By Corey Byers Standlick

Effective August 12, Sentry Force is the new security provider and will deploy non-sworn, unarmed security officers in select academic buildings and residence halls on the Monroe Park Campus. Sentry Force officers will also be stationed at select VCU Health facilities and VCU buildings on the MCV campus, including entrances with weapons detection systems.

John Venuti, assistant vice president for public safety and chief of police for VCU and VCU Health, said the university uses private security personnel to support public safety staffing and operations.

“While VCU police officers constantly patrol both campuses, private security guards are strategically placed to enhance security,” Venuti said. “Whether they are near a weapons detection point or in a residence hall or dorm, they care about the safety and well-being of community members. They monitor and report problems to police, and we rely on their diligence.”

Other security personnel duties include controlling pedestrian and vehicle traffic, as well as operations in certain parking lots and other VCU buildings.

Security officers will conduct mobile patrols in vehicles marked “VCU Security” and “Sentry Force Security” and equipped with yellow, high-visibility lights at night. Sentry Force personnel on the Monroe Park Campus will wear black and yellow uniforms, while security personnel at VCU Health facilities will wear black uniforms with VCU Health and Sentry Force Security patches.

In a spring 2024 university-wide security survey, the vast majority (92%) of VCU students, faculty and staff reported feeling “very safe” or “safe” on VCU’s campus. A majority of respondents also said their sense of safety was increased by the presence of private security guards on campus and their mobile patrols at night.

VCU’s move to a new security provider was due to the expiration of a contract with a previous security company. As is customary, VCU issued a public request for proposals for security services. The contract was awarded to Sentry Force Security LLC, has an initial term of two years, with the possibility of future renewal.

Community members are encouraged to report safety concerns to security personnel. VCU Police will continue to monitor security. Police chiefs rely on feedback and tips from the community to determine how police and private security forces are deployed on campus.

Community members can contact the VCU Police Department at any time at: 804-VCU-1234 (804-828-1234) by dialing 8-1234 from a campus phone or using the LiveSafe app.