On July 1, 1975, sworn police officers joined the department, which is commemorating its golden anniversary this year by looking back at where it has been and looking forward to the future.
On an 82-degree Tuesday afternoon in 1975, 72 men raised their right hands and took the oath of office. The University of Maryland Police Department was born. Fifty years later, the department is commemorating where it’s been while looking toward the future.
The yearlong celebration features the tagline: “Celebrating 50 Years of Protecting What Matters: You.”
“A lot has changed over the past 50 years, but one thing has remained constant — our commitment to the safety of our community,” says Thomas Leone, MSL, assistant vice president for public safety and chief of police.
Senate Bill 251 created the police force (a term the department no longer uses) and gave officers full police powers on all property owned, leased, or under control of any University System of Maryland institution. Prior to 1975, the University employed security officers to patrol the campus; three unarmed security officers started the department in 1948, followed by armed Maryland State Special Police in 1952. An in-depth history was published by security officer William Groh in the Fall 2021 issue of CATALYST.
Today, UMB Police and Public Safety employs more than 200 police officers, security officers, administrative personnel, and the UMB Office of the Fire Marshal. The award-winning department has led the nation in a comfort K9 program, co-response model, community partnerships, and more.
“Innovation and discovery are core to our department’s success,” Leone says. “We’re always striving to learn and improve — increasing officer training, evaluating our policing strategies, fostering positive community relationships, and more. You can see the results based on how safe our campus is.”
Throughout 2025, the department will share fascinating stories from the past 50 years, such as:
- The first K9 to join UMB Police (hint: it wasn’t Lexi!)
- A robbery suspect tackled in a bathroom
- The “Night Visitor” program, where Santa and officers visited children in the hospital
- How UMB police officers rescued the Baltimore SWAT team
- The history of UMB’s “haunted” police station
UMB Police and Public Safety also will hold events throughout the year to recognize employees, including an awards ceremony and celebration during Founders Week.