PORTSMOUTH — University of New Hampshire police Chief Steven Lee is on administrative leave after being arrested Jan. 22 for allegedly driving under the influence.
Portsmouth police reported Lee, a 50-year-old Dover resident, was stopped on Market Street and charged with one Class B misdemeanor count of driving under the influence. Lee was processed at the city police station and released on personal recognizance bail.
Corey MacDonald, Lee’s attorney, waived his client’s arraignment and entered Lee’s not guilty plea on Tuesday, Jan. 27 at Portsmouth District Court. A trial in Lee’s case is scheduled March 18 in Portsmouth.
Lee was placed on leave pending the criminal investigation and UNH’s internal probe into his arrest, according to school spokesperson Tania deLuzuriaga.
“Chief Lee has an impressive 30-year history in public service," MacDonald said in a statement. "He is currently facing one charge of DUI out of the city of Portsmouth, and he takes that allegation very seriously. I have entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf and we will address this as appropriate in court. In the interim, he is committed to ensuring the impact of this personal challenge is minimized to the university community.”
UNH police Capt. Mark Collopy has been named interim chief in Lee’s absence, according to deLuzuriaga.
Collopy, a former Dover Police Department lieutenant, joined the university police force in 2021.
“UNH Police Captain Mark Collopy has been appointed interim chief of the UNH Police Department and has the confidence of university leadership to ensure continued operations of the department and the safety of the UNH community,” reads a school statement shared by deLuzuriaga.
Lee replaced longtime university Chief Paul Dean after his retirement to take a post in Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s administration last winter.
Lee’s bail order was not immediately available.
This story has been updated with comments from Lee's attorney.
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