Dear Longhorns,

A secure campus environment is foundational to everything we do. Protecting our students, faculty, staff, patients, families, and visitors remains our top priority. In February, we elevated campus safety to a cabinet-level position and combined key areas of strength to establish a consolidated campus safety portfolio. After a thorough recruitment process, I am pleased to announce that David Armistead will be the permanent leader of this work.

Effective today, David will serve as our University’s Chief Security Officer, overseeing the UT Police Department, the Office of Emergency Management, and the West Campus Ambassadors in a unified structure. David is an exceptional leader with more than 30 years of experience in security and public safety operations at large public and private institutions. He knows how to develop, manage, and execute comprehensive safety strategies that meet broad and evolving needs and protect thousands of lives.

David previously served as Assistant Vice President of Global Security Operations at AT&T, where he led global security programs including facilities, travel risk management, regulatory compliance, and enterprise-wide risk mitigation. Prior to AT&T, David served for nearly 20 years with the Texas Department of Public Safety, where he oversaw executive protection, directed high-profile security operations, managed statewide programs, and collaborated with local, state, and federal partners.

Jay Swann will continue to serve as a key leader on the team under David’s executive leadership. I am deeply grateful to Jay for his tireless dedication to this work. He defined this new safety portfolio and identified what was needed for its long-term success. He has built a strong foundation and set the direction for our future. I am excited to continue our partnership.

I look forward to partnering with David to continuously build and sustain a safety operation that is best in class — one that guards our campus and keeps Longhorns safe for years to come.

Sincerely,

Jim Davis
President