University of Mississippi Police Chief Tim Potts feed donuts to students at ‘Coffee With A Cop’ in 2016. Potts is leaving the university to return home to Indiana. Photo by Thomas Graning/Ole Miss Communications
OXFORD, Miss. – Tim Potts, chief of the University of Mississippi Police Department, is returning to his native state to lead the Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne campus police department.
Potts, a veteran with more than 25 years in law enforcement, was hired as UPD chief in June 2015. He said leaving Ole Miss was a tough decision, but he wants to be closer to family. His last day at UM is Friday (Jan. 26).
“It was a really tough decision, but the opportunity to be closer to family is something I could not pass up,” Potts said. “I will forever be grateful to Ole Miss for the opportunity it gave me to serve as chief of police.”
A search committee formed to find Potts’ replacement expects to interview candidates this semester. The committee has received a strong response to the job posting.
Potts, a native of Brookston, Indiana, came to Ole Miss after having served since 2003 as captain of patrol and administrative operations at Purdue, in West Lafayette, Indiana. There, he managed a patrol division of 30 officers, 13 dispatchers and a division of four detectives. He has 20 years of campus police experience.
He received his bachelor’s degree from St. Joseph’s College in Renssalaer, Indiana, and is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy. He’s also a trained assessor for the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc., and he travels to different police departments to help with their accreditation inspections.
At Ole Miss, Potts served on the University Standing Committee on faculty and staff appeals, the Incident Response Team, Student Affairs’ Incident Response Team and the Behavioral Intervention Team.
Brandi Hephner LaBanc, UM vice chancellor for student affairs, has worked closely with Potts since he arrived on campus.
“Chief Potts has selflessly served our university community and his departure is a huge loss for all of us,” she said. “Due to his expertise, leadership and collaborative spirit, he leaves Ole Miss better than he found it – a testament to his true character.
“We all wish him the best and support him in returning to Indiana to be closer to his daughter and other family members.”