Position Information

Reporting to John Venuti, VCU’s associate vice president for emergency services and public safety within the Division of Finance and Administration, the chief of police will support day-to-day operational and strategic leadership of the VCU Police Department (VCUPD) which serves both VCU's academic campus and health system. This role will demonstrate a collaborative and engaged leadership style that is focused on maximizing the professionalism and responsiveness of the department and promotes positive and trusted relationships with VCU's student, faculty, staff, and patient constituents as well as the Richmond community.
 
As the senior sworn law enforcement officer of the department and at VCU, the chief provides strategic vision and operational oversight for the full range of VCU law enforcement and security functions including uniformed police and security patrols, criminal investigations, crime prevention and problem-oriented policing, community outreach and relations, emergency communications, crime reporting, and security technology. The Chief also plays a key role in maintaining positive inter-agency relationships with local, state, and federal law enforcement and public safety partners that contribute to the safety of the VCU community.
 
In leading a fully accredited law enforcement agency, the chief is responsible for ensuring positive compliance with all relevant accreditation standards, maintaining compliance with all state and federal laws and regulations, and leveraging best practices to advance VCUPD's position as a respected and high performing law enforcement organization. Following 40-years of service in the law enforcement profession and a highly successful tenure at VCU, the department's current chief of police has accepted the position of associate vice president for emergency services and public safety and will be stepping back from day-to-day operational command of VCUPD and sworn service upon the appointment of a new chief of police incumbent.

Position Duties and Responsibilities
The following are the principal functions of the Chief of Police position:

• Manage and supervise a 24/7 VCU law enforcement and security operation both directly and through a team of subordinate police commanders and civilian managers. This includes overall responsibility for recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, retention and performance management and assuring the use of appropriate human resources practices within the agency.
• Implement professional accountability mechanisms to ensure that policing and security operations meet accepted performance standards and consistently promote respectful interactions with community members that honor individual civil rights including protection of free speech. Ensure that any perceived or actual violations of professional standards are addressed in a manner that maximizes community accountability, trust, and transparency.
• Establish, communicate, and monitor progress of departmental strategic goals and objectives which should be informed by input from a diverse cross-section of community stakeholders, University and VCU Health leadership, and VCU's strategic plan (Quest 2028; One VCU: Together We Transform). The chief of police will strive to maintain an agency culture which features continuous self-assessment, data-driven decision making, and process improvement.
• Monitor assigned budget and implement administrative mechanisms to ensure the Police Department is a good steward of its assigned resources including people, facilities, and equipment and assure that the agency complies with all applicable VCU administrative policies.
• Maintain an awareness of law enforcement best practices and innovations nationally and incorporate into agency operations in a manner that promotes improved campus safety and trusting relationships with VCU community members and proactively incorporate law enforcement de-escalation techniques and positive mental health interventions among other areas of focus.
• Monitor and oversee the department's response to major law enforcement or security incidents either through senior-level subordinates or by assuming direct operational command when circumstances merit. The chief of police is ultimately responsible for the successful execution of all agency operations and must maintain situational awareness of significant agency matters through an established chain of command.
• Act as primary spokesperson and advocate for VCUPD, maintaining an active and engaged dialogue with a diverse cross section of community members and partners. This includes participating in university and health system committees and working groups, as well as engaging with faculty, staff, student, and patient organizations and representative bodies.
• Maintain active and productive relationships with local, state, and federal law enforcement and public safety partners and position VCUPD as an integral member of the local and statewide law enforcement community.
• Ensure that VCUPD maintains a comprehensive and continuously updated set of policies and procedures that ensures compliance with federal and state law, university and health system accreditation standards, and VCU protocols.
• Perform other duties and projects as assigned by the associate vice president or other senior leaders within the chief's established administrative chain of command.