Eve Stephens, a 24-year veteran of law enforcement, made history as she was inaugurated as the chief of the Austin campus police department at the University of Texas on July 6. She is the first Asian American and female to hold the position of chief of police in Texas.
As the chief of campus police, Stephens will lead a team of over 100 officers and be responsible for ensuring the safety of more than 75,000 students, faculty, staff, and visitors on campus.
Stephens pursued a major in criminology and a minor in Spanish at Sam Houston State University. She is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Academy and also holds a master’s degree in public safety from the University of Virginia. During her career, she served in various roles in the Austin Police Department, including detective, patrol, and investigations divisions, eventually rising to the rank of senior commander.
“After a nationwide search, Chief Stephens emerged as the most qualified candidate for the position,” stated the Austin campus.
“Chief Stephens brings a deep understanding and expertise of our city’s safety and security needs, as well as established relationships within APD that can strengthen our partnership and collective efforts to safeguard our campus community,” said Jay Hartzell, President of the Austin Campus.
In her inaugural address, Stephens expressed her passion for the profession, saying, “I first saw a police uniform during a career fair in middle school and fell in love with it, dreaming of becoming a police officer.”
“I will utilize my knowledge and the connections I have acquired throughout my career to create a safe campus environment to the best of my abilities,” she added.
BY INSEONG CHOI [choi.inseong@koreadaily.com]
