Michael Lee has been named the new chief of the Shippensburg University Police Department.
Born and raised in Arkansas, Lee moved to Frederick, Maryland around age 13. He would eventually start his career in the western Maryland city.
“I applied to SU because I was looking to move ahead in my career,” Lee said.
There has been an adjustment period for Lee, “Shippensburg is definitely different. Frederick is a little faster-paced.”
He has served his community as a school resource officer, patrol sergeant, drug unit supervisor, and most recently as the assistant director of public safety at Howard Community College in Columbia, Maryland.
While Lee has spent more than 20 years in the field, he was not always interested in law enforcement.
“Initially, I wanted to go into nursing,” Lee explained. “But I realized that I was not smart enough,” he said with a laugh.
Lee’s appointment comes months after former Chief of SU Police Cytha Grissom retired in January 2019.
Lee has officially been on the job since May 28 and will formally be announced to the student body in August, according to Megan Silverstrim, SU media relations and social media manager.
Lee said he is looking forward to the upcoming school year and interacting with clubs, introducing himself to the student body and making himself available to the campus.
He offered some advice for students returning in the fall: “Enjoy your experience at college, and also recognize that you’ll need to be a good citizen. Keep others in mind.”
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