Mayor Announces UPD Leadership Appointments

Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin has selected Urbana Police Department Interim Chief Bryant Seraphin to serve as the next Chief of the Urbana Police Department. Seraphin has served as Interim Police Chief since the retirement of Chief Sylvia Morgan in August 2018 and has been a member of the department for over 24 years.

“I’m pleased to appoint Bryant Seraphin as Chief of Police for the City of Urbana,” Marlin said. “For the past nine months while he has served as Interim Chief, I have observed him in many different public and private settings. In each, he has demonstrated a respectful, knowledgeable, and open-minded approach; a willingness to listen; and a commitment to uphold the high professional standards of the Urbana Police Department. As Interim Chief, Mr. Seraphin implemented the use of bodyworn cameras in the police department, worked closely with Urbana District #116 to address school safety issues, and expanded community outreach efforts.”

Bryant Seraphin accepted a position with the Urbana Police Department in 1994, shortly after earning a bachelor’s degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with distinction in Sociology with a specialization in Criminology. After serving as Field Training Officer and a member of the METRO SWAT team, he joined the Criminal Investigations Division in 1999. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2002 and appointed Lieutenant of the Criminal Investigations Division in 2007. In 2015, he moved to the Patrol Division and was later named Deputy Chief in 2017. Seraphin has also been very active in the community in both professional and personal roles. He is an Executive Committee member of the Champaign County Community Coalition as well as a local Boy Scout troop leader.

“I am honored to have the Mayor’s trust and support as I move forward into this role. And, I look forward to working with her, city leadership, the citizens, and our police officers to foster a collaborative working relationship within this community,” said Seraphin. In addition, Urbana Police Department Interim Deputy Chief Robert Fitzgerald has been named to the Deputy Chief position. Prior to joining the UPD in 1998, Fitzgerald served as a patrol officer, tactical officer, and gang tactical officer with the Chicago Police Department. He was named Urbana Police Department Officer of the Year in 2005 and promoted to Sergeant in 2006. He has served as Lieutenant since 2010, initially overseeing the South District patrol section and most recently, the Services Division.

These mayoral appointments will be presented to the Urbana City Council on Monday, June 17, 2019.