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Stay Safe

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Stay Safe

Communities keep communities safe. VCU and VCU Health students, faculty, staff and team members can help improve the quality of life on campus by taking an active role in their own safety, as well as that of those around them. Reporting suspicious or emergency situations to the VCU Police Department immediately can help provide emergency assistance that may save a life, prevent criminal activity and solve crimes. 

Observe & Report Crime

Should you report an incident? Please report:

  • Accidents involving people, bicycles, vehicles and animals
  • Fires involving buildings, cars, grass, trash, alleyways, etc.
  • Safety hazards including broken doors, windows or locks; faulty lighting; blocked halls, windows or doors; vehicles leaking fuel, etc.
  • Suspicious circumstances including objects such as boxes or packages, events or unusual or untimely behaviors 
  • Threats including threats towards persons, events, buildings, groups of individuals or threats generally referencing harm towards VCU and VCU Health community members

VCU campuses are protected only when all individuals actively stay informed and are aware of their surroundings. Report all suspicious activity, however minor, to VCU Police:

  • Report emergencies to VCU Police 24/7: Call (804) 828-1234 or Ext. 81234 from a campus phone. If you are off campus, or at a satellite location in Virginia, call 911. (Note: All university phones have the ability to dial 9-1-1 directly. On-campus (MPC and MCV) phone users can dial 9-9-1-1.) 
  • Report non-emergency information to VCU Police 24/7: Call (804) 828-1196.
  • Send in tips or other information directly to VCU Police by using the LiveSafe app. Tips are monitored 24/7 and users can send in photos and videos. 
  • Report a hate crime or report a crime on the VCU Police website. Submissions will be reviewed during business hours, Monday through Friday.
  • Email VCU’s Threat Assessment Team at tat@vcu.edu or call (804) 828-8940. Messages will be reviewed during business hours, Monday through Friday. (Visit the VCU Police website to learn more about VCU’s Threat Assessment Team. VCU maintains a policy for Violence Prevention and Threat Assessment and Management.)
  • For Threat Assessment and Management at VCU Health, call Safety & Security at (804) 828-4300, Employee Relations at (804) 628-4748 or Risk Management at pager #6107. Information reported is confidential. Callers may remain anonymous.
  • On a VCU-owned computer, click the VCU Safety icon (or visit https://students.vcu.edu/student-life-at-vcu/health-wellness-and-safety/safety/) to report concerns through the Division of Student Affairs. Messages will be reviewed during business hours, Monday through Friday.
  • The VCU Police Department is located at 224 East Broad St. in downtown Richmond. Anyone can access the front entrance from Broad Street and use the indoor intercom to request a police officer. 

Reporting Discrimination to VCU & VCU Health

According to policy, VCU and VCU Health prohibit unlawful discrimination in the workplace, academic setting or in any programs or activities. It is the responsibility of every member of the community to foster an environment free from unlawful discrimination and harassment. VCU prohibits retaliation against an individual who brings forth a good faith concern, asks a clarifying question, or participates in an investigation under this policy.

VCU and VCU Health maintain codes of conduct for students, employees and team members. 

To report comments or actions that are discriminatory in nature: 

  • To the university, email VCU Equity & Access Services at equity@vcu.edu or call (804) 828-1347. For more information and reporting methods, visit https://equity.vcu.edu/. 
  • To VCU Health, team members can access the Compliance Services intranet page under Report a Concern.

Safety Advisories

The VCU Alert website displays information on current VCU alerts, as well as inclement weather advisories, university closings and other operational impacts to VCU and VCU Health. Anyone can sign up to receive text alerts on a cell phone, which are immediate notifications about campus emergencies. 

VCU has an extensive emergency communications system to alert the community about emergency situations, severe weather and other active threats to safety. Types of alerting technologies include Alertus boxes, desktop alerts on VCU-supported computers, digital signage, LiveSafe app messages, mass email, outdoor sirens, text messages and social media.

Daily Crime Log

Keep track of what’s going on around campus with the VCU Police daily crime log.

VCU is not responsible for the privacy practices or content on external (non-VCU) websites.

Emergency Reporting Telephone System (ERTS)

There are currently more than 350 ERTS phones located throughout both campuses and satellite properties. The ERTS phones connect directly with VCU Police Emergency Communications Center. Most ERTS phones have a flashing yellow strobe light above them; others have blue lights. In some buildings, they are red wall phones.