For more than four decades — from military service to law enforcement — a uniform has been part of daily life for Hassan Ramzah.
“That’s a whole lot of starch,” he said with a smile, reflecting on years in uniform.
On May 10, that chapter will end as the assistant vice chancellor and chief of police retires following commencement at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
Ramzah will step away after a 42-year career that includes six years of active-duty military service, 26 years with the Wichita Police Department and a decade in campus law enforcement at Nebraska.
He joined the university in 2016 as assistant chief and served a year as interim chief before being named permanently to the role in 2020.
His tenure as chief aligned with a period of national and campus-level change in policing. Early in his leadership, the COVID-19 pandemic altered daily campus operations and public safety needs. That was followed by widespread protests after the murder of George Floyd and local demonstrations.
“It felt like was everything was coming at us all at once,” Ramzah said. “You had to adjust — not just to what was happening here, but to what people were experiencing across the country.”
That environment accelerated a shift in how UNL’s police engaged with the university community. Officers increased visibility through foot patrols, expanded outreach efforts and emphasized relationship-building alongside traditional enforcement.
Programs such as “Cover the Cruiser,” held during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, invited students to leave messages on patrol vehicles — a small but visible effort to strengthen trust and connection.
“Sometimes it’s not about enforcement,” Ramzah said. “It’s about being present and supportive to the needs of our campus.”
Ramzah said his transition into higher education policing required a different perspective than his earlier municipal work. While at Nebraska, he also completed a doctorate with a focus on educational leadership and higher education, which he said helped him better understand how campus systems operate.
“You start to see how everything fits together,” he said. “Safety is part of a larger mission.”
That perspective influenced how the department worked across campus — from faculty and staff partnerships to student engagement efforts — often during difficult circumstances, but also in everyday interactions.
“Success is about establishing those good relationships,” Ramzah said.
He also oversaw internal changes within the department, including updates to training programs, adjustments in dispatch operations and continued emphasis on recruitment and retention during a challenging period for law enforcement hiring nationwide.
Despite those pressures, Ramzah said the department’s core strength remained steady.
“Our officers and staff care about this campus,” he said. “That’s what stands out. It’s also something that reflects the strength of this police department.”
The decision to retire, he said, follows a timeline he set early in his tenure at Nebraska.
“Although I knew this time would come eventually, it felt like the last 10 years just zipped by,” Ramzah said.
Marty Fehringer, assistant chief of police, has been named interim chief following Ramzah’s retirement. Ramzah will remain with the university in a consulting role through June 30 to assist in the leadership transition.
After that, he plans to step fully into retirement, with time to rest, travel and consider future opportunities. Teaching — which he started after earning his doctorate — and student engagement remain possibilities.
Looking back, Ramzah described his time at Nebraska as rewarding and instructive.
“It’s been a meaningful experience,” he said. “Working with people across campus and serving the community — that’s been the highlight.”
A retirement reception honoring Ramzah will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. May 21 in the Nebraska Union’s Regency Suite. The event is free and open to the public.
As he prepares to step away, Ramzah said he hopes the department continues to evolve with the needs of the campus.
“There’s always a next generation of policing,” he said. “I’m confident the team here will continue to move forward and build on what’s been done.”
