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Saturday, July 26, 2025

From parking to Black Lives Matter, LUPD chief addresses student concerns

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Students who took time out of their busy schedules came by to listen to the campus police chief and indulge in coffee and snacks.

In an effort to bring student concerns to the attention of the Longwood University Police Department (LUPD), Coffee with the Chief occurs on the third Wednesday of every month with the latest meeting taking place on April 19.

Due to increased attendance, the event has relocated to the Lankford Student Union ballroom from Java City but still including a free cup of coffee.

A total of 81 students attended this session of Coffee with the Chief, which according to Col. Robert Beach, the current Chief of Police, this is the biggest turn out they have had so far.

“As the numbers started to grow, we realized, different people committing to come, that we couldn’t do it in Java City,” said Beach.

At the start of the event Beach shared a bit about why this event began. According to Beach, Coffee with the Chief started as a way to build a relationship between the students and the officers of LUPD.

Once then, the floor became open for the audience to ask questions or voice their concerns. The questions ranged from issues with parking, to the topic of Black Lives Matter.

One of the first questions asked was about if there was a way that all officers of the LUPD could be brought together so that faculty, staff and students could go and meet them to establish a better relationship with the officers.

According to Beach this has been taking place starting about two months ago.

“At 1:45 (p.m.) to 2:00 (p.m.), pending it not being 900 degrees out, or pouring down rain, or something like that, one of those cops is going to be standing right up here at Madison and Brock Commons,” said Beach.

According to Beach, there is on purpose for this, and that is so people can come up and introduce themselves and speak with the officer there. They may not always be there, due to having to respond to calls, but that is where they will normally be.

Beach stressed that for that process to work, people on campus have to show up too.

“We’ll be there as often as we can, but then you show up too,” said Beach.

Another question that received lengthy response from Beach was when he was asked how he felt about the phrase “Black Lives Matter.”

He spoke on respect and how that he was doing this event so that student could learn who he is and who the officers were. He spoke about the plurality of who students are and how he respected each student for who they are.

“The reality of the truth is that all lives matter. If I can develop a relationship with you and with my community so that you understand that I respect you for who you are, I don’t care the issues about color and race and religion and all that plays into the plurality of who you are, and I respect that,” stated Beach.

Beach shared that he left the event excited about how many students approached him after the event and continued to speak with him about other issues and questions that they had.

Students who took time out of their busy schedules came by to listen to the campus police chief and indulge in coffee and snacks.


Students who took time out of their busy schedules came by to listen to the campus police chief and indulge in coffee and snacks.


Students who took time out of their busy schedules came by to listen to the campus police chief and indulge in coffee and snacks.