I am honoured to introduce myself as the new Police Chief of the University of Southern Maine. As a law enforcement professional, with over two decades of international police experience, I consider myself to be a lifelong student and am thrilled to join such an innovative, inclusive, and collaborative university community.
Our police officers are fully trained and equipped to handle any situation that may arise. But we know that our success depends on more than just our own skills and expertise. We need the support and engagement of the entire campus community to create a safe, inclusive, and secure environment. We are eager to hear your ideas, receive your ongoing feedback, and we welcome your active participation in our efforts.
Effective policing requires a deep understanding of the needs and concerns of the community. This understanding can only be achieved through building trust, strong partnerships, and collaborating with the community we serve. While we are committed to leveraging the latest technology and evidence-based research to develop new strategies to keep our community safe, we firmly believe that inclusivity and collaboration are essential to our success.
We recognize that personal and community safety is not just about responding to emergencies on campus, but also about preparing our community members for the challenges they will face beyond the university setting. To that end, we will continue to offer a range of workshops, seminars, and training sessions to help students, faculty, and staff develop the skills and knowledge they need to stay safe in all situations.
Looking ahead, we are particularly excited about the opening of our Portland residential campus which will offer new opportunities for further engagement. By working together, I am confident that we will continue to be known as one of the safest campuses in the country.
I look forward to meeting each of you in the coming weeks and months, and to building a strong, collaborative partnership for the years ahead.
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Gráinne Perkins, PhD.
Chief of Police