Public Safety Officer in Richmond, Virginia at Virginia Union University
Explore Related Opportunities
Job Description
Virginia Union University (VUU) is a distinguished private institution founded in 1865 that proudly upholds a legacy of academic excellence and community engagement. With a historic 86-acre campus, it offers a dynamic and nurturing environment for its 1,568 undergraduate and graduate students. Virginia Union University is recognized in the 2024 edition of U.S. News & World Report, holding a prestigious position as #39 among Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Five fundamental principles (core values) guide Virginia Union University. Each principle is essential to our ability to provide a Best-In-Class educational experience for students, faculty, and staff. These principles help our community understand the right path to fulfilling our institution's mission. The principles are Innovation, Spiritual Formation, Integrity, Diversity & Inclusion, and Excellence.
Under the general supervision of the Chief of Police / Director of Public Safety, the University Public Safety Officer protects the life, property, and peace of the Virginia Union University community through visible patrol, access control, emergency response, incident documentation, and service-oriented engagement with students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The officer serves as a uniformed, highly visible representative of the University and is expected to carry out all duties with professionalism, sound judgment, procedural fairness, and restraint.
This position is established in two certification tiers. Unarmed Public Safety Officers are registered with the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) as unarmed security officers; Armed Public Safety Officers hold DCJS armed security officer registration with a current firearms endorsement. Both tiers perform the core duties described herein, and both operate in support of, and under the operational direction of, the University's campus police department. Non-sworn public safety officers do not exercise the arrest powers conferred upon sworn campus police officers appointed under Va. Code § 23.1-815; officers shall summon a sworn officer or the Richmond Police Department for any matter requiring the exercise of police powers.
Virginia Union University is a historically Black university founded in 1865 to educate men and women newly freed from bondage. Public safety at Virginia Union is therefore understood as an instrument of student success and institutional stewardship, not merely of enforcement. The officer is expected to police in a manner that affirms the dignity of every member of the University community, that recognizes the historic and contemporary relationship between Black communities and law enforcement, and that consistently favors de-escalation, communication, and referral to University support resources over coercive intervention.
- Practice community-oriented and relationship-based policing: learn the campus, know its people, and be present in residence halls, academic buildings, and at student activities as a trusted resource.
- Exercise de-escalation as the default response; use only that force which is objectively reasonable, necessary, and proportional, and only when no reasonable alternative exists.
- Recognize students in distress and connect them promptly to Counseling Services, the Dean of Students, Residence Life, or the appropriate care team rather than to punitive processes where a supportive response is appropriate.
- Represent the University with courtesy and restraint in all contacts with visitors, vendors, neighboring residents, and external law enforcement partners.
- Conduct foot, vehicular, and bicycle patrol of University buildings, residence halls, parking areas, athletic facilities, and grounds on an irregular and unpredictable pattern throughout the assigned shift.
- Secure, unlock, and inspect buildings and rooms according to established schedules; test doors, windows, gates, and perimeter barriers; and report unsecured or damaged conditions.
- Identify and report safety hazards, lighting outages, inoperative locks, water intrusion, fire-safety deficiencies, and other conditions requiring Facilities Management response.
- Monitor electronic access control, video surveillance, fire alarm, and emergency communication systems from the Public Safety Communications Center as assigned; dispatch and log calls for service.
- Control access to University facilities and events; verify University identification credentials; register and direct guests, vendors, and contractors; and deny entry to unauthorized persons.
- Enforce University parking and traffic regulations, issue citations, direct traffic, coordinate towing of unauthorized vehicles, and provide motorist assistance such as vehicle lockouts and jump-starts.
- Provide safety escorts to students, employees, and visitors upon request, particularly during hours of darkness.
- Respond promptly to calls for service, alarms, medical emergencies, fires, hazardous conditions, disturbances, and criminal activity; stabilize the scene; render aid within the scope of training; and request police, fire, and emergency medical services as needed.
- Administer first aid, CPR, AED, and naloxone consistent with current certification and University protocol until emergency medical services arrive.
- Execute assigned duties under the University Emergency Operations Plan and the National Incident Management System, including evacuations, shelter-in-place, severe weather operations, and lockdown procedures.
- Support the University's emergency notification and timely warning processes by reporting qualifying incidents to the Chief of Police / Director of Public Safety immediately.
- Perform assigned duties during inclement weather and declared emergencies; this position is designated essential personnel and reports as scheduled when the University is otherwise closed or operating on a delay.
- Prepare accurate, complete, legible, and timely incident reports, field interview records, daily activity logs, property and evidence records, and citation records in the department's records management system.
