The UMB Police and Public Safety employee is well-respected for his commitment to community engagement and his efforts to foster relationships around UMB and the city of Baltimore.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) will present its MLK Leadership Awards at the 2026 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month Celebration on Feb. 5. Epperson will be honored with the MLK Leadership Award for outstanding staff member.
Det. Cpl. William Epperson has been with the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) Department of Police and Public Safety for nearly 10 years, building a reputation as an officer adept at fostering relationships around the University and with members of the Baltimore community.
For instance, as president of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge #141 for four years, he has worked to improve communication and maintain goodwill between the union and UMB management while helping to negotiate the two most recent Memorandums of Understanding.
“As the union president, I work to foster good relationships between UMB and the police department,” Epperson said. “At this point, there is a very good working relationship between the University and the FOP, and we continue to build on that trust.”
Thomas Leone, MLS, assistant vice president for public safety and chief of police, said, “Detective Corporal Epperson’s role as FOP president makes him a valuable bridge between our rank-and-file officers and the leadership team. The officers feel comfortable talking with him, and we count on him to share the officers’ feedback with us that we might not otherwise hear.”
Epperson also has organized outreach initiatives such as food, clothing, and shoe drives for homeless people and dinners for patients staying at the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge on West Lexington Street.
“What has always stuck with me is to help someone else who doesn’t have quite as much as I do,” Epperson said. “That’s one of my passions. I am not looking for the limelight or anything like that. I’m just trying to do my part to help somebody.
“That’s why we give away coats and shoes or anything that someone less fortunate might need,” he added. “We put together care packages with washcloths, soap, and other items because some people don’t have the means to buy those items.”
Leone said Epperson advances the department’s community-oriented policing strategy and is a trusted mentor and friend to many co-workers.
“What sets UMB Police and Public Safety apart is our ability to reach into the communities we serve and forge positive relationships. Detective Corporal Epperson embodies that value, and I’m proud to have him as a part of our team,” he said.
“Being a police officer involves a lot of sacrifice,” Leone added. “It means working overnight, holidays, and weekends. It means being away from family. But Detective Corporal Epperson is a key part of building our family right here at UMB. He makes sure the officers who work on holidays enjoy a special meal. You see him manning the grill at National Night Out and our department barbecues. That care for our whole community makes a difference.”
Aaron Perkins, a UMB police officer who nominated Epperson for the MLK Leadership Award, has worked with him for 30-plus years, first with the Baltimore Police Department and now at the University. Perkins says Epperson displays his commitment to UMB each day.
“Detective Corporal Epperson has voiced concerns about upholding our core values and has tirelessly supported the University community,” Perkins said. “He is committed to the mission of UMB. I am happy he has won this award because he deserves it.”
Outside of UMB, Epperson is an assistant football coach with Archbishop Curley High School in the city, where he also mentors the team’s players and helps guide them through the college application process.
“I’ve mentored some of the young men off the field spiritually as well as applying for colleges and just guiding them through their daily life,” Epperson said. “I’ve spent a lot of time with them to try to make sure they stay grounded and focused on their future.”
Epperson said he was stunned upon learning that he had won the MLK Leadership Award.
“I didn’t even know I was being nominated for it, so I was very shocked,” he said. “I don’t do these things for recognition, and it’s a weird feeling, to be honest, because you do things from the heart and for the love of people — not for the recognition. I’m honored to be recognized, but I remain humble because winning awards is not the reason that I would ever help the less fortunate.”