Protect and serve

Adrian Black, director of public safety, has worked in the industry for more than 20 years. The Maryland native grew up in Montgomery County and served as a combat medic in the Army before serving as a Maryland State Police officer. While working as an emergency manager in the office of emergency management at Georgetown University, he earned his master’s degree in Homeland Security from The George Washington University. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Liberty University and is in the process of completing his Ed.D. Black says his main goal in his new role is to ensure the safety of Loyola’s students and the community.

Loyola magazine recently sat down with Adrian Black to learn about his experience and his vision for his role at Loyola.

What made you want to become a safety officer?

My father was in law enforcement, and my mother was a teacher. So as it stands today, I’m in law enforcement and I teach. I am also an adjunct professor for professional studies students. I always looked up to my dad, and the field itself was growing.

Out of high school, I joined the military and served in the 3rd Infantry Division stationed in Germany for the United States Army. After that, I went on to become a state police officer and became very adept at working in the community. I’ve been in the public safety field for more than 20 years.

What made you want to join the Loyola University Maryland community?

The opportunity to be the director of public safety at Loyola is a perfect fit for me because it ties all my prior experience together. I feel my experience as a police officer coupled with my experience working in a classroom has made me a well-rounded person and prepared me for this position. It all converged at the right time: I’m coming home, in a sense, to another Jesuit institution.

What initiatives do you hope to lead at Loyola?

For one, I want to reengage our community policing program here. The students outnumber my officers a great deal, and the students are our eyes and ears. We must approach safety together, as a Loyola community.

I’d like to enhance our training program to ensure our officers are up to speed on the best practices and are capable of responding to anything. We will be launching a comprehensive awareness and training program throughout the year to enhance the community’s awareness about emergency procedures.

Technology is a big part of our job, too. I want to ensure our campus is running with the very best. Recent upgrades to our radio communications system and Greyhound Alerts system have enhanced our ability to communicate and send text and email notifications during an emergency. Loyola has several campuses, and I want to ensure everyone on all our campuses is safe. If more members of our community are trained and the technology is up to date, then we will have an even stronger program here.

Another goal of mine is to attend Loyola’s many different sporting events. I look forward to rooting for the Greyhounds!

What type of relationship would you like to have with students?

I see my relationship with Loyola students as 50/50. We have to meet each other halfway, because we have a shared responsibility to keep our campus safe. I want them to know I’ll do everything possible to make sure they are safe.

Can you share some of your broader goals for Loyola’s public safety team?

I want our department to be conscious of the concerns of the community. I want people and the community to feel like they can come to me with any concerns. I want them to be heard.

Speaking of the community, what would you tell parents about the safety of communities surrounding Loyola?

Baltimore is a big and beautiful city, rich in diversity and landmark sites. There are many opportunities to explore. With any big city, crime prevention is a must. The department of public safety works 24/7 to ensure the safety of our students with patrols, security escorts, and virtual surveillance. Partnerships with local law enforcement agencies add to our security capabilities.

We have good relationships with surrounding communities and maintain a presence in the areas near campus where students tend to travel. Awareness is at the root of our safety program, so this year we are pushing a “See Something? Say Something!” campaign. This goes back to partnering with the Loyola community. We need everyone in our community to be aware of their surroundings at all times and call us if they need assistance. We are here to ensure the safety of our students.