Maureen Rush, chief of police of the Penn Police Department for the past five years, was appointed the new vice president for public safety for the University May 8. Rush has been serving in that position in an interim capacity since last October.

A statement from University President Judith Rodin and Executive Vice President John Fry praised Rush’s role in making the Penn Police one of the top campus law enforcement agencies in the nation and in building bridges to both local and national law enforcement agencies. Recently, the department won accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, thereby becoming the first nationally accredited campus police agency in Pennsylvania.

Rush joined the Division of Public Safety in 1994. Rush will receive a master’s degree from the School of Arts and Sciences this month.