Community Outreach

UMBPD Outreach activities

The Community Outreach and Support Team (COAST) builds positive relationships between the UMBPD and the communities we serve. 

COAST was formed in October 2018 to provide opportunities for the UMB community and its West Baltimore neighbors. We use progressive, community-based policing to become a part of the community. COAST has become a nationwide model for outreach and crisis intervention efforts. In 2019, COAST won the Governor's Award for Outstanding Proactive Crime Prevention Programs in Maryland. 

COAST Services

Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD)

LEAD is a nationwide program which redirects people arrested for low-level drug offenses to treatment, a case manager, and other services. The program allows police officers to engage with people who have substance abuse issues to reduce harm to themselves and the community. UMBPD partners with the Baltimore Police Department, which was one of the first departments in the country with a pilot LEAD program. Learn more. 

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)

This unit performs no-cost security assessments in buildings and public spaces across the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), including street lighting, cameras, door locks, and more.

Police Athletics/Activities League (PAL)

UMBPD police and security officers partner with the UMB Community Engagement Center to provide free after-school mentoring for youth in the community. PAL participants build relationship with police officers and gain a better understanding of what it takes to serve the community. Activities include homework help, opportunities to learn through games and activities, field trips, and overnight conferences.

Homeless Outreach 

PFC Yale Partlow is UMBPD's outreach and intervention offer. He is certified in Crisis Intervention Training and works with the Baltimore Police Homeless Outreach team to provide resources for persons who are homeless or unsheltered. UMBPD hosts regional Homeless Symposiums to discuss best practices in delivering social services to those in need. PFC Partlow worked with Paul's Place to launch a street outreach collaborative team, which brings together police, social workers, doctors, and students. COAST fosters partnerships with other agencies and community organizations as a leader in outreach and intervention. 

Comfort K9

Comfort K9 Lexi joined the UMBPD in 2019 as the third university comfort K9 in the country. Lexi and her handler, Cpl. J.R. Jones, work to build positive relationships between police and the communities we serve. As a comfort K9, Lexi provides support to people in times of crisis, to communities impacted by violence, and to victims of tragedy. Lexi also provides stress relief and affection to people coping with anxiety or depression. 

Community Engagement Academy

Members of the community can attend the UMBPD Community Engagement Academy to learn about the department's history, how we make decisions as police officers, how we grow through continuous training, and future plans for the department. The Academy encourages feedback from the community as we strive to learn and improve each day. 

Learn More