UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

The University of Texas at Tyler Police Department Announces Two Promotions

February 7, 2017

Media Contact:  Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)

The University of Texas at Tyler Police Officers Beverly Kennedy and Olimpia Morales were promoted to Sergeant during a Feb. 1 ceremony held in the University Center Theater. The ceremony was attended by friends, family and fellow police officers.

"Kennedy and Morales participated in a competitive promotional process, and both performed very well," said Police Chief Mike Medders. "They are well deserving of their promotion, and I am pleased to see them in a role of leadership in our department."

"The department has grown proportionately with the growth of the university over the past several years. These promotions provide more rank structure within the department, ensuring adequate leadership and supervision and providing upward mobility for our police officers," he added.

In 2000, Sergeant Kennedy began her career in law enforcement with the Smith County Sheriff's Office as a detention officer, and she soon promoted to sergeant. She then attended the police academy and served several years as a transport deputy. She has been employed with The University of Texas at Tyler since March 2013. During the ceremony, her badge was pinned on by her brother Kenneth Simmons, who is also a police officer. Kennedy holds an associate degree, and she has also attended The University of Texas at Tyler.

Sergeant Morales began her law enforcement career as a dispatcher for the City of Tyler Police Department. She later became a dispatcher for The University of Texas at Tyler Police Department while attending classes at the university. Morales graduated from The University of Texas at Tyler in 2012 with a bachelor's degree. She then attended the Tyler Junior College Police Academy and worked for two years as a Tyler Junior College police officer. Morales was hired by The University of Texas at Tyler Police Department in 2014, where she has served since then as a patrol officer. During the ceremony, her badge was pinned on by her mother, Olimpia Rosales.