U-M announces name changes for departments in Division of Public Safety and Security

Interim Executive Director Joe Piersante said the new names are as follows:

• The University of Michigan Police Department replaces the Department of Public Safety.
• Hospitals and Health Centers Security Services (HHCSS) replaces Hospital Security.
• Housing Security and Safety Services (HSSS) replaced Housing Security
• University Security Services is a new unit made up of the Office of Emergency Preparedness, Security Systems and Technology Management, Art Museum security, Kelsey Museum security and contract security.

“We expect the revised names to help the university community better recognize the roles and responsibilities of the women and men in these departments,” Piersante said in a statement.

The departments are all under the Division of Public and Security umbrella, formed in the wake of the external review of the university’s handling of the Stephen Jenson case. Jenson is accused of having child pornography on a thumb drive in a University of Michigan Hospital laptop. There was a six-month delay between when a hospital employee noticed the alleged child porn and brought it to hospital officials and when police eventually were notified.

The Division of Public Safety and Security was announced in November 2012. The director of the division will report directly to university President Mary Sue Coleman.

Piersante is currently serving as police chief and interim executive director of the division. The permanent job of executive director is expected to be posted by late January.

New logos, uniform patches, vehicle markings and a new website are expected to come along with the change in branding, Piersante said.

“This will continue our efforts to help our university community know who we are when they need assistance,” he said.