The University of Mississippi Police Department, housed in Kinard Hall, will soon have a new police chief. Photo by Robert Jordan/Ole Miss Communications
OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi’s Division of Student Affairs is in its final stages of the search process for a police chief and will host open forums for each of the four finalists over the next two weeks.
The four candidates are Terence Calloway, Jackie Allan Gilbert, Ray Hawkins and Stephanie Hill. Faculty, staff and students are invited to each finalist’s presentation and question-and-answer session, which is scheduled for 3-4 p.m. in the Center for Manufacturing Excellence’s Multipurpose Room on the day of the candidate’s interview.
“I would certainly encourage any community member to come out to meet the candidates and provide their feedback,” said Brandi Hephner LaBanc, vice chancellor for student affairs. “This is such a critical hire for UM, and we want to be sure we recruit the most qualified candidate that will work effectively in our community to ensure and enhance safety.”
Hephner LaBanc said she is grateful for the search committee’s quick work in this process. The committee reviewed more than 60 applicants from a qualified pool, which she and the committee were very pleased with, to settle on the finalists.
Calloway is chief of police and assistant vice president of safety and parking services at Florida A&M University. He previously held police chief titles at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, and the Village of Woodmere in Ohio. He holds a master’s degree in justice administration from Tiffin University in Ohio and is pursuing a doctorate in criminal justice at Walden University. Calloway’s interview date is March 1.
Gilbert is deputy chief of police for the city of Tupelo as well as the Crime Stoppers coordinator for northeast Mississippi. He previously served as the FBI college campus liaison for Mississippi colleges and universities, Tupelo police advanced training coordinator and co-commander of the Mississippi Homeland Security Force protection unit. Gilbert graduated from the FBI National Academy and Command College. He will interview March 7.
Hawkins is associate director of police at UM and has been with the department since 1996. He previously held titles of detective lieutenant, captain of investigation, police lieutenant and commander of the protective service team, among others. Hawkins earned a degree in public administration with an emphasis on criminal justice and has completed coursework towards a master’s degree in criminal justice. His interview day is March 8.
Hill is director of safety and chief of police at Central State University in Ohio. She previously held a position of the same title at Chattanooga State Community College. Other previous work includes being director of safety and security at Westgate Resorts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and investigation lieutenant for Germantown, Tennessee, police. Hill, who earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, will interview March 9.