John J. Murtari is the Chief Safety/Security Officer for the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (NYS OPWDD). With over 31 years of experience at the agency, he is a veteran peace officer and oversees the safety of 4,173 employees and 1,764 residents across 300 properties. As the head of the Central NY Region, he supervises the work of 34 officers and an administrative assistant, with operations that span across 14 counties. In addition to daily operations and security measures, he and his staff are conduct fire safety inspections, code enforcement and other security measures to ensure the wellbeing of employees, residents and guests.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from the Rochester Institute of Technology, John planned to enter a career in law enforcement as a police officer. He was initially offered a security officer position, and found great reward in protecting those who could not protect themselves. Down the line, when a police officer post became available, John realized he had found his true calling in security, and turned the position down to continue on the trajectory he had discovered. Five years ago, he was promoted to his current role of Chief Safety/Security Officer.

John looks forward to give back the knowledge and expertise he has learned over the years, and plans on conducting fire safety training, and hosting a teaching program to educate others about safety. He is a member of the New York State Fire Marshal Association and the NFPA. In addition to his work within upstate New York, John is also in charge of a facility in Norway that treats people who get into trouble with the law due to disabilities or mental health issues, and serve out a sentence under officer supervision.

John resides in Auburn, New York, where in his spare time he enjoys hiking, rafting and traveling.

International Alumni Association Member John J. Murtari can be found on the Association Directory, where he is looking forward to networking with you.