Sean Huls has been hired as UMD's police chief, as of December 28, 2015. He served as interim head of the UMD Police on two separate occasions: 2011–12, after the retirement of Lt. Anne Peterson; and again in 2015, with the retirement of Capt. Scott Drewlo.
“Sean’s interim performances, his successful career as an officer in UMD Police, and the incredible support for his hire, voiced by members of both the University and the UMD community, made clear that this was a very strong hire for our campus. I look forward to continuing my work with Sean in this capacity,” said Steve Keto, vice chancellor of Finance and Operations at UMD.
Huls started as a UMD police officer in 2000, was promoted to sergeant in 2004 and lieutenant in 2012. He holds an AAS in Law Enforcement from Hibbing Community College and a BA in Criminal Justice Administration from St. Cloud State University. In addition to his UMD law enforcement experience, he started his career as a campus public safety officer at St. Cloud State University and served as a corrections officer. He is a member of the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, National Association of Clery Compliance Professionals, and the Northeast Law Enforcement Chiefs.
Prior to his law enforcement career, he served active duty in the US Navy serving in campaigns overseas in the Persian Gulf, Bosnia, and Somalia.
As well as providing oversight for the Police Department, Huls indicated that he will focus on enhancing community policing initiatives, building on strong relationships with the campus community, and increasing attention to emergency preparedness.
A search for the lieutenant position that Huls has vacated will begin this month.
For more information about the department, visit the UMD Police website.