The University of Connecticut today named Barbara O’Connor its new Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police. O’Connor was previously the head of public safety at UMass-Amherst, and comes to UConn from the University of Illinois, where she has served as Police Chief since 2009.

“We are thrilled that Barbara will be joining UConn,” said UConn President Susan Herbst. “Being a police chief at a large university requires a specialized understanding of the unique challenges a college campus presents. Barbara has exactly the kind of background and experience we were looking for, and we look forward to her arrival on campus. I’m also very happy to note that Barbara will be UConn’s first female police chief.”

O’Connor, 50, began her career as a police officer in Yarmouth, Mass. in 1983, and later served as the Chief of Police at UMass-Amherst from 2001 until 2009, when she became the Executive Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police at Illinois.

O’Connor replaces UConn’s Associate Vice President for Public Safety/Chief of Police Robert Hudd, who is retiring after 30 years with the University. Her salary will be $164,700 a year. Hudd’s salary is $256,000.

O’Connor earned her BA from Westfield State College in Massachusetts in 1985, and went on to earn a master’s degree from UMass in 1999 and a law degree from the Western New England College of Law in Springfield, Mass. in 2005.

She will begin at UConn in the spring. Her official start date has not yet been determined.