A Division of Administration and Finance

May 2025

May 16, 2025

Dear UMB Community:

Next week, many of you will be donning cap and gowns. As you walk the stage, you’ll see our University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Police and Public Safety team cheering you on, just as we have throughout your time at UMB.

For our community to thrive, they must feel safe. Our data shows that UMB remains one of the safest areas in downtown Baltimore. This is our commitment: to keep our students, faculty, staff, and visitors safe while providing excellent service to our community.

So, whether you’re heading to your next chapter, enjoying some time away before another semester, or staying right here on campus, we are proud to play a small role in your success. I want to wish my heartfelt congratulations to our graduates and to those who have completed another successful academic year at UMB.

Sincerely,

Thomas Leone, MSL
Assistant Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police

Public Safety Updates

Safety Tip: Practice Patience During Safe Ride Slow Downs

Our Safe Ride service is a great way to get where you’re going safely. During rainy weather (like we’ve been experiencing lately), this service sees a surge in ride requests, leading to longer wait times.

Please remember our core value of respect for our hard-working Safe Ride drivers. Do your part to reduce Safe Ride wait times:

Keep an eye on the app.
Be ready to go when your Safe Ride arrives. The longer the driver waits for you, the longer the delay for the next rider.
Consider “carpooling” by submitting one Safe Ride request with other students or employees who are going in the same direction.

Safety Tip: Accessing UMB Buildings

UMB policy states that EVERYONE must swipe their official One Card/Campus ID to enter a UMB building — yes, even President Jarrell swipes his ID!

Our security officers are at building entrances to keep our community safe by enforcing this rule. Everyone — all students, faculty, and staff — must swipe their ID every time they enter a building. Visitors must sign in through the Visitor Management System. Please do your part to keep our community safe!

New Deputy Chief Barbara Duncan to Join Police and Public Safety in June

After a nationwide search, we are excited to announce that Barbara Duncan, JD, has accepted the role as our new deputy chief. Duncan has more than 35 years of policing experience, including in higher education. She holds a law degree from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University in New York.

Duncan has previously served as chief of the Salisbury (Md.) Police Department and chief of the Mount Vernon (N.Y.) Police Department. In these roles, she has led 100-plus sworn and civilian employees. She is a champion of community policing, comprehensive training programs, officer wellness, and more.

Duncan brings a diverse skill set that will serve UMB well. Please join us in welcoming Deputy Chief Duncan when she joins our department June 16.

Latisha Brown Wins UMB’s Got Talent

Security Officer Latisha Brown won first place for her paintings and drawings in the creative crafts part of the "UMB’s Got Talent" show. Congratulations!

UMB Police and Public Safety Timeline

Hey, history buffs! Take a walk down memory lane with us as we celebrate 50 years of Police and Public Safety in 2025. Our history website now includes a timeline, photos, and more. Stay tuned for a page devoted to the history of our Pine Street Station (including a ghost story or two!).

View Our Department Timeline

Saying Goodbye to K9 Lexi

It is with profound sadness that we announce that retired UMB Police and Public Safety comfort K9 Lexi passed away peacefully in her sleep April 22. Lexi was the nation’s third university police department comfort K9. She brought comfort and stress relief to hundreds of students, employees, and community members. You will be missed, Lexi!

Read About K9 Lexi’s Journey to Baltimore

Now Hiring Qualified Police Officers

UMB Police and Public Safety is hiring lateral police officers with a $10,000 signing bonus! These positions have competitive pay and benefits, including tuition remission for employees, their spouse, and dependents. Do you know an officer looking for a great career opportunity?

Share our posting with qualified candidates.

UMB Public Safety by the Numbers: April

Each month, UMB Police and Public Safety provides thousands of valuable services and resources to the communities we serve. In this segment, we highlight the previous month’s data to showcase the work of our employees.

Average time from Safe Ride request to pickup: 8 minutes, 37 seconds
Safe Rides given: 2,280
Building checks: 2,783
Local business checks: 103
Garage checks: 783

Prevent Garage Fires

As yardwork starts to pick up again, it’s time to check your garage for fire hazards. Garage fires tend to spread farther than most fires in other areas of a home due to their contents.

Always store oil, gasoline, paints, and other flammable liquids in a shed away from your home. Only plug one charging appliance at a time into an outlet. Set an alarm when charging batteries to ensure that they are unplugged in a timely manner. With a few simple safety tips, you can prevent a garage fire.

View Our Safety Tip Sheet

Preparedness Ambassadors

Last year, our Emergency Warden program ended. Now, we hope you will continue to be a Preparedness Ambassador!

This role emphasizes taking protective actions when needed and encouraging others to follow along. This includes evacuating immediately in an emergency (no more floor/building searches during an evacuation). If you haven’t already, we encourage you to take Emergency Preparedness training and encourage your colleagues to do the same.

You can get your Preparedness Ambassador badge by contacting emergencymanagement@umaryland.edu.

FREE Stop the Bleed Training

Our partners with the Maryland Committee on Trauma are offering free Stop the Bleed training every hour May 22 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The training will be held at the Maryland State Police Aviation Command Trooper 1 Barracks at Martin State Airport. Attendees can tour the Maryland State Police helicopter, receive a free personal Stop the Bleed kit, and attend an injury and violence prevention resource fair. Spanish class offerings are available. Pre-registration is encouraged, but not required. Learn more and register now.

Can’t attend? OEM offers Stop the Bleed training online and in person all year long.

No Shorts, Skirts, Sandals, or Open-Toed Footwear in Labs

It’s getting hot out there! While many of us are opting to wear warm-weather clothes such as shorts, skirts, sandals, or flip-flops outside to beat the heat, it’s important to stay safe in the lab with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Even if you’re not working with hazardous materials in the lab, others in the lab may be and you need to protect yourself from accidental spills or incidents. Keep an appropriate change of clothes and shoes in the lab if you choose to arrive to work in summer clothing. For more information on appropriate PPE, see our EHS website.

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