For the past three years, the Longwood Univer sity Police Department (LUPD) has been ranked nationally among the best security systems within college universities. This year, the LUPD ranked seventeenth out of 31 nationally ranked security systems on university campuses by Se curity Magazine's annual evaluation of the secu rity industry. LUPD was the only security system within the education/university category in the state of Virginia to be recognized.
Since first earning recognition in 2009, the de partment has been improving consistently each year in order to maintain their recognition. LUPD Chief of Police Bob Beach believes that one of the reasons the LUPD is nationally recognized in se curity systems is because "we put in the effort to be recognized and the initiative to be put in the mix." Beach also said, "A good leader is always looking at the horizon … we sometimes overlook some great ideas that come our way." LUPD's in novative nature and forward thinking sets it apart from other universities' security systems.
In a meeting on Monday, Jan. 30, Longwood University President Patrick Finnegan, along with Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Tim Pierson, spoke on behalf of LUPD's award.'
Finnegan said, "[Campus security] is one of the things we brag about when we talk to incoming students and their families; it's one of the things we take a lot of pride in, and it wouldn't be pos sible without [Beach's] leadership."
In addition to new students and their families, Pierson said, "One of the most important things parents evaluate on a campus is how safe it is."
Debra Wooding, senior manager of the Integrat ed Security Systems at Longwood, works closely with Beach and the police department. Wooding said, "The LENEL access control and the 24-hour video surveillance is what put a jump start in our security." The LENEL access control is what al lows all students, faculty and staff to enter build ings with their Longwood ID card.
In 1998, Longwood became the third client of LENEL International, which is the standard secu rity system for all locks and other security equip ment on campus. Along with the LENEL security system constantly growing throughout campus due to the amount of construction, the 24-hour video surveillance has increased campus security as well. Beach said, "When I first got here, there was no video surveillance at all." About one and a half years ago, video surveillance was set up to have two phases.
Wooding said, "The first phase of the video sur veillance was to install cameras in all buildings on the main campus — like residence halls," which is still an ongoing process as new buildings are constructed or renovated. Wooding said LUPD hopes to eventually install outdoor security in Brock Commons, Lancer Park and the different parking lots around campus.
Although winning this security award for the third year in a row has been rewarding for LUPD, it also means a great deal of pressure and responsibility in order to keep that stan dard.
Beach explained, "I'm very proud of the effort that everybody has put in, and where we have come as a law enforcement agency; but there is also a lot of pressure because every year they are going to be looking to see where we are at … we have set a rail for ourselves that we have to try to maintain."
Beach said, "If some big crisis were to hit our campus, the local resources for safety are not here … so whatever we can do internally to make sure our university is competent and ca pable to address [potential threats] as best we can with limited resources is very important, and it will literally save lives."
To ensure the university is able to save those lives, Wooding explained that each LUPD offi cer is re-certified every year to make sure the department is up to date. Wooding said, "We also have ‘Code Red' training for the faculty and staff, which simulates a crisis on campus and instructs them on what to do in certain dangerous situations — like a shooting on cam pus." Along with "Code Red" training, many officers in the department teach Rape and De fense (RAD) classes for women, alcohol aware ness seminars and other informational sessions for faculty, staff and students alike.
In order for LUPD to keep their high stan dards, there is always constant innovation and networking involved to set the bar. Wooding said, "I have looked into everything from fingerprint scanning for students [in place of the ID card] to even cell phone apps that can allow students to access their meal plans and allow them into buildings."
Beach attributes much of the success in the po lice department and security toward the efforts of former president of Longwood, Dr. Patricia Cormier. Beach explained, "Dr. Cormier had two main priorities for Longwood, and the number one priority was the safety and security of the people."
Being a newcomer to Longwood when Cormier announced her priorities in front of the entire fac ulty in 2007, Beach said he was shocked to hear that the president's number one priority for the school was not the education, but rather the safe ty of its people. Beach said, "Dr. Cormier valued the police department very much," which is one of the reasons why he believes the department has been such a success from that point on
