From a young age, Corporal Bruce Mealy thought that becoming a police officer was his calling.

“I would watch all the police shows on television,” he says. “SWAT, The Rookies, Police Story, Hawaii Five-0. I watched them all.”

Today, Mealy has served the University of Maryland, Baltimore Police Department (UMBPD) for 23 years. 

In his decades with the department, Mealy says his greatest achievement has been the positive interactions he has with his co-workers, staff, students, and visitors to the UMB community. He says sometimes small interactions can have a big impact.

“I once helped someone find the closest parking garage to where their daughter was having surgery,” Mealy says. “I didn’t know it at the time, but it was such a big deal to that person that he wrote a two- to three-page letter to the chief thanking me for my help.”

Letters from the community mean a lot to all of our UMBPD officers, who have devoted their lives to serving our faculty, staff, and students. Often, those letters are used as nominations for our monthly spotlight officers. 

For students new to UMB, Mealy offers this advice: “Keep your head on a swivel, always be aware of your surroundings, and always walk in groups!”

Mealy can often be found patrolling near Lexington Market. As the new market opens, he looks forward to seeing our community stopping by for lunch (be sure to say hello!). 

In the future, Mealy hopes to retire from UMBPD in the next five years. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife of 32 years, Alberta, and the rest of his family. He loves sports and can be found sporting an Orioles or Ravens jersey at the nearby ballparks!