Commendations | Patrol Personnel

The Patrol Services section provides 24 hour patrol protection to the campus, parking lots, residence halls and other properties owned or controlled by the university or its foundation. RU Police Officers are vested with full law enforcement powers and responsibilities, identical to the local police or sheriff's department in your home community. The officers are trained at the New River Criminal Justice Training Academy and receive additional in-service and specialized training in first aid, firearms, defensive tactics, legal updates, human relations, sensitivity issues, and criminal investigations.

University Police share concurrent jurisdiction with the Radford City Police Department for streets adjacent to the university property. University Police offer assistance in all areas of the city when needed by the city police. University police officers are responsible for a full range of public safety services, including all crime reports, investigations, medical emergencies, fire emergencies, traffic accidents, enforcement of laws regulating underage drinking, the use of controlled substances, weapons and all other incidents requiring police assistance.

As a courtesy and to promote cooperation in combating crime, University Police share information on arrests and serious crimes with all surrounding police departments including Radford City Police. The serial numbers of all property stolen from campus are reported nationwide through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Potential criminal actions and other emergencies on campus can be reported directly to the University Police by any student, faculty, staff member or visitor.

Bike Patrol

The Bike Patrol Unit was implemented to increase the visibility and accessibility of officers in the campus community. Officers use mountain bikes to patrol all areas of campus that cannot be accessed by car. Bicycles increase the effectiveness of patrols and improve response times to requests for assistance on campus. Bicycle patrol is effective on campus due to the amount of vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Bicycle officers are able to move quickly through central campus regardless of exterior traffic patterns. There are also areas on campus where vehicle traffic is limited but can be patrolled easily on bicycle. The Radford University Police Department boasts one of the largest bike patrol units in Southwest Virginia. All bicycle patrol officers at the Radford University Police Department are certified International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA) officers and have completed a 40-hour cycling class.

Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)

The Crisis Intervention Team is comprised of highly skilled and highly trained police officers who function as part of the regular police patrol division. These officers receive 40 hours of specialized training in psychiatric diagnosis, suicide intervention, substance abuse issues, de-escalation techniques, the role of the family in the care of a person with mental illness, legal training in mental health and substance abuse issues, and local resources for those in a mental health crisis. In addition to classroom instruction, officers-in-training also participate in nine hours of role playing exercises based on real-life scenarios and spend an entire day visiting mental health and substance abuse inpatient and outpatient treatment facilities where they have the opportunity to engage in one-on-one dialogue with mental health consumers.

The training is designed to educate and prepare police officers who come into contact with people with mental illnesses to recognize the signs and symptoms of these illnesses and to respond effectively and appropriately to individuals in crisis. Because police officers are often the first responders in these incidents, it is essential that they know how mental illnesses can alter people's behaviors and perceptions. The trained CIT Officer is skilled at de-escalating crises involving people with mental illness, while bringing an element of understanding and compassion to these difficult situations.

CIT has shown to positively impact on officer perceptions, decrease the need for higher levels of police interventions, decrease officer injuries, and re-direct those in crisis from the criminal justice to the health care system. The CIT Training is accredited by the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS).

For more information on CIT visit: Mental Health Association of the New River Valley, Inc