- Maintain the daily crime and fire log in accordance with federal requirements when assigned, and preserve the integrity of all records as official University documents.
- Testify or provide statements in University conduct proceedings, administrative hearings, and judicial proceedings as required.
- Provide security for Commencement, Convocation, Homecoming, athletic contests, Board of Trustees meetings, presidential events, concerts, and other special events, including crowd management and traffic control.
- Participate in crime prevention programming, residence hall safety briefings, new student orientation, active-threat awareness training, and other outreach initiatives.
- Carry and maintain the University-issued firearm and authorized less-lethal equipment in strict accordance with DCJS regulation, University policy, and departmental general orders.
- Successfully complete all required firearms qualification, requalification, use-of-force, and de-escalation training on the schedule established by the Chief of Police / Director of Public Safety.
- Secure all weapons and munitions in approved storage when not on duty; immediately report any loss, discharge, or malfunction of a weapon.
- Serve in armed post assignments designated by the Chief, including cash escort, high-risk event coverage, and armed response posts.
Perform other duties as assigned in support of the mission of the Department of Campus Police and Public Safety and the Division of Infrastructure Management and Planning.
The University Public Safety Officer is designated a Campus Security Authority (CSA) under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (20 U.S.C. § 1092(f)) and a responsible employee for purposes of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The officer shall:
- Report all Clery-reportable crimes, Violence Against Women Act offenses (domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault), hate crimes, and arrests and disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug, and liquor law violations to the Clery compliance officer immediately and without exception.
- Report all disclosures of sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking to the University Title IX Coordinator, and inform complainants of their rights, supportive measures, and reporting options.
- Support the issuance of timely warnings and emergency notifications by relaying qualifying incident information to the Chief of Police / Director of Public Safety without delay.
- Comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act where applicable, and all University policies governing the confidentiality and release of information; refer all media inquiries to the Office of the President or its designee.
- Comply with the University's mutual aid agreement obligations, including the notification of the Commonwealth's Attorney within 48 hours of the initiation of an investigation into an alleged felony sexual assault occurring on University property, as required by Va. Code § 23.1-815.
- Support compliance with the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, the Virginia Freedom of Information Act as administered by the University, and the annual security and fire safety report data collection process.
All University Public Safety Officers shall hold and maintain, as a continuing condition of employment, the registration and training credentials required by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services pursuant to Va. Code § 9.1-139 and the Regulations Relating to Private Security Services (6VAC20-171 et seq. and 6VAC20-174 et seq.). Lapse, suspension, revocation, or denial of any required registration or endorsement shall render the employee ineligible to perform the duties of this position and may result in reassignment, suspension without pay, or separation from employment.
Requirement | Unarmed Public Safety Officer | Armed Public Safety Officer |
DCJS Registration Category | Unarmed Security Officer / Courier (Category 01E) | Armed Security Officer / Courier (Category 05E), with firearms endorsement |
Entry-Level Compulsory Minimum Training | 18 hours — 01E Security Officer Core Subjects | 50 hours — 01E Core Subjects (18 hrs) + 05E Arrest Authority (8 hrs) + 75E Security Officer Handgun (24 hrs); plus 08E Shotgun (3 hrs) if assigned |
Criminal History Screening | Fingerprint-based state and national criminal history record search submitted to DCJS through the approved vendor prior to or on the date of hire | Same as unarmed, plus supplemental disclosure of any disqualifying conviction and verification of firearms eligibility under state and federal law |
Conditional Employment Window | May work up to 90 consecutive days while completing compulsory minimum training, provided fingerprints were submitted and employer authorization is documented | No armed assignment permitted until the registration and firearms endorsement are issued by DCJS |
Registration Term | Valid 24 months; renewal application and in-service training must be completed before expiration | Valid 24 months; renewal application and in-service training must be completed before expiration |
In-Service Training | 4 hours — 01I Security Officer Core Subjects In-Service, completed within the 24-month registration period | In-service training for each registered category, completed within the 24-month registration period |
Firearms Requalification | Not applicable | Annual firearms endorsement requalification, completed within 90 days of the endorsement expiration date |
Additional University Requirements | American Heart Association or American Red Cross CPR/AED and First Aid certification within 90 days of hire; valid Virginia driver's license with an acceptable driving record | All unarmed requirements, plus semiannual departmental firearms qualification, annual use-of-force and de-escalation recertification, and less-lethal/OC certification as assigned |
Officers are responsible for tracking their own credential expiration dates and for initiating renewal in sufficient time to prevent any lapse. The University will provide or fund required in-service training as set forth in departmental policy.
- High school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) credential.
