About Campus Police
Longwood University Police Department / Department of Public Safety
The Longwood University Police Department includes the following section, Police Patrol Operation, Investigations, the Communications Section, Crime Prevention, Parking Services and the ID Card Center. The Police Department Headquarters is located in the Dorrill Dining Hall on the ground floor. The LUPD supports Longwood University’s mission of developing citizen Leaders who are prepared to make positive contributions to the common good of society. The Police Department contributes to this mission by working to provide a learning and living environment free of distractions caused by the fear of crime. Each section of the Police Department works to support the mission.
Mission Statement
The Longwood University Police Department protects persons and property by providing essential law enforcement and public safety services, stability and order through service, assistance and visibility. While promoting student participation in life experiences that highlight accountability and personal responsibility and Leadership to the community and government by community involvement.
Our Vision
The administration and operation of the Longwood Police Department is executed to provide essential law enforcement, public safety, and related services to the campus community while utilizing the most up to date, efficient and effective methods available, maintaining established professional standards, and optimizing community support.
Our Values
We believe....
- The highest moral and ethical standards are the cornerstone of the agency, and all members are expected to adhere to these standards.
- The agency, through all of our employees and volunteers, strives to uphold the public trust and maintain accountability to the public we serve.
- Our employees are the most important asset of the Department, and only through teamwork, mutual respect, and cooperation can the community be best served.
- The role of the police is determined by the community it serves; through a partnership with the citizens, the Department improves the quality of life through control and reduction of crime and development of a culture of safety and security in the campus community.
- The police and the community share in the responsibility for crime control and public safety.
- The capability to accomplish our mission is determined by the dedication to public service, diversity and quality of the work force; therefore, we seek to recruit and retain individuals who possess those qualities.
- The agency must seek to collaborate with neighborhoods to better understand the nature of local problems and to develop meaningful and cooperative strategies to solve these problems.
- The agency must enhance the skills of all personnel to ensure motivation, creativity, dedication and professionalism, while creating an atmosphere of job satisfaction, enthusiasm, security and personal career development.
- Available resources, both personnel and financial, must be expended with maximum efficiency in order to provide optimum service to the campus community.
- State-of-the-art technologies and continuous up-to-date training are essential for the maintenance and enhancement of police service delivery to the campus community.
- Through the application of these commonly held values, we will achieve excellence in policing at Longwood University
Community Policing Definition
Community policing is a proactive and cooperative partnership between the Longwood University Police Department and the campus community to improve the overall quality of life by:
- Fostering and maintaining mutual trust and respect.
- Recognizing and solving problems,
- Preventing crime and disorder,
- Identifying and arresting offenders
Departmental Goals
I. STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
To develop and sustain strong community partnerships, the members of the Police Department and the citizens of the campus community must build relationships built on mutual respect, understanding and trust. The community must have confidence both in the process of law enforcement and in the people who are sworn to administer it fairly and judiciously. The community is encouraged and empowered to identify neighborhood problems, speak out on issues of concern, and help to shape the delivery of police services. The Police Department will strive to provide real solutions to problems of crime and public safety in the community while continuously seeking substantive feedback from the community regarding the quality and methods of police service delivery.
II. ENHANCE COMMUNITY-BASED POLICE SERVICES
To the extent possible, police services will be based in the community and will be delivered by Police Department professionals who have an intimate knowledge of the people, and cultures of that University community. The Police Department will provide citizens easy access to the people and services of the Police Department and responsiveness to the community
III. PROMOTE RESPONSIBILITY & ACCOUNTABILITY
The Police Department exists to fulfill the responsibilities of law enforcement by using the authority and resources vested to it by the community. The Department is accountable to the community for the efficient and effective use of those resources, and the fair, impartial and judicious exercise of that authority. The Department will achieve this goal through management practices which place responsibility and accountability, both individual and team, at the core of our organizational culture.
IV. MAXIMIZE OUR HUMAN RESOURCES
At the heart of every success is a dedicated and motivated person whose courage, resourcefulness and creativity have made the difference. The Police Department will seek and hire such individuals, give them the best possible training throughout their career, empower them to make a real difference in their community, provide them with the tools necessary to succeed, and reward and recognize their accomplishments.
V. HARNESS PROVEN TECHNOLOGY
The Police Department must harness and be proficient with modern technology; it is an integral part of our society and the most powerful tool available to law enforcement in the fight against crime. The Department will aggressively seek to obtain practical and proven technology at an affordable price, and then utilize it effectively to reduce crime and support police services to the University community.
Our People
The Longwood Police is comprised of thirteen sworn law enforcement officers, including one investigator and three sergeants, commanded by Chief Robert R. Beach. Our officers have completed the twenty-two week basic law enforcement course and are required by law to update their training every two years to maintain certification. Many of our officers maintain advanced certifications including: crime scene forensics, police bicycle patrol, RAD (Rape Aggression Defense) instruction, and infectious disease control instructor. The department has a full service, 24-hour emergency communications center utilizing the experience of six dispatchers, one of whom serves as the dispatch supervisor.
Our officers are on duty twenty-four hours a day, working three eight and ten hour shifts with a sergeant supervising each shift. Our investigator John Thompson works 8:00 am to 5:00pm as a regular shift and is subject to call-out at any time.
Our Services
The administration and operation of the Longwood Police Department is executed to provide essential law enforcement, public safety, and related services to the campus community while utilizing the most up to date, efficient and effective methods available, maintaining established professional standards, and optimizing community support.