In a letter to the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) community on Tuesday, Sept. 21, UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, and Senior Vice President and Chief Business and Finance Officer Dawn M. Rhodes, DBA, announced the selection of Thomas Leone, MSL, as the next chief of the UMB Police Department.
Dear UMB Community,
We are pleased to announce that after an extensive national search, Thomas Leone, MSL, has been named chief of the University of Maryland, Baltimore Police Department (UMBPD).
Most recently serving as interim chief, Chief Leone joined UMBPD in 2016 after a 20-year career with the Frederick County (Md.) Sheriff’s Office. He holds a Master of Science degree in Homeland Security and Crisis Management Law from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. In 2021, he received honorable mention in the leadership category of the UMB Presidential Core Values Awards.
Thomas Leone, MS
Under Chief Leone’s leadership, UMBPD:
- Increased its mandatory training by 70 percent, to include anti-bias training for law enforcement, pro-LGBTQ+ policing, trauma-informed policing, and much more.
- Achieved dual accreditation for professional excellence in public safety – the highest standard – from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., and the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators.
- Improved operational deployments, leading to a 55 percent reduction in crime in 2020.
- Expanded its Community Outreach and Support Team, including six additional Police Athletic/Activities League mentors and a new partnership with the University of Maryland School of Social Work.
- Won the 2020 Maryland Chiefs of Police Association’s Exceptional Police Performance by a Unit/Team/Collaboration Award and the 2021 International Association of Chiefs of Police/Walmart Leadership in Community Policing Award.
Chief Leone is committed to UMB’s core values and understands how a grounding in values helps UMBPD remain a leader in progressive, community-oriented policing. He leads with compassion, empathy, and integrity, and holds every officer to the highest standards. Over the past year, our country has renewed the dialogue about the role of police in our communities. Chief Leone continues to be engaged in those conversations and is committed to serving the community. He will continue to report to Dawn Rhodes, DBA, senior vice president and chief business and finance officer.
We want to thank those who participated in the search process and provided important feedback that guided this decision
Please join us in congratulating Chief Leone on his new role at UMB.
Sincerely,
Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS
President
Dawn M. Rhodes, DBA
Senior Vice President and Chief Business and Finance Officer