Lieutenant Colonel Kyle Bowman of the Michigan State Police has been named chief of police for the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD), effective April 4.
As chief, Bowman will lead the nationally accredited law enforcement agency that provides law enforcement services to the University, the Medical Center and neighboring communities within UCPD’s extended patrol area. Bowman will work closely with campus and community partners, as well as University leaders including President Paul Alivisatos and Provost Ka Yee C. Lee, to develop and enhance UCPD’s ongoing crime prevention and community engagement strategies.
Bowman will report to Eric M. Heath, associate vice president for the University’s Department of Safety & Security.
“Kyle has a strong commitment to community service and engagement, and an expertise in evaluating strategies to improve public safety,” Heath said. “He has a proven ability to build policing strategies around community needs and engage with diverse perspectives on issues of public safety.”
An accomplished law enforcement leader, Bowman has served the State of Michigan since 1995, most recently as deputy director and commander of the State Police Field Operations Bureau, where he oversaw all field posts, established directives and priorities for the bureau, and led several task forces across multiple local and county jurisdictions. He also worked collaboratively with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, where he promoted officer training and resources that better enabled troopers to resolve matters proactively rather than through responsive enforcement.
In addition to his formal law enforcement role, Bowman has served as an adjunct instructor at Siena Heights University, where he has taught courses on homeland security, and he is certified by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) as an instructor in police leadership.
“I look forward to partnering across the University and with our neighbors to continue enhancing the safety of our community,” Bowman said. “I am honored to serve this distinguished institution in this important role.”
Bowman graduated from Siena Heights University with a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement and a master’s degree in homeland security leadership.
—Prof. Kunle Odunsi
