There’s a new chief in town for the Santa Fe College Police Department, but his name is far from unknown.
After rising through the ranks as officer, lieutenant, captain and major at SFPD over the course of 26 years, 58-year-old Ryan Woods began his role as chief on Oct. 1.
“I’ve been at Santa Fe a long time,” Woods said. “I actually get to take it to the next level.”
The Gainesville native has spent his entire law enforcement career at SFPD, beginning in 1998.
Former Police Chief Ed Book announced his retirement in May, and a national search for his replacement ensued. After undergoing several interviews, Woods received news he landed the role in late August.
From student to chief
Woods began his career in public safety because of his desire to help other people, he said. But that wasn’t the only reason he became a policeman.
Woods said the 1968 crime drama, “Adam-12,” inspired him to become an officer. This led him to attend the Santa Fe College Institute of Public Safety after graduating from Gainesville High School.
Woods got his first job out of college as an officer at Santa Fe. He has been there ever since.
Upon receiving the news of his promotion, he said he felt ecstatic and grateful.
“I can’t even express how honored I am to actually lead our department,” Woods said. “I spent almost all of my adult life here at Santa Fe, so to take that next step is truly a blessing.”
SFPD has a strong, secure foundation and doesn’t need to be reinvented, Woods said. But he said his first order of business is to discuss areas of improvement that focus on the organization’s stakeholders, like students, faculty, staff and visitors.
Community policing — becoming familiar with the people of Santa Fe — is the most important part of being an officer, Woods said. The key to creating that community: being attentive to students and attending events, like plays, concerts or volunteering, he said.
“We make sure we attend almost every single function, not just because we’re the police, but because we are all Saints,” Woods said.
Recognizing the former chief
Woods has worked at SFPD longer than Book, and according to the former chief, Woods helped Book get acclimated to the college.
Book and his wife started planning for his retirement three years ago, after his wife, Lori Book, retired from her 38-year-long career as an elementary school teacher. SFPD is in excellent shape, he added, signaling a good time for the transition.
Book spent over 26 years serving the Gainesville Police Department and 40 years in law enforcement. He joined SFPD in October 2011 and began his second job as a Gainesville city commissioner in January 2023 — a role in which he’ll continue serving post-retirement. He said he helped establish identity and a culture of excellence at the SFPD during his time as chief.
On Sept. 23, Santa Fe officials named the campus’s emergency operations center after Book and presented him with a name plaque to be hung in the center. Later that day, the Santa Fe Board of Trustees presented Book with a resolution, or printed letter of gratitude, acknowledging his service.
Woods’ colleagues look forward to seeing a familiar face lead the SFPD.
Lt. Mark Barley has worked at SFPD for 18 years. Woods knows the college well, Barley said, and he recognizes where it can improve.
Woods is on the student disciplinary admissions board and chairs the behavioral intervention team, Barley said. He also frequently collaborates with Santa Fe Student Government and athletics.
“We’re all very excited to see the direction that Major Woods can take us,” Barley said. “We’re hopeful that he can build on the legacy that Chief Books has left here.”
Outside of SFPD, Woods serves on the Black on Black Crime Task Force for Gainesville.
Carl Smart, the task force’s interim chairperson, said Woods analyzes trends in crime to see which areas need the most attention.
Woods works with young people in the program to discourage criminal activity, Smart said. He also guided interested students through Santa Fe’s enrollment process to further their educational prospects.
Woods will serve as a role model for people across the county and will be instrumental in future hiring processes, Smart said.
“It means a lot when we have a Black officer at his level, at his rank in the police department who still relates well to the young people,” Smart said.
Contact Leona Masangkay at lmasangkay@alligator.org. Follow them on X @leo_amasangkay.
Leona is a second-year journalism student and the Fall 2025 Santa Fe College reporter. They previously worked on the audience and growth team over the summer as a social media strategist. In their free time, Leona enjoys going to the gym, listening to music and watching Marvel movies.
