The University of Florida said Tuesday that after a national search, it found its new campus police chief already working inside the department, as the current deputy chief.
Bart Knowles, who took over as interim police chief in June when his predecessor was promoted, said in a new interview that his goal is to keep UF’s sprawling campus in Gainesville safe so students, faculty and staff can prosper.
“I’ve had an incredible command staff to help support me throughout this interim phase,” Knowles said. “We’ve elevated a few individuals into command roles, who have been incredibly supportive, and I can’t thank my team enough for helping us throughout the summer and into the fall semester.”
As the newest campus police chief, Knowles oversees about 135 sworn and support employees. The department works with nearby law enforcement agencies on Saturdays during football season, when nearly 100,000 fans converge on campus for home games.
The department also deals with typical types of crimes on campus, including occasional sexual assaults, scooter or bicycle thefts, stalking cases or alcohol violations. It’s not unusual for the department to go weeks without arresting anyone on the campus of nearly 55,000 students – one of the largest in the United States.
The university promoted its former chief, Linda Stump-Kurnick, to an assistant vice president for public safety.
Knowles is married to Jacqui Knowles, a Gainesville-based real estate agent who also serves as a vice president of the TLK Foundation, an animal welfare charity based in Fort Myers, according to Florida corporate registration records.
Knowles is the father of two University of Florida students. His son, Cale Carry Knowles, is a senior majoring in biology, while his daughter, Reese Elaine Knowles, is a sophomore pursuing a degree in architecture.
“While it is incredibly special to have my children attending this great institution, I want to treat all our students here as if they were my own kids,” Knowles said.
“I always tell parents to call me if they ever have a problem and need our support because I think it's so important that they know that they have somebody here that's committed to keeping our campus and our children safe,” Knowles said.
Knowles began his career in law enforcement in 1988 in Hernando County as a sheriff’s deputy. He transferred to the Gainesville Police Department in 1991, where he held roles in uniform patrol, special operations and narcotics divisions while serving on several task forces.
In 2010, Knowles joined the campus police department and oversaw divisions including uniform patrol, Investigations, community services and special events. Now, as chief, he said that he values the importance of collaboration with the campus community.
“If we are connected with our community, we will maintain the safest campus,” Knowles said. “It’s critical to have buy-in from the community and for them to know that we’re here to support them.”
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