In this week’s episode of the Inclusive Excellence Podcast, co-hosts Erin Sember-Chase and Toral Patel welcome Cornell Chief of Police Anthony Bellamy and Ithaca City Chief of Police Thomas Kelly. They discuss their paths to leadership and the collaborative efforts between their departments to build trust within Ithaca and Cornell’s diverse communities. 

Appointed Chief of Police in 2022, Chief Bellamy shares the guiding philosophies he has introduced to the Cornell University Police Department, particularly policing with a “guardian mindset.” This philosophy emphasizes protecting and serving communities in a way that builds trust, empathy and collaboration over enforcement and control.

Credit: photo by Toral Patel

“We try to police with empathy and understanding,” Bellamy explains. “Building trust with our community means meeting people where they are, on their terms – not forcing interactions but allowing engagement to happen naturally. It’s important for our officers to respond rather than react. We first want to make sure everyone is safe, but we also want to ensure that we’re listening to people’s stories. Because with every interaction, you create an impression with someone. It’s an opportunity to build that trust.” 

Approaching his one-year anniversary with the Ithaca Police Department, Chief Kelly shares a similar philosophy to policing.

"We've been discussing our mission over the last few months—valuing good police work by giving people a voice, being neutral in our decisions, listening to both sides of the story and showing respect to everyone,” Kelly said. “That’s how we strive to carry ourselves. We prioritize building trust with the community, enhancing safety, protecting the vulnerable and responding to people’s needs.”

Both Chief Bellamy and Chief Kelly acknowledge the unique challenges of policing in a community that combines a small-town atmosphere with a large, diverse student population. In this episode, they explore the complexities of balancing community engagement with enforcement, while promoting inclusivity and safety throughout the community. 

A shared priority for both chiefs is connecting with the community beyond emergencies and fostering mutual support between their departments. 

“It’s a collaborative effort to police our communities together,” Bellamy said. “The Ithaca Police has done a great job of reaching out to us when there is care or concern for our students living off campus and ensuring they get the support they need. That’s a clear line of communication that has worked very well and supports our community.” 

Tune in to Episode 88: Bridging Campus and Community with Cornell and Ithaca Police Chiefs to hear Chiefs Bellamy and Kelly share their journeys in policing, their goals for officer wellbeing and their initiatives to engage meaningfully within the Cornell and Ithaca communities.