University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Police and Public Safety leadership nominated Sgt. Tia Taylor to be spotlight officer —  just 14 months after her last spotlight!

A lot has changed for Taylor since her last spotlight — she was promoted from corporal to sergeant and won Instructor of the Year at the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commissions 2023 Instructors Awards and Training Conference.

“As a sergeant, I’m the first line of supervision for the department,” she says. “It’s my job to motivate, train, and evaluate officers in making sure they are proficient at their duties.”

Taylor says being a sergeant requires leadership skills and knowing how to train and educate officers during major incidents. Training and education is one of her favorite parts of the job — which makes sense given her award.

“One of the best parts of UMB Police is the amount of training we receive to increase our knowledge and experience,” she says. This training has allowed her to grow within the department over the past 11 years. 

Taylor encourages new officers to ask questions. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help!” she says.