Iona University Criminal Justice Professor Honored for Public Service to the Bronx
Dr. Tyron Pope received NYC Council Citation for his 20 years of service with the NYPD and continued commitment to the community
Tyron Pope, Ed.D.
Bronx, N.Y. – In recognition of his commitment and service to the people and communities of the Bronx, Iona University Criminal Justice professor Tyron Pope, Ed.D., received a New York City Council Citation and served as the featured speaker commemorating the history of Juneteenth during a ceremony on June 18, 2023.
Pope, who teaches Introduction to Criminal Justice as well as courses that explore research methodology in criminology, is a retired member of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) with 20 years of service in various capacities, including Sergeant Supervisor, Detective Squad.
Councilmember Marjorie Velázquez and Bronx Community Board 11 presented the citation at Brady Court in the Bronx. The event also served as a celebration of Father’s Day, bringing the community together around history, unity, food, music and more.
“It is with sincere humility and appreciation that I say thank you to NYC Councilmember Marjorie Velasquez and Community Board 11,” Pope said. “It was an honor to receive this citation and to be the featured Juneteenth speaker, surrounded by family, friends and fellow community members dedicated to serving the Bronx.”
Pope received his Doctor of Education from the Executive Leadership Program of St. John Fisher University with a focus on social justice issues.
His dissertation focused on African-American, K-12 male school principals’ shared decision-making during crisis planning, restorative justice and disciplinary issues dealing with school safety and gun violence.
Iona officers a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice, as well as a combined BA-MS degree. Learn more about the Criminal Justice & Sociology programs at iona.edu.
Left to right: Iona University Criminal Justice Professor Tyron Pope, Ed.D.; Bronx County District Attorney Darcel Clark; NYC Councilmember Velázquez; and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson.
ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of more than 50,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona is widely recognized in prestigious rankings, including The Princeton Review’s 2025 national list of “The Best 390 Colleges” and The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse’s “2024 Best Colleges in America,” which ranked Iona at #66 in the nation overall and #8 in the nation among Catholic schools. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just six percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review recognized Iona’s on-campus MBA program as a “Best Business School for 2023.” Iona also offers a fully online MBA program for even greater flexibility. In July 2021, Iona announced the establishment of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, which is now principally located on Iona’s Bronxville campus in collaboration with NewYork-Presbyterian. Connecting to its Irish heritage, the University also recently announced it is expanding abroad with a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.