William “Mac” Babb III, formerly with the Roanoke Police Department, has been named deputy chief of police and assistant director of security at Virginia Tech.

He will begin his new position July 1.

Babb will assist Chief of Police Kevin Foust in leading the 75-person Virginia Tech Police Department and overseeing its operations and administrative divisions. In addition, he will assist in developing and implementing a security strategy and coordinating the security services for all Virginia Tech campuses and programs, including those overseas.

“We are extremely fortunate to have someone of Mac’s caliber and experience”, Foust said. “He served in many roles during his career with the Roanoke Police Department and we look forward to his bringing those experiences to this department.”

In 1990, Babb began his career at the Roanoke Police Department as a police officer. He was promoted to sergeant in 1999 and lieutenant in 2006. During his career at the department Babb managed the canine unit, helped lead the tactical response team, directed the police academy, and most recently helped supervise the Investigations Bureau.

He has received numerous awards over his career including the Commonwealth Valor Award and the Lifesaving Award from the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police.

Babb received a bachelor’s degree from Roanoke College and a master’s degree from American Military University.  

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.

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