The University of Connecticut named Barbara O’Connor its first female chief of police Wednesday. O’Connor will replace outgoing chief and Vice President of Public Safety Robert Hudd, who announced his retirement in June after his $256,000 salary attracted public attention.
O’Connor, who will also serve as director of public safety, will be paid $164,700 a year, according to a university press release. Hudd is retiring after working for the university for 30 years.
From 2001 to 2009 O’Connor worked as the police chief for UMass-Amherst, after which she became the chief and director of public safety at the University of Illinois, the statement said.
“We are thrilled that Barbara will be joining UConn,” UConn President Susan Herbst said. “Being a police chief at a large university requires a specialized understanding of the unique challenges a college campus presents. Barbara has exactly the kind of background and experience we were looking for and we look forward to her arrival on campus. I’m also very happy to note that Barbara will be UConn’s first female police chief.”
According to the university statement, O’Connor has worked as a police officer since 1983 and received a law degree from the Western New England College of Law in 2005. She is expected to begin at UConn in the spring, though no official date has been set yet.
