Police protect and educate campus community

Buddy Norton is retiring after more than 20 years with University Police.

BY MICHELLE HERSHMAN, L’07

The University of Richmond Police Department has been protecting Richmond’s campus for 36 years, with Chief of Police Bob Dillard at its helm. Each year, the number of services and programs the department offers to the campus community increases.

Unfortunately, students don’t always realize the broad scope of the department’s responsibilities, says Acting Lieutenant Adrienne Meador.

“The expectation of the community is far greater than the perception of what we respond to,” says Meador, who has been with the department for six and a half years.

However, the department works hard to keep students and community members informed of its services and programs, including holding educational seminars on crime prevention and demonstrations on self-defense, alcohol and drug abuse.

“We spend an awful lot of time at the beginning of each year meeting with different groups to try to make sure they are aware of the services we offer,” Meador says.

Recently, Dillard placed Meador in charge of services, which includes communications, media relations, policy, grants procurement and management, traffic, victim/witness and women’s programs. Before the new placement, she was primarily in charge of investigations.

As part of its program for women, the department holds an annual Women’s Safety and Wellness Fair. The fifth, held Oct. 31 in Heilman Dining Center, featured displays from a variety of on- and off-campus agencies and departments. Topics included depression, eating disorders, stalking, domestic violence and sexual assault.

The department also offers a safety shuttle, which is available to all women for on-campus transportation. The shuttle runs every night.

In order to maintain general safety on campus, the department continues to sustain positive relationships with businesses and other law enforcement agencies in the community. Because of the visibility of the police force and its constant interaction with the community, the University experiences lower crime statistics than some nearby areas.

“Our positive relationship with our University community as well as other community organizations and departments really contributes to our success,” Meador says.
Lower crime statistics are just one of the department’s accomplishments. It also has remained one of only 46 college police departments accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies nationwide.