As an officer, Pfc. Bernard Taylor makes community engagement his top priority. “I became an officer to trailblaze a positive image to a community of people,” he says.

Taylor joined the University of Maryland, Baltimore Police Department in early September. In his 11 years as a police officer, Taylor has worked with the Baltimore City Police Department and Baltimore City School Police. During that time, he has enjoyed building bridges between the community and police.

“I try to help the community to understand that all police aren’t bad,” Taylor says. “It’s important for us to interact with the community in a positive, polite, and professional manner.”

Taylor’s most memorable moment on the job happened when he participated in “Shop with a Cop,” a program in which local police departments help children in the community buy presents for their families during the holidays. His commitment to the community earned him a community service award from his department, which Taylor considers to be his greatest achievement on the job.

For students new to UMB, Taylor offers this quote from entrepreneur John Rohn: “Don’t let your learning lead to knowledge, let your learning lead to action.”

Outside of work, Taylor enjoys hiking, meditation, sports, and reading.