Anthony B. Purcell has been named assistant vice president and chief of police at UAB and will assume his responsibilities here Monday, Oct. 9.

Purcell is the deputy chief of police and security at the George Institute of Technology, with responsibility for the patrol, special operations, criminal investigation and administrative services divisions. During his tenure, campus crime has decreased more than 50 percent.

“Anthony brings a wealth of experience in a variety of settings that make him a perfect fit for UAB,” says Richard Margison, vice president for financial affairs and administration. “He has served as a chief of police at other universities, including the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, so he understands the issues that UAB faces being a campus in a bustling, large city.”

Purcell also was the chief of police and director of public safety at North Carolina Central University in Durham, following a nine-year tenure with the Durham County Sheriff’s Department.

Purcell earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminal justice from North Carolina Central University. He has been an adjunct instructor in criminal justice at UNCC and NCCU, and he has presented nationally on campus policing issues such as diversity, litigation and community-based problem solving.