New Millersville University Police Department Deputy Chief William Hickey isn't walking a beat, but he can walk to work.

Hickey, a Millersville resident, started his new position in early January, working alongside outgoing Deputy Chief Howard Bauman for four weeks. Bauman retired on Jan. 31, and Hickey officially took over.

Hickey had just two days off between jobs after retiring from the Lancaster City Bureau of Police following 25 years of service. "It was a very good career," he said.

During his time in the city, Hickey worked under current Millersville University Chief Pete Anders, who retired from the Lancaster force after working as captain of the patrol division.

"When I knew the (Millersville deputy chief) position was going to become available, I put in for the job as soon as it was announced by the university," said Hickey. "Working with Pete before, I knew he was an excellent police officer and a good boss. I knew working for him would be ideal for me and be an easy transition."

Hickey has resided in the area for more than 20 years. "I've always enjoyed the Millersville area," he said. "My kids went to Penn Manor schools. I thought it would be nice bringing my 25 years of experience in Lancaster and lending it to the university community and the department here."

Millersville University's police force includes 12 officers and one cadet who is attending the police academy. Hickey's responsibility is overseeing the patrol officers, the uniformed members of the department who monitor the campus and respond to calls. He ensures the patrol officers are trained and equipped, and he reads over reports. A lieutenant is in charge of the administrative arm of the department while Anders runs the entire department.

Unsurprisingly, there are drastic differences between working in a city and working on a university campus. "It's a much smaller footprint compared to working 25 years in the city," Hickey said. "You're confined to the university properties. Dealing with that geographical restriction is a little strange."

Hickey is now a state employee working for the commonwealth and university and said he is "learning the ins and outs of that ecosystem."

"Policing is policing, but policing on a university campus has its own unique attributes," said Hickey. "It's busy but just a different busy. There is always something going on and always something to do, but there are not the same kind of incidents."

"The big thing is parking," Hickey said. "Parking is at a premium on the campus. We help when people need access to certain buildings. We help if there's a graduate student who needs to get access to a building."

Millersville officers work at home athletic events. That is another benefit to the job. "Getting back to a college campus has resparked my interest in college sports, whether it's basketball or lacrosse," Hickey said. "I enjoy watching the games."

Officers also assist on calls for medical emergencies.

"I've been very happy with getting to know the officers here within the department," Hickey said. "It's very much a community-oriented kind of workplace. We work hand in hand with a number of departments on the campus, whether it's resident assistants or student life or student affairs."

An essential part of the job remains the same no matter where you work. A productive police officer must be willing to converse with other people, he said. "It's the best part of any job in policing," said Hickey, who enjoys spending time with his family, going for walks, and bicycling on local trails. "If you're not a people person, you're not going to be a successful police officer. You can't do policing unless you can effectively interact with people."

He has relished the opportunity to meet a variety of people involved with the university. "That's been great," Hickey said. "Since the moment I got here, everybody I've come in contact with, the faculty, staff, students, administration, everybody has been extremely welcoming and accommodating."