Deputy Chief of Police

VCU Police has an exciting opportunity for a Deputy Chief of Police to join our team!



About VCU and VCU Health System

Virginia Commonwealth University is a Carnegie I Research University and has been designated a top 100 Research University by the National Science Foundation. Many of the university’s schools and colleges are among the top 100 in the U.S., including medicine, engineering, the arts and business. Located in downtown Richmond, VCU enrolls nearly 30,000 students in more than 200 degree and certificate programs.

Twenty-three of the programs are unique in Virginia, many of them crossing the disciplines of VCU’s 11 schools and three colleges and a robust Division of Student Affairs to support student success and well-being. The VCU Health brand represents the health sciences schools of VCU, the VCU Massey Cancer Center and the VCU Health System, which comprises VCU Medical Center (the only academic medical center in the region), Community Memorial Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, and MCV Physicians. Today, VCU serves an integral role in the economic health of the city of Richmond and the region by providing the highest quality education for the current and future workforce, advancing research across a broad range of academic disciplines and enhancing the translation of research to serve the needs of the Commonwealth and nation. The university and its health system combined contribute more than $6 billion annually to the region’s economy and therefore plays a significant role in regional development and community planning.

As an urban institution of higher learning, VCU and its partners have contributed immeasurably to the development of the fabric of the city of Richmond which has transformed into a center of artistic and cultural growth, business development and social services. In consequence, the city and its leadership in business, industry and cultural affairs have given extraordinary support to the university’s growth, complementing the support of the Commonwealth. Richmond, the capital of Virginia, is a diverse cultural city, surrounded by historic neighborhoods, parks and the scenic James River.

About Richmond, Virginia

Richmond became the Commonwealth of Virginia’s capital in 1779. The Richmond region is a vibrant, diverse and growing community of nearly 1.3 million people and is the ideal combination of small town feel with intimate neighborhoods and local businesses and big city offerings that include myriad theaters, galleries, music events, festivals, sports attractions and more. The city borders the James River and offers more than 550 acres of parks making it the perfect place for outdoor recreation. Richmond’s location in the middle of the state allows for day or weekend trips to the beach, the mountains, or Washington, DC. Travel + Leisure magazine recently named the Richmond region as one of five top wine regions to visit. The metropolitan area is also home to seven Fortune 500 companies and ten Fortune 1000 companies, a broad base of financial companies, hospitals and media firms, high-tech manufacturing companies, as well as state and local government agencies. The city is home to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, VCU’s Institute for Contemporary Art and additional cultural institutions that add deep enrichment opportunities.

Regarded as the #1 place to live in Virginia (U.S. News 2019), one of the best cities for art lovers (Artnet 2019), and the happiest city in the US (U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research, 2014), Richmond is the perfect home for one of the nation’s leading public art schools.

For more information on the city of Richmond, please visit: www.grpva.com/living-in-richmond

About the Role

The Deputy Chief of Police serves as the secondary administrator in planning, directing, and managing the comprehensive law enforcement and administrative components of the Virginia Commonwealth University Police Department, an internationally accredited and full-service law enforcement agency. Reporting directly to the Associate Vice President for Public Safety within the Division of Administration, the Deputy Chief of Police will assume a wide range of responsibilities including directing and administering operations of all policing initiatives of the campus community and medical center communities. S/he will develop and implement effective crime prevention strategies including a comprehensive community-oriented policing program.

The Deputy Chief of Police manages operations of the department staff of approximately 95 sworn police officers and approximately 200 security personnel. This position maintains a high level of visibility within the campus community. The main responsibility is to operationalize organizational goals and objectives in order to maximize the performance of the department using current law enforcement techniques and equipment. The Deputy Chief is responsible for oversight of operational commitments for the department and is the primary liaison with outside law enforcement agencies to ensure that the University community is safe at all times.

Other duties include:

● Directing project management for the Public Safety portfolio across both campuses at the direction of the AVP/Chief of Police.

● Working closely with other Campus Safety and Security leaders to administer a community-centered law enforcement and security program that focuses on education, safety, and enforcement of University policies as they support and correspond with the University's mission.

● Managing administrative responsibilities; timely and accurate reporting in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations and higher education guidelines including the ongoing requirements of the Department of Education/Clery Act.

Minimum hiring standards:

● Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution in criminal justice, public safety, public administration or related discipline.

● 10 plus years of increasingly responsible management experience as a ranking member of a law enforcement agency, security operations, or higher education, including increasing level and scope of responsibilities, command supervisory experience, budget management, and operational/programmatic responsibilities for safety.

● Must be certified by the Virginia State Department for Criminal Justice Services to perform police duties in the Commonwealth of Virginia or be able to obtain Virginia certification within 12 months of accepting this position.

● Proven success in working with stakeholders with diverse backgrounds, including students, parents, faculty, and staff in University and Medical Center settings. Proven success in the recruitment, development, and retention of diverse workforce units.

● Strong history of leading change/transformational leadership.

● Excellent communication skills and experience in media relations, and will exhibit a previous record of success at a command level in a residential, university campus, academic medical center, or similar environment.

● Keen understanding of principles, practices and methods of law enforcement, traffic control and patrol services.

● Adept in principles of emergency management and community and public relations.

● Must have a valid driver's license.

● Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff and student environment or commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Preferred hiring standards:

● Master's degree and graduation from a law enforcement-related senior leadership training program such as the FBI National Academy, Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command, or Senior Management Institute for Police.

● Work experience in the roles of Deputy Chief or Chief of Police with Academic Health System experience.

● Higher education and/or campus law enforcement experience.

● Experience working in an accredited police department, hospital healthcare environment, preferably a Level 1 Trauma Center with trauma-informed sexual assault investigations awareness and knowledge of dealing with the intersection of Title IX and the Clery Act; Campus Threat Assessment Team experience with an understanding of threat analysis and mitigation.

● IACLEA Accreditation experience.



Procedure for Candidacy

Salary

The salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience.

How to Apply

Review of applications begins the week of January 31st and will continue until the position is filled. Candidates should complete the basic personal and demographic application through the VCU job website. Candidates should provide a resume, cover letter, a diversity statement*, and the names and contact information of three references. References will not be contacted without prior knowledge and approval of candidates. All nominations and applications shall be confidential until finalists are named. Application materials should be submitted to the VCU Jobs portal.



Requests for information and all written nominations and applications should be directed to: Tanya-Lee Giscombe (tlsgiscombe@vcu.edu)

*Virginia Commonwealth University is committed to organizational diversity, equity and inclusion – an environment where all can thrive in their pursuit of excellence. Applicants are requested to submit a Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion providing your career aspirations and contributions toward promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. For additional guidance on writing a Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: https://provost.vcu.edu/faculty/prospective/.

For more information on Virginia Commonwealth University, please visit vcu.edu and https://www.vcu.edu/about-vcu/facts-and-rankings/ .

Virginia Commonwealth University is committed to providing accessible and equitable living, learning and working environments free from discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sex (including pregnancy), political affiliation, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or disability.

Salary Range: Commensurate with experience



Position Details:

Department: Campus Police - Deputy Chief Public Safety Officer 1
Employment Type: UF - University Employee FT
Restricted Status:
FTE: 100
Exemption Status: Exempt



Contact Information:

Contact Name: Tanya-Lee Giscombe

Contact Email: tlsgiscombe@vcu.edu