CAMPUS PROFILE

Paulina Hruskoci and Olivia Cooper (bottom left). The pair placed second in the nation for Moot Court, which is the highest a UTD pair has ever placed.

ANDRÉ AVERION Mercury Staff

After 14 years of service, UTD Police Chief Larry Zacharias officially retired on Jan. 31. As the founding sponsor of UTD’s student Emergency Medical Response Unit program, a recipient of Richardson Citizen of the Year in 2008 and UT System Chief of the Year both in 2011 and 2019, Zacharias has been a commanding symbol of commu- nity both on and off campus. He devoted his years to growing UTD PD’s staff from only a few officers to over 70 to better serve the area, improving student-law enforcement relations and making UTD a nearly crimeless campus. The Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center was filled with over a hundred guests consisting of friends, family and affiliates to honor Zacharias’ departure from UTD on Jan. 26. The ceremony, led by Assistant Chief Brent

Tourangeau, welcomed notable guests like the Richardson Mayor, the Richardson City Council, Arlington and Richardson PD officers and UT Systems Admin to listen to four speakers highlighting Zacharias’ career.

“Of course, as a friend, I wish him all the best in retirement, but I'm really going to miss him,” President Richard Benson said. “I think a phrase that you're hearing is big