UTC Community:
On behalf of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) Department of Public Safety (DPS), I wanted to welcome you to UTC for the fall 2024 semester. My name is Sean O’Brien, and on May 1, I assumed the role of Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Safety and Chief of Police. It is a humbling honor to represent all of our employees in UTC Public Safety.
We are committed to the core endeavor of keeping students, faculty, staff and visitors at UTC safe. It is our goal to foster an environment conducive to engaged learning with the principle of respect, which defines all our interactions with the campus community and the Chattanooga community as a whole.
The Department of Public Safety, comprised of the UTC Police Department (UTCPD), the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), and the Office of Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) is building a thriving relationship with our local, state and federal partners. We are and will continue to develop robust relationships with everyone on campus. Deputy Chief of Police Matt Holzmacher, Director of Emergency Management Brett Fuchs, and Director of Environmental Health and Safety Bob Jackson, and I have defined the three essential areas we will focus on in the coming year:
- Building relationships and trust with the campus community and external partners.
- Development of Organizational and professional standards.
- Preventing, mitigating, and responding to threats of active violence
The Department of Public Safety collaborates closely with the Office of the Dean of Students and countless other departments across campus. Our hope, as part of this tremendous institution, is to foster and support a healthy environment that encourages respect and diverse perspectives.
Please know that our team is committed to your safety at all times, and we are here to serve you. I want to personally wish you all the best as the new academic year begins. I hope that you will say hello to all our Public Safety team as you see us around campus. You can count on us to say hello and be there when you need us!
With respect,
Sean O’Brien
Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Safety and Chief of Police
Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Safety and Chief of Police