Gráinne Perkins, PhD

Gráinne Perkins serves as Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police at the University of Southern Maine, bringing nearly 30 years of law-enforcement experience across Ireland, South Africa, Germany, and the United States. Since joining USM in 2023, she has focused on strengthening campus safety through practical, people-centred leadership, securing more than $800,000 in competitive federal and state grants to advance threat prevention and emergency preparedness. Her work includes developing an active-threat training video, establishing a campus Threat Assessment Team, delivering institution-wide emergency training, and implementing a comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan for USM’s multi-campus system.

Previously, Chief Perkins served as Interim Director of the Office of Police Accountability for the Seattle Police Department and earlier as a Detective Sergeant with An Garda Síochána, leading serious crime homicide investigations and international cases through Interpol. She holds a PhD in Criminology, a Master’s degree in Criminology, and a Master’s in Public Administration and Governance, and is a committed educator, speaker, and advocate for fair, accountable policing.