Vicky M. Peltzer chosen to head campus police

Vicky M. Peltzer

Vicky M. Peltzer, who has nearly 20 years’ experience with the Albuquerque, N.M., Police Department, has been chosen as chief of the University of Washington Police Department, effective Aug. 30.

Peltzer currently is assigned to the Executive Command, District Attorney Liaison Section of the Albuquerque Police Department. She holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of New Mexico and a bachelor’s degree in criminology from the University of Albuquerque.

“Vicky Peltzer has a wealth of experience in many areas and the leadership skills that are important in being police chief on a university campus,” says Weldon Ihrig, UW executive vice president. “The search committee was extremely impressed not only with her qualifications and enthusiasm, but with her commitment to a community focus on public safety.”

Peltzer has been involved in key areas of reorganizing the Albuquerque Police Department, which has 850 officers and 375 civilian employees, and has been moving to emphasize community policing over the last few years. In Albuquerque, her beat bordered the University of New Mexico, with which she worked closely.

Peltzer has designed professional training programs for officers and civilians. She designed a retention program for women in law enforcement that has received national recognition. She was able to increase the number of female applicants from 8 percent to 25 percent. She also has served as chair of the department’s technology committee.

In her time in Albuquerque, she has held a variety of responsible positions: watch commander, chief’s office operations review commander, communications commander, recruiting and selection commander and district attorney liaison. She has experience in budgeting, staffing, handling crises, community problem solving, crime prevention and public information.

Her awards include YWCA Women on the Move (1999) and New Mexico Commission on the Status of Women Trailblazer (1998). She has served on the board of directors of Hogares, a home for troubled youth. ¶