P: 800-368-3227 E: universitypolice@vuu.edu
*For Student ID request please schedule a Campus Appointment.
On behalf Virgina Union University (VUU), and of the dedicated professionals of the Virginia Union University Police Department, it is our pleasure to welcome you to the University Police home page. The Virginia Union University Police are committed to providing a safe and secure learning environment for students, faculty, employees and visitors. The safety and comfort of our students, faculty, staff and visitors are our principal priority. We are committed to developing collaborative relationships for the enhancement of our entire university community, as safety and security is everyone’s mission. Community partnering is principal to the academic success of our students.
The Virginia Union University Police Department embraces the principles of collaboration and community policing with academic, administrative and urban organizations through; (1) protection of life and property, (2) crime and fire prevention and lastly (3) parking and traffic system safety.
The Virginia Union University Police Department stands ready to serve the needs of the University community. If you need assistance, please let us know. We will do our very best to provide you with the service that you would expect from a professional law enforcement agency.
University Police can be contacted at (804) 257-5777
University Police Department
1500 N. Lombardy Street
Pickford Hall, G-7
Richmond, Virginia 23220
Title IX
VUU University Police Parking Policy
POLICY: All faculty, staff, and students wishing to use parking facilities operated by the University or any property owned or leased by Virginia Union University, must register their vehicle with the Police Department and, while parked, properly display an authorized parking permit.
ELIGIBILITY: On-campus freshmen are not allowed to have vehicles on campus. Any student (undergraduate, graduate, continuing education, part-time, full-time, or adjunct) with at least 30 approved credits completed (excluding commuters) is eligible for campus parking privileges, unless privileges have been revoked.To report crimes that are occurring or any crime related concern around campus, fill out a Student Statement Form.
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C. Meshia Thomas
Chief of Police
and Director of Public Safety Chief ” Meshia”
Thomas has 20 years of law enforcement experience. She began her career with the University of Tennessee Police Department at the Knoxville campus during 2001 through 2013 as a dispatcher and rose through the ranks serving in a variety of position such as patrol officer assigned to Community Relations Unit, Sergeant assigned to Investigations, and Lieutenant assigned to patrol. She was selected on three occasions to represent serve on the Police Chief Search Committees. She has always supported the communities in which she has served and protected. Her experiences in the Knoxville community includes serving on several Boards (Sexual Assault Crisis Center and Sertoma Center) as well as the campus community (i.e. Safety Committee, Women’s Athletic Liaison, LGBTQ Ally Commission Member, and Commission for Blacks). Her role also allowed her the opportunity to facilitate and implement training and educational programs for both police and community members (such as RAD Systems self-defense, Personal Safety, Theft Prevention, New Faculty/Staff and Student Orientation).
In 2013, she joined the University of Chicago Police| Department of Safety & Security, serving as one of four Captains who oversaw a patrol squad of approximately 15 sworn officers. During her time at the University of Chicago; she taught RAD self-defense systems, and participated in a mentoring program at University of Chicago Charter Donoghue Campus.
In 2016, She joined the Vanderbilt University Police Department as a Captain assigned to Special Operations/Auxiliary Services. Her oversight and responsibilities included Fleet & Equipment Management, K-9 Team, Background Investigations, Training, Special Events, Communications and Records Unit. In 2018; she was assigned the role of Accreditation Manager/Professional Standards where she and her team helped to guide the Campus Police Department to be granted a fourth Accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., for its Communication/Dispatch Center.
She is a graduate of Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy (TLETA) located in Nashville, Tennessee. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Bethel University and is currently pursuing a graduate degree at Tennessee State University. She is a member of TACP - Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, IAHSS - International Association of Hospital Safety and Security, NOBLE - National Association of Black Law Enforcement Executives and NAWLEE-National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives.
In July 2019, she began her new position with Virginia Union University.
Message from the Chief:
“On behalf of the VUU Police Department, my team and I would like to welcome everyone to our campus. I am proud to say that Virginia Union University Police & Public Safety is a diverse agency and we arecommitted to providing a safe and secure campus environment where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.I am sure that many of you are concerned about your safety on and around campus during these uncertain times, and my team and I want to assure you that we are committed to your safety and security. We are here to support you whether you are a student, staff or faculty member or a guest at our university. Please feel free to reach out to me or my Command Staff for questions or concerns.
Sincerely,C. Meshia Thomas
Chief of Police, Director of Public Safety
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VUU Campus Police Staff
Major Robby Cottrell
Deputy Chief of Police
recottrell@vuu.edu