Auburn University names FBI’s Kelvin King executive director of Campus Safety and Security

Auburn University has named FBI supervisory special agent Kelvin F. King as executive director of the Department of Campus Safety and Security, effective Oct. 1.

“Kelvin has extensive law enforcement experience and he will provide outstanding leadership in keeping our campus safe,” President Steven Leath said. “He has lived and worked in our community for much of his career and is highly respected among law enforcement agencies.”

King retires from the FBI this month with more than 27 years of distinguished service, including 14 years in the Opelika/Auburn office, 1996-2005 and 2007-2012, as the senior resident agent responsible for day-to-day operations such as providing investigative leadership and guidance to agents.

“Auburn is a great institution in a wonderful community,” King said. “I look forward to working with the Campus Safety and Security staff to provide a safe campus for Auburn’s students and employees.”

King comes to Auburn from the FBI Mobile (Alabama) Division’s Montgomery satellite office where he has served since 2013 as supervisory senior resident agent. He is currently in charge of the division's counterintelligence, cyber and computer analysis response team efforts for the Southern and Middle districts of Alabama, consisting of 36 counties and a population of more than 2.5 million.

In addition to his time in the Mobile Division, King also served as a supervisory special agent in the FBI's Inspection Division in Washington, D.C. Over the course of his career, he has received multiple letters of commendation from the FBI director's office as well as state and local law enforcement leadership.

Chief Paul Register of the Auburn Police Division said, “Kelvin has a long standing relationship with the Auburn Police Division. His experience will be a great addition to the Campus Safety and Security team; He’s a great fit for Auburn University.”

King’s former supervisor James Jewell, FBI special agent in charge, added, “I would like to wish Kelvin many years of success in his new position. His presence there will only strengthen what is already a wonderful relationship with the men and women of the Auburn Police Division.”

King began his law enforcement career in 1987 with the Fulton County (Georgia) Police Department and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in psychology from Morehouse College in 1988. He earned a master’s degree in strategic studies in 2015 at the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, being the first FBI supervisor selected to attend the prestigious school.

He succeeds former executive director Melvin Owens, who retired in 2016.

King and his wife, Lillie, have one son, Gavin.