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Jurisdiction / Core Campus

The VCU Police Department, which consists of sworn police officers and security personnel, has jurisdiction on both the Monroe Park and MCV campuses. VCU campus police officers have the same authority and obligation to exercise police power as other state and municipal police officers. Campus police jurisdiction includes all university-owned, -leased and -controlled property and the adjacent streets and sidewalks.

Jurisdictional Boundaries

VCU's campus police officers have concurrent jurisdiction with the City of Richmond's Department of Police, with full authority to exercise the powers and duties conferred upon them by law, in the following areas within the City of Richmond: that area bounded generally by 

  • (1) the westernmost side of North Lombardy Street (from Virginia State Route 195 to Interstate 95/64) to the West; 
  • (2) the southernmost side of Virginia State Route 195 (from North Lombardy Street to South Foushee Street) to the South; 
  • (3) the easternmost side of South Foushee Street (from Virginia State Route 195 to East Main Street) to the East; 
  • (4) the southernmost side of East Main Street (from South Foushee Street to South Eighteenth Street) to the South; 
  • (5) the easternmost side of North Eighteenth Street (from East Main Street to Coalter Street) to the East; 
  • (6) the northernmost side of Coalter Street (from North Eighteenth Street to Oliver Hill Way) to the North; 
  • (7) the easternmost side of Oliver Hill Way (from Coalter Street to Hospital Street) to the East; 
  • (8) the northernmost side of Hospital Street (from Oliver Hill Way to North Fifth Street) to the North; 
  • (9) the westernmost side of a line running from the intersection of North Fifth Street and Hospital Street to the intersection of North Third Street and East Leigh Street to the West; 
  • (10) the northernmost side of East Leigh Street (from Third Street to Saint James Street) to the North; 
  • (11) the northernmost side of West Leigh Street (from Saint James Street to North Belvidere Street) to the North; 
  • (12) the easternmost side of North Belvidere Street (from West Leigh Street to Interstate 95) to the East;
  • (13) the northernmost side of lnterstate 95 (from North Belvidere Street to North Lombardy Street) to the North;
  • (14) the westernmost side of South Lombardy Street (from Virginia State Route 195 to Colorado Avenue);
  • (15) the southernmost side of Colorado Ave (from South Lombardy Street to South Randolph Street);
  • (16) the southernmost side of South Harrison St (from South Randolph Street to Idlewood Avenue);
  • (17) the southernmost side of Idlewood Avenue (from South Harrison Street to eastern border of Hollywood Cemetery – an unnamed alley running from Idlewood Ave south to Albemarle Street);
  • (18) the easternmost border of Hollywood Cemetery (from Idlewood Avenue to Oregon Hill Parkway);
  • (19) the southernmost side of Oregon Hill Parkway (from easternmost border of Hollywood Cemetery to South Second Street);
  • (20) the southernmost side of South Second Street (from Oregon Hill Parkway to East Canal Street); and
  • (21) the northernmost side of East Canal St (from South Second Street to South Foushee St). 

Background

In 2019, and again in December 2023, the VCU Police Department received an expansion of its jurisdictional boundaries within the City of Richmond. VCU Police and the Richmond Police Department have the same authority on and around VCU’s campuses; this is referred to as concurrent jurisdiction. VCU Police has had concurrent jurisdiction with Richmond Police in the city for more than 30 years. The Richmond Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency in the City of Richmond.

VCU Police’s primary focus is on VCU owned and controlled properties in downtown Richmond. This new jurisdiction gives officers the flexibility to manage incidents and investigations occurring on VCU owned and controlled properties downtown. In other words, when students, faculty and staff who were previously in “off-campus” buildings request a VCU Police officer, an officer will be able to respond.

With the expansion, VCU’s core campus geography for each campus has not changed, only the VCU Police Department’s jurisdictional boundaries.

The VCU Police Department’s primary mission, and focus, is to provide safe learning, living and working environments for all students, faculty and staff. This expansion furthers that mission by giving VCU Police the opportunity to better serve the VCU community.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

  • What does a jurisdictional expansion mean for a VCU Police officer’s arrest authority?

The primary focus for VCU Police officers continues to be the core campus geography for the Monroe Park and MCV campuses and providing services to students, faculty and staff. VCU Police officers have the same arrest authority as the Richmond Police Department and can arrest anyone who commits a crime within VCU Police’s jurisdiction, not just VCU-affiliated students, faculty and staff. The expansion gives VCU Police officers arrest and investigative authority in a larger geographic area. When students, faculty and staff who were previously in “off-campus” buildings request a VCU Police officer, the department will have the authority to respond.

  • How many sworn police officers does the VCU Police Department have? 

The VCU Police Department is currently budgeted for 95 sworn police officers. 

  • Will the expansion affect VCU's private security contractor, RMC Events?

RMC Events security staff can provide event security or building security services in any VCU-owned or controlled building. RMC Events security staffers are not sworn police officers, so a change in jurisdiction will not have any effect on them.

  • Will VCU Police officers start patrolling all of the expanded jurisdiction?

VCU Police’s primary focus will still be on the core campus geography and VCU-owned and controlled properties in downtown Richmond. Officers travel throughout downtown on a daily basis and the expanded jurisdiction gives them the ability to respond to calls for service from students, faculty and staff in what have traditionally been “off campus” locations. Should they be needed, they could also assist the Richmond Police Department and other public safety agencies downtown.