Dear UMB Community:

As interim chief of your University of Maryland, Baltimore Police Department (UMBPD), I believe deeply in the University’s core value of accountability –– of being responsible and transparent. The UMB 2020 Clery Campus Security and Fire Report includes valuable insight into crime that occurred on and adjacent to UMB in 2019. While this report may be a requirement for all U.S. colleges and universities receiving federal student financial aid, I strongly believe in the importance of sharing data, resources, and safety tips with our entire UMB community.

While many of us have been working and learning from home this year, the UMB 2020 Clery Campus Security and Fire Report comes from a time when our University was teeming with life. Data from 2017 to 2019 include incidents that occurred on campus, in off-campus buildings, on property owned or controlled by the University, or on public property adjacent to campus. This report was a collaborative effort across many departments and I want to thank everyone who played a part in its development and release.

Your safety continues to be my top priority. In 2020, UMBPD has hired 30 additional security officers, enhanced our police and security deployments, and increased our foot patrols for extra visibility on campus. Because of these efforts and other factors, crime on campus has dropped by more than 62 percent since this time last year. We continue to provide our Safe Walk service on campus (request a Safe Walk: 410-706-6882) and I’m proud that Lyft Ride Smart at UMB offers safe transportation for our community while UMBPD’s Safe Ride service is suspended. I hope you’ll also follow UMBPD on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@PoliceUMB) for departmental updates, safety tips, and more. 

This has been a difficult year. I am confident that, together, we can ensure a healthy and safe UMB in the years ahead. 

Sincerely, 

Thomas Leone
UMB Interim Chief of Police