- Minimum of eighteen (18) years of age; twenty-one (21) years of age for the armed tier.
- United States citizen or legal resident alien of the United States, as required for DCJS registration.
- Current DCJS registration as an unarmed security officer (01E), or as an armed security officer (05E) with a current firearms endorsement for the armed tier; candidates who are not yet registered must be eligible to register and must complete compulsory minimum training within the period permitted by law and University policy.
- Valid driver's license with a driving record acceptable to the University and its insurer; ability to operate a University patrol vehicle.
- Successful completion of a fingerprint-based criminal history record check, a comprehensive background investigation, a pre-employment drug screen, and a post-offer physical and psychological evaluation as applicable to the tier.
- No conviction, or pending charge, that disqualifies the individual from DCJS registration or, for the armed tier, from the lawful possession of a firearm under state or federal law.
- Demonstrated ability to read, comprehend, and apply written policies and to prepare clear and grammatically sound written reports in English.
- Associate's or Bachelor's degree in criminal justice, homeland security, emergency management, or a related field.
- Two (2) or more years of experience in campus public safety, law enforcement, military service, corrections, or contract security.
- Prior experience in a higher education environment, and particularly at a historically Black college or university.
- Current certification in CPR/AED and First Aid; Mental Health First Aid; Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training; or Emergency Medical Responder certification.
- Training or certification in NIMS/ICS 100, 200, 700, and 800.
- Experience with electronic access control, video management, CAD/records management, or emergency mass notification systems.
- Bilingual ability.
- Working knowledge of security and patrol practices, access control, crime prevention principles, and evidence-handling procedures.
- Knowledge of applicable Virginia law, DCJS regulation, and the limits of authority of a non-sworn security officer.
- Ability to remain calm, decisive, and courteous under pressure and in emergency, confrontational, or emotionally charged circumstances.
- Ability to observe accurately, recall detail, and produce precise written documentation.
- Ability to operate two-way radio, body-worn camera, computer, and departmental software systems.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, faculty, staff, parents, vendors, and external public safety agencies.
- Absolute integrity, discretion with confidential information, and impartiality in the performance of duty.
The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Ability to stand and walk for extended periods and to patrol on foot for the majority of an assigned shift.
- Ability to run, climb stairs and ladders, bend, stoop, kneel, crawl, and lift or drag up to fifty (50) pounds occasionally.
- Ability to respond rapidly on foot to emergencies across a multi-building urban campus.
- Sufficient vision, hearing, and speech to observe activity, identify persons and vehicles, operate a radio, and communicate clearly.
- Work is performed both indoors and outdoors in all weather conditions, including extreme heat, cold, rain, and snow.
- Exposure to potentially hazardous or hostile conditions, bloodborne pathogens, and emotionally distressing incidents is possible.
- Required to wear a University-issued uniform, body armor, duty belt, and equipment, and to maintain a professional appearance and grooming standard consistent with departmental policy.
- This position is designated essential personnel and is required to report for duty during University closures, inclement weather, and declared emergencies.
- Rotating shift assignment, including nights, weekends, and holidays; shift assignments and days off are subject to change based on operational need.
- Mandatory overtime, shift holdover, on-call status, and recall to duty may be required.
- Continued employment is contingent upon maintenance of all required DCJS registrations and endorsements, a valid driver's license, and satisfactory completion of periodic background rechecks.
- Subject to the University's drug and alcohol policy, including post-incident and reasonable-suspicion testing.
- Must complete all assigned University training, including Title IX, Clery, FERPA, and annual compliance training.
This position is classified as non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and is compensated on an hourly basis, with overtime paid at one and one-half times the regular rate for hours worked in excess of forty (40) in a workweek. Shift differential is paid for evening and overnight assignments in accordance with University policy. The armed tier is compensated at a higher rate in recognition of the additional certification, training, and responsibility required. The pay range for this position is established by the Office of Human Resources and Talent Management and is stated in the position information table above. Virginia Union University offers a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision coverage, retirement contributions, paid leave, and tuition benefits for eligible employees and dependents.
Virginia Union University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law in its employment practices or in the administration of its programs and activities. Virginia Union University is committed to the principles of its founding and to building a workforce that reflects the community it serves. Candidates requiring accommodation in the application or interview process should contact the Office of Human Resources and Talent Management.
Application Process
Candidates are required to submit their resume, four professional references and a cover letter. The application review will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. A background investigation and reference check will be required prior to employment. For any questions or concerns, please contact Askhr@vuu.edu.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Virginia Union University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, protected veteran status, or other protected class.
For more information about Virginia Union University, visit VUU About Page.