The University of North Texas has announced its new chief of police.
According to university officials, Ramona Washington will start as the school's police chief on June 1.
Washington is an alumna of UNT, and she received her bachelor's and master's degrees in criminal justice from the university.
"Ramona embodies the professionalism and community-centric focus that we desire in a police chief to lead this department, oversee the safety of our campus, and connect with our students, faculty, staff and guests," said Clayton Gibson, UNT's vice president for finance and administration. "She has spent most of her career with UNT Police because this community holds special meaning to her. This is where she experienced educational and professional success, and she wants to support the successes of others here, as well."
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University officials said Washington joined the UNT Police Department in 2002, and she now serves as a captain of the UNT Police Department's Criminal Investigations Unit. Before becoming a UNT police officer, she served as a Denton County detention officer.
Along with her service, she was an adjunct faculty member teaching criminal justice courses at North Central Texas College and UNT for several years, officials said.
Washington continues to teach training sessions about implicit bias awareness and sexual assault investigations within the UNT Police Department.
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According to university officials, she also helped to organize the UNT Police Department's 30x30 Initiative which increases the recruitment and retention of female police professionals.
"I have spent most of my career at UNT on purpose," Washington said. "I believe strongly in the mission to support the education of students and to provide a safe and secure environment for our entire community. I am excited about my new role, but it is even more meaningful because I get to do it here at UNT - a university that means so much to me and that has played such a significant role in my own life and success."
Washington will follow in the footsteps of UNT Police Chief Ed Reynolds who retires in May after serving the UNT Police Department for 30 years.
