nolf says his work as a campus police officer is reward enough.
“I like working with and helping people, and I like helping to create and support a positive environment for the whole community,” he says. “I enjoy the interaction and support between the Lehigh University community and the Bethlehem community. And I like crime prevention and education activities because problem-solving is fun in a campus environment. It is always something different. ”
The men and women he serves with on the Lehigh force provide an additional incentive.
“When I graduated from the Academy, I researched the LUPD,” he said. “Lehigh has an outstanding police department. We are one of only two state-accredited university police departments in the Pennsylvania. The people I work with are excellent and I enjoy working with them.”
--Linda Harbrecht