UMB’s community outreach initiatives over the decades include National Night Out, which builds positive relationships between police and the community and has grown since its 2018 inception.
Photo: Deputy Chief Barbara Duncan, right, chats with an attendee at UMB’s 2025 National Night Out on Aug. 5.
This story is one in a series celebrating UMB Police and Public Safety’s 50-year history, the milestones that shaped us, and the work we continue today.
The first National Night Out (NNO) event took place in 1984, nine years after police officers joined the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). It wasn’t until 2018 that the event, which builds positive relationships between police officers and the communities they serve, officially began at UMB.
The Beginning
Lt. Matthew Johnson, commander of the Community Outreach and Support Team (COAST), has served in the department since 2007. He said the 2025 NNO, held on Aug. 5, looked much different than the department’s first attempts at the event, which took place on the School of Nursing (UMSON) lawn and the SMC Campus Center. 
(Photo: Lt. Matthew Johnson has his face painted at UMB’s inaugural National Night Out in 2018.)
“I didn’t know it was National Night Out,” Johnson said. “It was basically just, ‘Hey, stop by the courtyard to get some free food while you’re out and about.’ ”
Because NNO is held in August, few students were on campus and the events were poorly attended.
Mary T. Phelan, media and public relations manager at UMSON, helped to organize several NNO events in her previous role with the Howard County (Md.) Police Department. In 2018, she was working for the UMB Office of Communications and Public Affairs.
“Attendance was very low,” she said. “It was mostly UMB students who happened to be using URecFit at the time.” According to a 2018 UMB News article about the University’s NNO event, Phelan suggested that UMB Police partner with the UMB Community Engagement Center (CEC, now the Office of Community and Civic Engagement) to make the event more community-focused.
"With UMB's commitment to West Baltimore and being partners with the community on many other initiatives, it was only natural that we consider changing the location to the CEC in the BioPark,” she said. “Once that change was made, the turnout for NNO greatly increased and the tradition of strong engagement between our community and our police department continued.”
Part of the Community
The transition was part of former chief Alice Cary’s vision for a more community-oriented police department. COAST was one of her first initiatives when she joined in 2018.
When Johnson was selected to run the unit, he had already begun working on a proposal for a community engagement academy at UMB. Once selected for the role, he also had to figure out how to establish a comfort K9 program and homeless outreach initiative.
UMB Police and Public Safety was already piloting Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD), an initiative that redirects low-level drug users from incarceration to substance use and mental health resources.
“We were already doing these harm reduction strategies,” Johnson said. “LEAD was really the segue to COAST. Then, we expanded to include homeless outreach, community health workers, and social workers.”
NNO Takes Off at UMB
On Aug. 5, nearly 500 community members stopped by the BioPark for UMB Police and Public Safety’s NNO event. (Watch a video about the event below.)
Terry Burr, a regular at the CEC, shared his appreciation for the University’s police officers while he was enjoying dinner. “Without law enforcement, where would we be?” he said. “I don’t know if I could do that kind of work because it takes a lot. You have to wear many hats. You’re not just law enforcement, you have to be a psychologist, a social worker. So it takes a certain kind of person to do that.”
(Photo: Cotton candy was among the treats handed out at UMB’s 2025 National Night Out on Aug. 5.)
UMB’s NNO has grown each year, up from its initial 200 attendees in 2018. The event was rained out in 2019 and 2024 and didn’t take place in 2020 because of COVID-19.
This was Deputy Chief Barbara Duncan’s first NNO at UMB. Though she has attended many community events at the previous departments where she worked, UMB is special.
“I have to say, I didn’t know what I was missing,” Duncan said. “We’ve got the Kona ice truck, the game truck, and a lot of different resources in support of our police department and our mission.
“The special thing about UMB is that we extend beyond the borders of our buildings into the community,” Duncan added. “There’s a lot of kids here from the neighborhoods surrounding the University footprint, which is amazing and that’s exactly what we want. We want to be connecting with everyone here in a nice, relaxed environment.”
Alongside the DJ and food trucks were dozens of tables of free resources for the community. Local, state, and even federal partners have begun to attend UMB’s NNO to talk about their services and how they can better serve the UMB community. In 2018, no outside partners had tables at NNO. In 2021, there were just three or four tables. Last year, there were 17. Now, 30 partners set up tables at the University’s event.
Community members are glad for the information — even if they came for the fun.
(Photo: Chief Thomas Leone, center, shown at National Night Out in 2023, says the annual celebration is one of his favorite events.)
“Really, I came for the cheeseburger, but this is more than a cheeseburger. It’s really informative,” said Cherie Hill, an employee of UMB Parking and Transportation Services. “It’s all about safety, and when you’re on campus, you want to know you’re safe, you want to know you’re protected. And that’s what our police are for, our Safe Ride, our [UMB Alert] emails. That’s what they represent — safety.”
Chief Thomas Leone, MSL, has attended every NNO at UMB. The first year, he was working the grill. This year, he enjoyed talking with community members while helping to hand out department giveaways.
“National Night Out is one of my favorite times of the year,” Leone said. “This year, we celebrate 50 years with the UMB police department. National Night Out is a great way to celebrate and give back to our community and be a part of our community.”
(Photo: Attendees and employees dance at UMB’s National Night Out in 2021.)
