A 26-year law enforcement career that started with street patrols and grew into educating future officers has led Hassan Ramzah to the University of Nebraska.

Ramzah, who served six years in the U.S. Army before becoming a patrolman in 1990 in Wichita, Kansas, is the university police department’s new assistant police chief. He served all 26 years as a law enforcement officer in Wichita, most recently as deputy police chief. Ramzah also helped create a police science program at Wichita Area Technical College and is an adjunct faculty member at Wichita State University.

“After working on the municipal policing side and teaching in higher education, this transition to campus policing feels like a natural transition,” Ramzah said. “While I will miss the people of Wichita and relationships developed there, I look forward to serving the University of Nebraska community.”

Ramzah will oversee police and security operations, communications and information technology. His initial goals are to establish relationships within the university police department and across campus, learn about the area, maintain partnerships and collaborations between university police and other agencies and integrate new law enforcement tools to help officers interact better and provide better service.

“Like any other profession, there are always new tools and techniques developed to make law enforcement more efficient,” Ramzah said. “It’s important to explore these new ideas and integrate them where they make sense. The last thing you want in law enforcement is to become stagnant or complacent.”

In Wichita, Ramzah was a patrolman, detective, sergeant, lieutenant, captain and deputy chief. His assignments included community policing, community affairs, public information, financial crimes, night investigations supervisor, and officer training. He also was an ethics and perspectives in profiling trainer.

“Hassan is the whole package in terms of his experience within law enforcement and community engagement,” Police Chief Owen Yardley said. “The common theme that came from everyone I talked to about Hassan was integrity. He is going to be a great fit for the department and the university.”

Originally from Detroit, Ramzah joined the military following the United States’ invasion of Grenada in 1983. His six years of active duty included a 14-month assignment overseeing communications for a military police unit stationed in South Korea. He also served one year in the Kansas National Guard.

“When I opted not to make a career of the military, I really wanted to continue to serve in a protective role,” Ramzah said. “The police department felt like the best option. It’s a decision I’ve never regretted.”

Ramzah, his wife Johanna, and family are relocating to Lincoln. He hopes to continue teaching and will lead a distance-education course at Wichita State this semester.

Ramzah’s first day at the police department was Aug. 22. He replaces Todd Duncan, who became chief deputy sheriff for Lancaster County earlier this year.

For more information on the police department, click here.