I regret to announce that Antonio "Tony" Williams, MS, is retiring as UMB police chief and associate vice president of public safety, effective July 1.

 

Chief Williams has served the University for more than seven years, and his tenure has been marked by steadily declining crime rates, recognition for meritorious service from the national Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, and innovative upgrades to safety programs like the Police Escort Service.

 

Chief Williams has been a valuable advisor to me on many matters during his time here. As an example, in the wake of two on-campus robberies on a single night in 2014, Chief Williams joined me at a series of town halls to address fears within the UMB community. With a highly effective information campaign -- advising the University's people to secure their valuables, to pay attention to their surroundings, to walk without distractions and devices, and to use the escort service -- crime began to fall. In fact, robberies dropped from 12 in 2014 to two in 2016.

 

Capt. Martinez Davenport, MS, will serve as UMB's interim chief of police while a national search for a permanent replacement is undertaken. That search will be led by Roger J. Ward, EdD, JD, MPA, chief accountability officer and vice president, and Dawn M. Rhodes, MBA, chief business and finance officer and vice president. 

 

Capt. Davenport joined the UMB Police Force in 2015 after 32 years of service with the Baltimore Police Department (BPD). He rose through the ranks at BPD, and retired as a major in 2015. Prior to joining BPD, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps, taught as a substitute teacher in the Baltimore City School System, and worked with the Baltimore City YouthWorks program. 

 

Rest assured the safety of this University remains in good hands. Chief Williams surrounded himself with a superb law enforcement team, both police and security, and I have every confidence that these men and women, led by Capt. Davenport, will continue to serve us well. I thank Chief Williams for his years of dedicated service to the University and wish him the best in his retirement.